Hi,
"The Torah says: When a fire breaks out and finds thorns, or standing grain or a field, the one who set the fire must pay.
"Therefore, Gd declares: I must pay for the fire which I ignited. I set fire to Zion, as it is written, 'He set a fire in Zion,' and I will rebuild it in fire, as it is written, 'And I will be a wall of fire for it, surounding it.'"
(Talmud, Bava Kama 60b)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Join in a community mitzvah
Hi,
"It is written (Ecclesiastes 1), 'The loss cannot be counted.' This refers to a situation in which one's peers all join to participate in a Mitzvah, and one does not join in with them."
(Talmud, Berachot 26a)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
"It is written (Ecclesiastes 1), 'The loss cannot be counted.' This refers to a situation in which one's peers all join to participate in a Mitzvah, and one does not join in with them."
(Talmud, Berachot 26a)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Humility in the Study Hall, as in life
Hi,
"If you come to the Study Hall and you hear a statement made or a law declared, do not rush to respond. Rather, sit and ask why the statement was made, or what the source is."
(Avot d'Rabbi Natan 10:2)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
"If you come to the Study Hall and you hear a statement made or a law declared, do not rush to respond. Rather, sit and ask why the statement was made, or what the source is."
(Avot d'Rabbi Natan 10:2)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Prohibitions and Permissions
Hi,
"Yalta said to Rav Nachman [her husband]: For every experience that Gd prohibited to us, He permitted us a similar experience."
(Talmud, Chullin 109b)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
"Yalta said to Rav Nachman [her husband]: For every experience that Gd prohibited to us, He permitted us a similar experience."
(Talmud, Chullin 109b)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Monday, January 26, 2009
Thank Gd
Hi,
On gratitude for Divine gifts:
"One may not benefit from this world without first reciting a blessing; one who benefits from this world without first reciting a blessing, has committed an act of trespass on Divine property."
(Talmud, Berachot 35a)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
On gratitude for Divine gifts:
"One may not benefit from this world without first reciting a blessing; one who benefits from this world without first reciting a blessing, has committed an act of trespass on Divine property."
(Talmud, Berachot 35a)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Sunday, January 25, 2009
The arrogance of slander
Hi,
"One who speaks slanderously of others also violates, 'Be careful lest you forget HaShem your Gd,' which warns against arrogance.
"Since he mocks others, he must think himself smart and a standout human being. Were he to recognize his own flaws, he would not mock others."
(Chafetz Chaim, Mekor Chaim "Lavin" #5)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
"One who speaks slanderously of others also violates, 'Be careful lest you forget HaShem your Gd,' which warns against arrogance.
"Since he mocks others, he must think himself smart and a standout human being. Were he to recognize his own flaws, he would not mock others."
(Chafetz Chaim, Mekor Chaim "Lavin" #5)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Learning, Doing, Teaching
Hi,
It's a bit complicated today, but worth the effort:
"Rabbi Nechemiah said: When they buried King Chizkiyah, they honored him by placing a Torah scroll upon his bier and declaring, 'This one fulfilled everything written in that one.'...
"Rabbi Yochanan said: Nowadays, we also say 'This one fulfilled everything written in that one' - but we don't say, 'This one taught everything written in that one.' [This implies that teaching is greater than practicing.]
"But have we not learned, 'Learning is great, for it leads to deeds?' [Which implies that practicing is greater than learning.]
"One statement is regarding learning, the other statement is regarding teaching. [In other words: Practicing Judaism is greater than learning about it, but teaching others is even greater.]"
(Talmud, Bava Kama 17a)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
It's a bit complicated today, but worth the effort:
"Rabbi Nechemiah said: When they buried King Chizkiyah, they honored him by placing a Torah scroll upon his bier and declaring, 'This one fulfilled everything written in that one.'...
"Rabbi Yochanan said: Nowadays, we also say 'This one fulfilled everything written in that one' - but we don't say, 'This one taught everything written in that one.' [This implies that teaching is greater than practicing.]
"But have we not learned, 'Learning is great, for it leads to deeds?' [Which implies that practicing is greater than learning.]
"One statement is regarding learning, the other statement is regarding teaching. [In other words: Practicing Judaism is greater than learning about it, but teaching others is even greater.]"
(Talmud, Bava Kama 17a)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Sensitivity to others' vulnerability
Hi,
"If you have harmed someone only a little, view it in your own eyes as a lot."
(Avot d'Rabbi Natan 41:11)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
"If you have harmed someone only a little, view it in your own eyes as a lot."
(Avot d'Rabbi Natan 41:11)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Educating children
Hi,
"Teach and guide a child in a manner consistent with his nature, and then he will not stray from that path as he ages.
"Should you force him against his nature, he will listen to you now out of fear, but later he will leave that path when your yoke is removed from his neck. He cannot change his nature."
(Rabbi Eliyahu Kramer, "Vilna Gaon," to Proverbs 22:6)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
"Teach and guide a child in a manner consistent with his nature, and then he will not stray from that path as he ages.
"Should you force him against his nature, he will listen to you now out of fear, but later he will leave that path when your yoke is removed from his neck. He cannot change his nature."
