Divrei Mav

Hi everyone, I hope this helps you go into your Shabbos more prepared and I hope you learn something new! This week’s Parsha is called Parshas B’rashis. B’rashis is the first Parsha in the whole Torah. In it there is a strange passuk (line) that says, “Let us make man in OUR image…” Rashi asks why did Hashem say “our”? Was there more than one G-d creating man chas v'shalom (G-d forbid)? It is brought down that Hashem was referring to the malachim (ministering angels). Rashi wonders why? Did Hashem need help from the malachim? He’s G-d? So Rashi says, the reason why Hashem specifically said “our image” is to teach us two very important lessons: 1. Hashem is teaching a lesson to man that even someone great should still “double check.” What does that mean “double check?” That means that even the president of the United States and the Queen of England needs to consult with other authorities before making major decisions (it wasn't b/c G-d needed to). 2. Hashem is also teaching us

Hi everyone, I hope this helps you go into your Shabbos more prepared and I hope you learn something new! This week’s Parsha is called, Parshas V’zos HaB’racha (VI-ZOS HAH-BI-RUH-CHUH). V’zos HaB’racha is the concluding Parsha in what we call the “Torah” (bible) but it is by no means a conclusion of the Torah. Because the Torah is like water, it flows forever and gives its spiritual nourishment to every generation. To show that the Torah is endless, we start the first Parsha of the Chumash (B’rashis) on the same Shabbos we finish V’zos HaB’racha. Another real-life example of how we show and teach that the Torah itself never ends is when one makes a siyum (a celebration upon finishing a piece of Mishnah or Gemora,) some have the custom to start another Mishnah or Gemora at the celebration. The passuk says in this week’s Parsha: “Torah Tzivah Lonu Moshe Morasha Kihilas Yaakov….” Moses commanded us the law, the inheritance of the congregation of Yaakov (Jacob)." Let's analyze

Hi everyone, I hope this helps you go into your Shabbos more prepared and I hope you learn something new! This week’s Parsha is called, Parshas Ha’azinu (HAH-AY-ZEE-NU). HaRav Mordechai Katz zt”l writes in his sefer that Hashem in His great mercy gave mankind the ability to forget. Now you might be sitting there reading this D’var Torah going “Huh? Why is G-d being merciful when he makes him forget things?” Well, that’s what I thought when I first heard this. But it is often to our advantage that we are able to forget past events. Here is a real life example; if someone loses a dear relative to them like one of their parents, Chas V’Shalom (G-d forbid) if the person never “recovers” from such a loss, the person will never be able to move on in life and will be “stuck” in the misery of his loss. We should thank Hashem for giving us the ability to forget because the world today would be so different. People would remain mad at each other and would not be able to forgive others, no one

Hi everyone, I hope this helps you go into your Shabbos more prepared and I hope you learn something new! This week is a double Parsha. The two Parshas are called Parshas Nitzavim (NEE-TZ-UH-VIM) and Parshas Vayalech (VAH-YAY-LECH). In the interest of time we will focus on Nitzavim. Parshas Nitzavim reviews a very important concept called Tishuva. Tishuva means repentance. Moses gathered all B’nai Yisroel (children of Israel), and explained that if a Jew goes off the darech (right path) Hashem will always be willing to welcome him back if he can bring himself to repent for his wrongdoings. We are given specific instructions on how to do proper Tishuva and this not only has the power to wipe our slate clean but to turn our sins into mitzvahs. Tishuva is a three step process. Let’s use an example for this process and say that Yosef Shmoe (get it?) ate something auser (prohibited to a Jew) like non-kosher meat or a cheeseburger, Chas V’Shalom (G-d forbid). So, what Mr. Shmoe needs to d