The true source of healing

Hi,

Regarding the story in Bamidbar 21, wherein Moshe makes a copper alloy serpent and places it atop a pole, and Jews who have been bitten by poisonous snakes look up at Moshe's statue and are healed:

"Does a serpent kill or cause life? Rather, when Israel looked heavenward and bound their hearts to their Father in Heaven, they were healed, and if not then they perished."

וכי נחש ממית או נחש מחיה אלא בזמן שישראל מסתכלין כלפי מעלה ומשעבדין את לבם לאביהן שבשמים היו מתרפאים ואם לאו היו נימוקים 

(Mishnah Rosh HaShanah 3:8)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The judge in your generation

Hi,

"And Samuel said to the nation [upon coronating Saul]: Gd, who made Moshe and Aharon, (Samuel I 12:6)"
"And Gd sent Yerubaal and Bedan and Yiftach and Samuel (Samuel I 12:11)"…
"Moshe, and Aharon with his priests, and Samuel among those who call out in His Name (Psalms 99:6)".

The text equated the world's three lightweights with the world's three heavyweights, to tell you: Yerubaal in his generation is as Moshe in his generation, Bedan in his generation is as Aharon in his generation, Yiftach in his generation is as Samuel in his generation. To teach you that even the lightest of the light, if appointed as community leader, is like the mightiest of the mighty.

ויאמר שמואל אל העם ד' אשר עשה את משה ואת אהרן, ואומר וישלח ד' את ירבעל ואת בדן ואת יפתח ואת שמואל... ואומר משה ואהרן בכהניו ושמואל בקראי שמו. שקל הכתוב שלשה קלי עולם כשלשה חמורי עולם, לומר לך: ירובעל בדורו - כמשה בדורו, בדן בדורו - כאהרן בדורו, יפתח בדורו - כשמואל בדורו. ללמדך שאפילו קל שבקלין ונתמנה פרנס על הצבור - הרי הוא כאביר שבאבירים 

(Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 25a-b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Who are you right now?

Hi,

"A person is judged only based on his deeds of that moment, as it is written, ‘G-d has heard the voice of the youth [Yishmael], as he is there.’"

(Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 16b)

גמר חתימה טובה,
Mordechai

Protective Torah

Hi,

"There was a family in Yerushalayim whose members would die at the age of 18. They informed Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai of their problem, and he said: Perhaps you are from the house of Eli, regarding whom it is written, 'And all who grow from your house will die as young men. (Shemuel I 2:33)' Go involve yourselves in Torah, and live!

"They involved themselves in Torah and survived, and they became known as 'The Family of Rabbi Yochanan' in his name.

(Talmud, Rosh haShanah 18a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Divine Judgment for future [and past?] wrongs

Hi,

"A person is judged only based on his deeds of that moment, as it is written, ‘Gd has heard the voice of the youth, as he is there.’"

(Talmud, Rosh haShanah 16b)

Pitka tava,
Mordechai

Asking for justice

Hi,

"One who passes judgment to Gd regarding another person will, himself, be punished [for his own sins] first."

(Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 16b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Seek Zion!

Hi,

"How do we know that we are to make a memorial for the Temple? Jeremiah 30:17 says, 'For I will bring you health and heal you from your wounds, this is the word of Gd. They have called you an outcast; Zion, she has none who seek her.' This indicates that she requires seeking."

(Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 30b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The Wisdom of Moshe

Hi,

In honor of Moshe Rabbeinu, whose yahrtzeit is observed on the 7th of Adar, which begins Thursday evening. [Granted that there are two months of Adar this year.]

"Fifty levels of understanding were created in this world, and all but one were given to Moshe, as it is written [Tehillim 8], 'And You made him just less than Gd.'"

(Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 21b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Tearing up the decree

Hi,

"Four things tear up a person’s [Divine] decree: Tzedakah, Prayer, Changing one’s name and changing one’s deeds… Changing one’s deeds, as it is written, “And Gd saw their deeds.”"

(Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 16b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Asking for trouble

Hi,

"Three circumstances call to mind a person's sins: An inclined wall, examination of one's prayer [assuming Gd must answer one's prayers, because one prayed with great concentration - Rashi] and asking Gd to punish others for their sins."

(Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 16b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Beautifying the menorah

Hi,

"[The menorah of the Chashmonaim] was made of iron spits, covered with tin. When they became wealthier they made it of silver. When they became still wealthier, they made it of gold."

(Talmud, Rosh haShanah 24b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Forgiveness pays off

Hi,

"If a person declines to exercise his own rights, Gd declines to notice his sins."

(Talmud, Rosh haShanah 17a)

Gmar tov,
Mordechai

The Value of Momentary Righteousness

Hi,

"And R’ Yitzchak said: We only judge a person according to his actions at that time, as it is written, “For Gd has heard the voice of the youth, as he is there.”"

(Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 16b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Seeking Zion

Hi,

“How do we know that we are supposed to perform acts memorializing the Temple?

“The verse (Jeremiah 30) says: 'I will give you health and I will heal your wounds, this is the word of Gd, for they termed you 'abandoned.' She is Zion, and no one seeks her.' This teaches that she requires seeking.”

(Talmud, Rosh haShanah 30a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Historic and Contemporary Authority

Hi,

"Why are the 70 elders [who assisted Moses in judging the Jewish nation in the desert] not identified? Lest people say, 'Is our judge like Moses and Aaron, Nadav and Avihu, or Eldad and Meidad?'"

[Rashi's explanation: Now that the 70 are not identified, we have no way to know whether our judges are better or worse than any of them.]

(Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 25a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Chanukah's Durability

Hi,

Preface: Chanukah’s observance was recorded in Megilat Taanit, an ancient text which listed days when one may not fast or mourn.

"Rav and R’ Chanina said: Megilat Taanit is now void…

"Rav Kahana challenged: We learned, “Once they decreed a fast on Chanukah in Lod, and Rabbi Eliezer bathed and Rabbi Yehoshua took a haircut, and they told the community, ‘Now, fast to atone for your fasting!’”

“Rav Yosef said: Chanukah is different, for its observance is a mitzvah.

“Abbaye asked: Let it be void, and let its mitzvah be void!

“Rather, Rav Yosef said: Chanukah is different , for it publicizes a miracle.”

(Talmud, Rosh haShanah 18b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Judging our leaders

Hi,

Preface: 70 elders assisted Moshe in judging cases for the Jews in the desert, on their way from Egypt to Israel.

"Why are the 70 elders not identified by name in the Torah? Lest people say, 'Is our judge like Moshe and Aharon, Nadav and Avihu, or Eldad and Meidad [figures of the desert era]?'"

[Rashi's explanation: Now that the 70 are not identified, we have no way to know whether our judges are better or worse than any of them.]

(Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 25a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

It's the thought that counts

Hi,

When the Jews who had just escaped Egypt were attacked by Amalek, they fought back under the leadership of Yehoshua, while Moshe prayed to HaShem.

The Torah says (Sh'mot 17), 'When Moshe raised his hands, the Jews were victorious. When Moshe rested his hands, Amalek was victorious.' On this, the Talmud comments:

"Did Moshe's hand make war or break war?! Rather, as long as the Jews looked heavenward and bound their hearts to their Father in heaven, they were victorious. Otherwise, they fell."

(Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 29a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

"Today" is the measure of righteousness

Hi,

"Rabbi Yitzchak taught: A person is judged [in the Heavenly court] only based upon his current actions, as it is written [regarding Yishmael], 'Gd has heard the voice of the youth, as he is there.'"

(Talmud, Rosh haShanah 16b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Exile, and hope for return

Hi,

"The Sanhedrin (the high Jewish court and legislative body of the Second Temple period) went into exile in ten steps, parallel to the ten steps of exile which Gd experienced.

"Our tradition is that they went from the Lishkat haGazit in the Temple to the market area, from there into Yerushalayim, from there into Yavneh, from there to Usha, from there back to Yavneh, from there back to Usha, from there to Shifraam, from there to Beit She'arim, from there to Tzippori, from there to Tiberias, and Tiberias was the lowest of them all...

"Rabbi Yochanan said: From there they will be redeemed, as it is written (Isaiah 52), 'Be aroused, rise from the dust and return!'"

(Talmud, Rosh haShanah 31a-b)

Have a good day,
Mordechai