(Rabbi Eliyahu Kramer, "Vilna Gaon," to Proverbs 22:6)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Messianic Times
Hi,
Of Messianic times:
"The world will not be embedded in materialism as it is now. The inclination for evil will leave humanity, and all of HaShem's creations will turn with one heart to serve the Creator of all.
"Even according to the view that the only difference between this world and the next is tyranny, what that means is that the world will function in its natural way, with natural mechanisms, it will not function in some supernatural way but only through natural means, but all humanity will be righteous."
(Maharal of Prague, Netzach Yisrael Chapter 50)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Of Messianic times:
"The world will not be embedded in materialism as it is now. The inclination for evil will leave humanity, and all of HaShem's creations will turn with one heart to serve the Creator of all.
"Even according to the view that the only difference between this world and the next is tyranny, what that means is that the world will function in its natural way, with natural mechanisms, it will not function in some supernatural way but only through natural means, but all humanity will be righteous."
(Maharal of Prague, Netzach Yisrael Chapter 50)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Monday, January 19, 2009
Take care in choosing your associates
Hi,
"One who has eyes in his head will be more careful and will examine the deeds of the person he wishes to befriend or to take as a counselor or to hire in his home, to a greater extent than he will examine his food and drink. Food and drink can only harm his body, but friends and the people he hires can destroy his soul and his wealth and his reputation."
(R' Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, Mesilat Yesharim, Chapter 23)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
"One who has eyes in his head will be more careful and will examine the deeds of the person he wishes to befriend or to take as a counselor or to hire in his home, to a greater extent than he will examine his food and drink. Food and drink can only harm his body, but friends and the people he hires can destroy his soul and his wealth and his reputation."
(R' Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, Mesilat Yesharim, Chapter 23)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Praying for this-worldly needs
Hi,
"When Rava saw Rav Hemnuna praying for an extended time, he declared, 'They abandon eternal life [of Torah study] and are instead involved in their temporary needs!'"
(Talmud, Shabbat 10a)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
"When Rava saw Rav Hemnuna praying for an extended time, he declared, 'They abandon eternal life [of Torah study] and are instead involved in their temporary needs!'"
(Talmud, Shabbat 10a)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Respect for a Torah scroll
Hi,
"Once the Torah scroll is opened [for reading], speech is prohibited - even speech regarding a matter of Jewish law."
(Talmud, Sotah 39a)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
"Once the Torah scroll is opened [for reading], speech is prohibited - even speech regarding a matter of Jewish law."
(Talmud, Sotah 39a)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
On violent speech
Hi,
Note that in the passage below, the term "curse" refers to an expressed desire for an enemy to suffer harm.
"When spite comes up against the limits of its power and cannot in actual fact destroy the object of its hatred, then the will to do so is expressed in words - and the destruction which it wishesd to accomplish but cannot achieve is directed in words toward the object...
"In the acomplishment of a wicked deed man seems terrible, but even more terrible, monstrous, does he appear when he curses. For in the former the limit of his power is determined, but here his spite can express itself without bounds, so far as imagination - which is limitless - and hatred can reach; here can malice show how frightful it could be if it were all-powerful and held man's fate in his hands."
(R' Samson Raphael Hirsch, Horeb, paragraph 395)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Note that in the passage below, the term "curse" refers to an expressed desire for an enemy to suffer harm.
"When spite comes up against the limits of its power and cannot in actual fact destroy the object of its hatred, then the will to do so is expressed in words - and the destruction which it wishesd to accomplish but cannot achieve is directed in words toward the object...
"In the acomplishment of a wicked deed man seems terrible, but even more terrible, monstrous, does he appear when he curses. For in the former the limit of his power is determined, but here his spite can express itself without bounds, so far as imagination - which is limitless - and hatred can reach; here can malice show how frightful it could be if it were all-powerful and held man's fate in his hands."
(R' Samson Raphael Hirsch, Horeb, paragraph 395)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Praying for the sick
Hi,
"One who visits [literally: examines] a sick person causes him to live. One who does not visit a sick person causes him to die...
"This is because one who does not visit a sick person will not be moved to pray for him to live or die."
(Talmud, Nedarim 40a)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
"One who visits [literally: examines] a sick person causes him to live. One who does not visit a sick person causes him to die...
"This is because one who does not visit a sick person will not be moved to pray for him to live or die."
(Talmud, Nedarim 40a)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Monday, January 12, 2009
Staying with a dying person
Hi,
A depressing, but important, note:
"One is not permitted to leave a dying person, lest he die in depression. The spirit is desolate when it departs the body in solitude."
(Taamei haMinhagim 1009, citing Kol Bo)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
A depressing, but important, note:
"One is not permitted to leave a dying person, lest he die in depression. The spirit is desolate when it departs the body in solitude."
(Taamei haMinhagim 1009, citing Kol Bo)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Self-preservation
Hi,
On the need for people to take a hand in preserving their health, rather than rely on Divine protection:
"Rabbi Chanina said: Ninety-nine people die of colds, and one at Divine command."
