Oaths – Taking God’s Name in Vain – Yitro

Do Not Take the Name of G-d Your lord in Vain.

There was once a man who never wanted to take an oath, he was very wealthy. When he was on his death bed he called his son. This man said to his son, “My son I warn you never to take an oath for truth or for deceit because all the wealth which I have accumulated is only because I never took an oath even for the truth. G-d has given me success everyday, with every transaction, with anything I have done.” The son answered, “Dad I will fulfill all of your commands. I will never swear at all.”

Oath’s

When the father died…gangsters came to this orphan and demanded a lot of money which they claimed his father owed….They went to court and asked the orphan to swear, he said to himself, “What can I do, if I swear I will desecrate the heavenly name and defy my father’s commandment. It is better for me to pay then to swear.” He paid them almost all of the money his father had left. He had only ten golden dinars left… The gangsters then came and told him, “pay us what you owe or swear that you have no more money.” The orphan answered, “I will never swear.” They captured and imprisoned him.

Vaetchanan Teaching Your Kids To Be Sharp – Inside Tefillin

Inside Tefillin – Teaching Your Kids To Be Sharp

The Shemah Yisrael prayer we place inside Mezuzot hung on our doorframes and repeat it several times a day. This prayer contains the words “Veshinantam Lebanecha – Teach them to your children” These two Hebrew words are very powerful. Tons of discussion can be based on them. The literal and accepted translation of the word “Veshinantam” is to teach. However, the word also contains the best method of teaching them. Its root “Shenen” mean to sharpen. The Halachic Midrash Sifrey (34) points this out, it sites the Pasuk (Tehilim 45-6) Your Arrows are sharpened – “Hitzecha Shenunim”.

You Children Should be Sharp
You Children Should be Sharp

The Sifrey says that you should know the Torah so that it will be sharp in your mouth. If anyone asks you a question you shouldn’t stammer when answering instead you should answer right away. (See Rashi) Rashbam builds on this concept by stating “Veshinantam” is a usage of the root “to sharpen”, you should know how to explain them clearly as “They sharpened their tongue like a sword” (Tehilim 64 – 4) Interestingly enough the sharpened tongue in that chapter of Tehilim does not refer to those who sharpen themselves with Torah but to the evil enemy politicians who were ministers that entrapped and destroyed people with their evil tongues. We can see that one can use the human mind’s sharpness to clearly understand many concepts starting with Torah knowledge through knowing all about sports or politics to memorizing evil methods like torture, murder, theft and rape.

Free Will – Did I Have a Choice in Writing This? – Vayechi

Vayechi – Did I Have a Choice in Writing This?

In Our Perasha Yosef quells his brother fears that Yosef will take revenge upon them now that Yaakov has died.

And you thought evil towards me, G-d thought goodness so that I can do what I am doing today supporting many nations.

Did the brothers have Free Will, a choice, in performing their cruel sale of Yosef? Or was it all part of the divine plan? G-d had previously informed Avraham that his children will be oppressed for 400 years. Even more important, What hints do Yosef’s words give us about freedom of choice?

Free Will
Freedom of Choice

 

This question has been entertained for thousands of years by Tanaim, Emoraim and Rishonim. It has also been discussed by Philosophers, Psychologists and Sociologists.

 

The Gemara in Masechet Brachot says:
Rabbi Chanina says Everything is in the hands of heaven except for – Yirat Shamayim- fear of heaven. As it says: (Devarim 10) ‘And now, Israel what does G-d your Lord ask of you, but only to fear him.’ does this pasuk make Yirat Shamayim – Fear of Heaven into an easy matter? But did not Rabbi Chanina say in the name of Rabbi Yochanan Ben Zakkai, “The Holy One Blessed Be He has hidden in his treasury only a collection of Yirat Shamayim, as it says (Yishayahu 33) ‘The fear of Heaven is his treasury.'” [The Gemarah answers] Yes, to Moshe Yirat Shamayim is a small issue, as Rabbi Chanina says this is analogous to asking someone for a big utensil. If he possesses it he considers it small. However, If you ask him for a small utensil which he does not posses he considers it a big utensil. [So it is with Yirat Shamayim: For people who do not possess it, it is a very big issue.]

Perashat Bo – Tefilin

Perashat Bo – Importance of Tefillin

Why is the Mitzvah of putting on Tefillin viewed as being so important? During a Bar Mitzvah it is a central part of the celebration. What is the purpose of donning Tefillin?

At the end of  Perashat Bo we find two of the four paragraphs which we write on parchment and put into sturdy leather boxes which we call Tefillin. In its Tefillin oriented commandment the first of these paragraphs uses a different syntax than the others.

 

It should a be sign for you on your hand and a remembrance between your eyes, so that the teachings of G-d will be in your mouth since with a mighty hand G-d took you out of Egypt.

Our rabbis of blessed memory have said that the Mitzvah of Tefillin is equal to the entire Torah. (Torah Shelema) I believe that this Mitzvah is similar to tying a thread around your finger to remember something. By donning Tefillin we should remember the concepts which we learn from the Torah. A person who wears Tefillin should find it difficult to steal, yell at his mother, or think licentious thoughts all of which are forbidden and are especially mentioned with regards to wearing Tefillin.

