Below is a link to picture directions in Hebrew for tying Ashkenaz Shel Yad knot
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How to do Ashkenaz Shel Yad
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’sWhen 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.
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”.
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.
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?
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.]