(Talmud, Bava Metzia 107b)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
On the need for people to take a hand in preserving their health, rather than rely on Divine protection:
"Rabbi Chanina said: Ninety-nine people die of colds, and one at Divine command."
(Talmud, Bava Metzia 107b)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Admitting error can be a wise thing
Hi,
"Examine how far a person will go to strengthen his viewpoint [no matter how false it may be], and this will serve to stimulate criticism of that person."
(Maimonides, Medical Aphorisms of Moses Maimonides 25:72)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
"Examine how far a person will go to strengthen his viewpoint [no matter how false it may be], and this will serve to stimulate criticism of that person."
(Maimonides, Medical Aphorisms of Moses Maimonides 25:72)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Keys to long life
Hi,
"Rabbi Nechunyah ben Hakanah's students asked him: How did you merit long life?
"He replied: I never accepted honor at the expense of another person's honor, I never went to bed upset at someone else's curse (against me), and I was forgiving with my money."
(Talmud, Megilah 28a)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
"Rabbi Nechunyah ben Hakanah's students asked him: How did you merit long life?
"He replied: I never accepted honor at the expense of another person's honor, I never went to bed upset at someone else's curse (against me), and I was forgiving with my money."
(Talmud, Megilah 28a)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Choosing a livelihood
Hi,
"Rabbi Meir said: One should teaech his son a craft which is innocent (of wrongdoing) and simple, and pray to the One to whom all wealth and assets belong.
"Poverty does not come from a particular craft, and wealth does not come from a particular craft; both come from the One to whom all wealth belongs, as it is written (Chaggai 2), 'The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine - this is the word of Gd.'"
(Talmud, Kiddushin 82b)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
"Rabbi Meir said: One should teaech his son a craft which is innocent (of wrongdoing) and simple, and pray to the One to whom all wealth and assets belong.
"Poverty does not come from a particular craft, and wealth does not come from a particular craft; both come from the One to whom all wealth belongs, as it is written (Chaggai 2), 'The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine - this is the word of Gd.'"
(Talmud, Kiddushin 82b)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Humility
Hi,
Succinct, but deep:
"Acquire humility and you cannot sin."
(R' Samson Raphael Hirsch, Horeb, paragraph 97)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Succinct, but deep:
"Acquire humility and you cannot sin."
(R' Samson Raphael Hirsch, Horeb, paragraph 97)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Monday, January 5, 2009
Mourning for Jerusalem
Hi,
For the fast of the Tenth of Tevet, observed Tuesday January 6 this year:
"Anyone who mourns for Jerusalem will merit to see its joy!"
"Anyone who mourns for Jerusalem will merit to see its joy!"
(Talmud, Taanit 30a)
Although Jews are once again able to live in Jerusalem, until there is peace and until Jews are able to again serve Gd in the Beit haMikdash [Jerusalem Temple], it will not truly be considered rebuilt
Have an easy and meaningful fast,
Mordechai
Although Jews are once again able to live in Jerusalem, until there is peace and until Jews are able to again serve Gd in the Beit haMikdash [Jerusalem Temple], it will not truly be considered rebuilt
Have an easy and meaningful fast,
Mordechai
Sunday, January 4, 2009
The Fast of the Tenth of Tevet
Hi,
The fast of Asarah b’Tevet, the 10th day of Tevet, marks the beginning of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. It led to the destruction of the First Beit haMikdash, and the exile of the Jews to Babylon.
Tuesday January 6th is Asarah b'Tevet. Here in Allentown we fast from first light, at 6:13 AM, until the stars emerge at 5:33 PM.
As we are taught regarding every fast other than Yom Kippur, the main merit of the fast is in donating to charity the money we would have spent on food.
May the merit of our charity, prayer and fasting aid the IDF in its efforts.
(Talmud, Berachot 6b; Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 549:1; Mishneh Berurah 549:2)
Have an easy and meaningful fast,
Mordechai
The fast of Asarah b’Tevet, the 10th day of Tevet, marks the beginning of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. It led to the destruction of the First Beit haMikdash, and the exile of the Jews to Babylon.
Tuesday January 6th is Asarah b'Tevet. Here in Allentown we fast from first light, at 6:13 AM, until the stars emerge at 5:33 PM.
As we are taught regarding every fast other than Yom Kippur, the main merit of the fast is in donating to charity the money we would have spent on food.
May the merit of our charity, prayer and fasting aid the IDF in its efforts.
(Talmud, Berachot 6b; Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 549:1; Mishneh Berurah 549:2)
Have an easy and meaningful fast,
Mordechai
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Appreciating Gd through study of nature
Hi,
"When a person contemplates Gd's great and wondrous deeds and creations, and sees therein His inestimable and infinite Wisdom, he immediately begins to love and praise and glorify Gd, and he feels a great longing to know Gd."
(Maimonides, Laws of the Foundations of Torah 2:2)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
"When a person contemplates Gd's great and wondrous deeds and creations, and sees therein His inestimable and infinite Wisdom, he immediately begins to love and praise and glorify Gd, and he feels a great longing to know Gd."
(Maimonides, Laws of the Foundations of Torah 2:2)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
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