Tefilin Helps to Prevent Transgression
Tefillin Helps to Prevent Transgression

In the Torah is a story about the first man who violated Shabat. There  is a Midrash which remarks that Moshe Rabbienu said to G-d that the man sinned because it was Shabbat when it is forbidden to wear Tefillin. He had no reminder of G-d’s presence. Under an Ideal situation which has not yet occurred in Jewish History it is best to wear Tefillin all day. Some have said that this applies more to those who are working than those who are immersed in Torah Study.

What is Tefillin

What is Tefillin? Why is the Mitzvah of putting on Tefillin viewed as being so important? During a Bar Mitzvah it is a central part of the celebration. What is the purpose of donning Tefillin?

Perashat Bo – Passover

There are four perashiot (paragraphs written on leather parchments) inside Tefillin boxes. The same four appear both in the Tefillin that are placed on the head and the one on the arm. These perashiot speak about central concepts in Judaism.61114_463088532596_7273307_n
The first perasha of “Kadesh li” discusses the freedom from slavery in Egypt. Two of the four sons from the Passover Seder are found in these paragraphs. The second perasha of “Vehaya Ki Yevi’acha” speaks about the plague of the first born of Egypt. The death of the first born of Egypt, in addition to redeeming of out first-born sons and animals, actuate a rejection of the strengths of idolatry and magical powers. The first born of the Egyptian as well as those of other nations were priests. The sanctity of the first born within Judaism is actually a rejection of idolatrous beliefs.

The final two paragraphs that are written in the tefillin are the most famous in Judaism. They are the first two paragraphs of “Shema Yisrael”. The portion of “Shema Yisrael” speaks about the Unity of the Blessed Creator and loving him. The final perasha is “Vehaya im Shmo’a”. It discusses Devine Providence and heavenly reward and punishment.

There is a distinct relationship between these four perashiot. They all mention the importance of study and internalization of these subjects. Additionally, educating children in these particular subjects is mandatory. One needs to constantly teach them to his children and even more so during the Passover Seder.

A source cited in the Talmud states “A child … who can take care of tefillin, his father acquires tefillin for him.” (Tosefta Chagiga 1, Succah 42a) Parents acquire tefillin when a child becomes old enough that he can care for himself and his tefillin. One can give this whole discussion a symbolic explanation.

These concepts that we have been discussing parents teach to their children from a very young age. Parents invest a lot of effort over the course of many years to teach these concepts to their children. The father ties these central concepts that are in the tefillin onto the child’s body when he is old enough to care for himself and his things. Through this the child internalizes these subjects until they actually become part of him.

Every Bar Mitzvah boy knows the importance of the Unity of the Creator, Divine Providence, reward and punishment, the exodus from Egypt and the rejection of Avoda Zara.

 

At the end of  Perashat Bo we find two of the four paragraphs which we write on parchment and put into sturdy leather boxes which we call Tefillin. In its Tefillin oriented commandment the first of these paragraphs uses a different syntax than the others.

 

It should a be sign for you on your hand and a remembrance between your eyes, so that the teachings of G-d will be in your mouth since with a mighty hand G-d took you out of Egypt.

What is Tefillin

Our rabbis of blessed memory have said that the Mitzvah of Tefillin is equal to the entire Torah. (Torah Shelema) I believe that this Mitzvah is similar to tying a thread around your finger to remember something. By donning Tefillin we should remember the concepts which we learn from the Torah. A person who wears Tefillin should find it difficult to steal, yell at his mother, or think licentious thoughts all of which are forbidden and are especially mentioned with regards to wearing Tefillin.

Whatt is Tefillin? They Help to Prevent Transgression
What is Tefillin? They Help to Prevent Transgression

In the Torah is a story about the first man who violated Shabat. There  is a Midrash which remarks that Moshe Rabbienu said to G-d that the man sinned because it was Shabbat when it is forbidden to wear Tefillin. He had no reminder of G-d’s presence. Under an Ideal situation which has not yet occurred in Jewish History it is best to wear Tefillin all day. Some have said that this applies more to those who are working than those who are immersed in Torah Study.

might say that it is childish to require a constant reminder but for busy people like ourselves we need secretaries and all types of electronic gadgetry to remind us of what we need to do.

 

Killing of the First Born
What is Tefillin – Killing of the First Born are in them

The concepts which are written on the parchments of the Tefillin discuss many topics which are central to a Torah lifestyle. A central theme in the first two paragraphs (in our Perashsa) is the final plague of the death of all of the firstborn which included man and beast. It is pointed out that since the Jewish firstborn were spared they must be redeemed from the sanctity which was then given to them. This demonstrates to us the greatness of G-d who differentiated between Jewish households and Egyptians, he knew which of a set of twins was firstborn and which animal was a firstborn. We use this to demonstrate G-d’s providence. G-d can guide us and intervene in any of our plans. Additionally, we see this providence in the Tefillin with a mention of G-d’s removing us from slavery in Egypt.

Concepts involving Passover and education of children are also mentioned several times. On Passover we have a special Mitzvoth to tell our children how we were released from bondage in Egypt. Indeed, the subject of education, both for us and our children is recurrent many times in all four paragraphs. Knowledge of the Mitzvoth and all of the concepts in the Torah should be a fundamental part of all of our lives. I have been known to say that Judaism does not thrive on ignorance.

The other two paragraphs inside the Tefillin are from the Shemah Yisrael. In these paragraphs we meet up with concepts of monotheism, love of G-d, education for all, writing Mezuzot, the tremendous rewards in store for us if we love G-d and follow the Torah, the punishment if we don’t, and many more.

For those who don Tefillin and think about these concepts it is considered that he was busy studying Torah. (Mechilta)