Divrei Mav

PARSHAS VA'EIRA 2018 Understanding A Person’s Psyche We find our parsha beginning with Hashem reassuring Moshe that he will succeed in his mission and that he is indeed the man for the job. Moshe felt he was inadequate, for the Pharaoh as well as his own people disregarded what he was transmitting from Hashem . As the passuk says, “Moshe spoke accordingly to the Children of Israel; but they did not heed Moshe, because of shortness of breath and hard work. (Shemos 6:9) How can it be that a nation enslaved for 210 years wouldn’t even bother hearing what Moshe had to say about their Promised Land? Didn’t they want that more than anything? The answer is of course they did! Until now, Moshe had been telling them all about how Hashem was going to bring them to the “Promised Land” .... but they were suffering. It did, indeed sound nice to them, but the only thing on their minds was the slavery and their current oppression. We have an entire section of Halacha ...

Parshas Shemos The Unassuming Leader Moshe Rabbeinu would have been a very unlikely pick for a leader of over 600,000 people. Moshe was a man who was exiled from his land with no family and no home. It seemed he would be living as a fugitive his whole life in the desert of Midian . Yet, Hashem picked him to redeem the nation. As it says, “So now come, and I will send you to Pharaoh, and take My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt." (Shemos 3: 10) Why? What was so special about Moshe ?  To answer this, we need to understand what it takes to be a leader then, we can appreciate why Moshe was perfect for the job. Traditionally, a (great) leader is an individual who inspires others to move in the same direction for a specific cause. He is highly principled and committed and he inspires others in a way that is pervasive. Naturally, others tend to have confidence in him and believe in him. In a time of crisis, he will to step up and face the c...

Parshas Vayechi 2017 The Blessing in Yaakov’s Death This week’s  parsha  relays the events that transpired during the passing of our forefather  Yaakov  (Jacob).  Yaakov  prior to his death gave each of his sons a special blessing which would provide a foreshadowing of their makeup as a Tribe in the Nation. Only after he concluded bestowing each blessing did  Yaakov  pass. The  Torah  memorializes,  “When Yaakov finished instructing his sons, he drew his feet onto the bed; he expired and was gathered to his people.”    ( Genesis  49:33) The  gemora  (Talmud) in tractate  Taanis  (5b) says , “Our father Yaakov did not die.”  Interestingly, there is an opinion in the  gemora  that understands  Yaakov’s  “death” to be more figurative than literal. Which is peculiar, for the  Torah   does  mention how  Yaakov  was mourned for, embalme...

Chanukah Lights Inspiration from Within The  Chanukah  candles inspire and enlighten their observer. In fact, this is their job. We light the candles to commemorate the awesome miracles of  Chanukah  and to feel the same sense of awe and appreciation we had at the time of the miracles - to some degree. The  gemora  (Talmud) in tractate  Shabbos  (21b) teaches, the  Chanukah  menorah should be placed  outside  the doorway to one’s home. This is to publicize the miracles of  Chanukah *, ( Rashi  -early commentator). The  gemora  continues, if one lives on a second floor (has no door to the outside) or if there is a “danger” present, he should place the  menorah  indoors by a window that faces the street. If he has no such window, then he should place it by any door that he has. The “danger” the  gemora  is referring to, is a time in history when the gentiles outlawed the Jew...

Parshas Matos and Masei 2015 Avigdor Laib (Maverick) Peters   Hashem takes care of us. Throughout history, our people have been saved time and time again from all sorts of gruesome trials and tribulations. Hashem has foiled the plans of every one of our enemies and will continue to do so. He is always working “behind the scenes” as there are always people who are plotting to destroy us. While, we are often oblivious to it, Hashem intervenes and protects His people.   When any painful or unpleasant experiences arise, be it on a personal level or for the entire nation, Hashem still blankets us with His protection.   From time to time, (sometimes even quite often) Hashem needs to present us with uncomfortable and challenging situations. We should not look at these situations in the negative and become angry and frustrated and give up hope as though all is lost. We must understand that these “problems” help us grow and are orchestrated by the Mastermind Hims...

Parshas Beha’alosecha 2015 Avigdor Laib (Maverick) Peters     Respect is such a significant quality, everyone should develop it and have in in his arsenal of character traits and pull it out to use quite often. The importance of expressing respect to others simply cannot be stressed enough. Adding to that ledger, respect for one’s rebbe (spiritual teacher and mentor) is even greater. There are two words in this parsha that demonstrate just how meticulous we must be when it comes to our rebbe’s kovod (honor).   The halachos (laws) that discuss our rebbe’s honor include, standing up for him when he walks into the room, not answering in his place, and not calling him “you” or by his first name.   “And Hosheiya ben Nun [Yehoshua] answered, ‘my master Moshe’…” (Numbers 11:28)   The Telzer Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Dovid Goldberg, ask based in a Moshav Zekainim (commentary) on a Gemora in Sanhedrin (100a). How can it be that the same Yehos...

Parshas Naso 2015 Avigdor Laib (Maverick) Peters               “A man’s holiness is his….” (Numbers 5:10). We can look at our lives as if we are standing in the foyer preparing ourselves at a wedding that waits ahead. Our effort to primp and preen our clothes to look our very best before we enter, is similar to our efforts in olam hazeh (this lifetime) to prepare for our arrival in olam habah (the world to come).   A man, Jacob, has three friends. His first friend is his best friend. A person who he can really count on for anything. His second friend is not quite as close with Jacob but still a friend indeed. The third, Jacob likes but is not that close to, just a person that he is friendly with from time to time. One day Jacob receives a letter that summons him to court immediately he will stand trial for his life. Desperate, he runs to his best friend’s house and asks him to be his advocate and witne...

Parshas Behar and Bechukosai 2015 Avigdor Laib (Maverick) Peters   The Torah is often known in the secular world as the “five books of Moses”. In truth, this is highly misleading for it gives an apparent connotation that Moshe himself actually authored the Torah. This assumption is not only incorrect but it is also prohibited. We as Jews are required to live with a concrete belief and an unwavering faith that the Torah is of Divine origin (from Hashem). The laws of the Shemittah year discussed this week are a strong proof that no man could have possibly written the Torah.               The Shemittah year (lit. Sabbatical year) is the seven year in the seven year cycle. This year is solely to let the land rest. No Jewish farm owner can work his field (in Israel) during this year. It serves as a “Shabbos” (time of rest) for the agricultural element of creation (Jews and the animals have every seventh day)....

This week is particularly special –this is the Shabbos before Pesach (Passover) known as Shabbos Hagadol. Shabbos Hagadol was the day in Mitzrayim ( Egypt ) that the B’nai Yisroel offered the Korban Pesach. This was their first commandment and the B’nai Yisroel did it without any hesitation, and with the most love imaginable. וַיַּעַשׂ אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְ־הֹוָ־ה בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה And Aaron and his sons did all the things that the Lord commanded through Moses. (Leviticus 8:36) This week w e continue to learn about the Korbanos (offerings) and more of their details, we learn specifically, where the Korbanos were brought in the Mishkan (tabernacle). As we know Ahron and his sons, the Kohanim were instructed to serve Hashem in the Mishkan. At the very end of this week’s Parsha, (the last passuk in fact) we find that the Torah tells us Ahron and his sons did as Hashem commanded. But interestingly, the lashon (carefully selected language) is ...

“When He had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai , He gave Moses the two tablets of the testimony, stone tablets, written with the finger of God.” (Sh’mos 31:18) What a sight to see! The revelation at Har Sinai! When Moshe Rabbeinu ascended Har Sinai Hashem presented him with the luchos (tablets). Upon his decent Moshe Rabbeinu discovered that the B’nai Yisroel had committed a grave sin. So grave that for all future generations everyday tzar (distress) will be connected to this sin. This avairah was the sin of the golden calf. Moshe Rabbeinu disappointed and astonished smashed the luchos. He eventually ascended back up the mountain to daven and received another set of luchos. So powerful was this experience that it created a whole new level of kedusha (holiness) in Moshe. We learn from the passuk that when Moshe Rabbeinu returned to the B’nai Yisroel his holy face was radiating. This radiation was unique and was so powerful no one from the B’nai Yisroel would ...