Jewish Valentine’s Day
Born out of assimilation and ignorance
Six occurrences converge on Tu B’Av
They’re the vav connecting the two hehs
Of the 17th of Tamuz and Tisha Bav
If you’ve understood properly
You realize the all important yud
Is still unaccounted for
Your Yiddishkeit depends on it
Where’s your crown?
Rav Chaim Vital Was Asked On Separate Occasions
Why we say Kiddush Levana after Tisha Bav?
And why we say it after Shabbos?
He gave the same answer for both questions
The Beis Hamikdash was destroyed then
So the shechina needs נחמה and שלום at that time
That’s who we’re really saying שלום עליכם to
We say המקום ינחם אתכם to mourners
So why not mention נחמה during kiddush levana?
And why did we say it last night instead of after Shabbos?
Shabbos Nachamu Shalom
Ahavat Chinam
Encouraged by popular culture
Sounds like Woodstock
And is not an authentic Jewish value
Sinas chinam is solved by
ואהבת לרעך כמוך
Which does not apply to all Jews
לאחיך בתורה ובמצות
Chazal list numerous types of Jews
We’re commanded to hate
And Hashem hates some too
Confirmed in the annals of halacha
From the Rambam to the Chofetz Chaim
Till today
Moshiach’s arrival depends on teshuva
Not on imagination
Years ago, my Rebbe said
“I wonder which is worse
Sinas Chinam
Or Ahavas Chinam?”
עשה לך רב
וקנה לך חבר
Hashem Talks To Us Through His Torah
We respond with our tefila
Neglecting Torah learning
Renders tefila abominable
מסיר אזנו משמוע תורה
גם תפלתו תועבה
On the 17th of Tamuz
Torah learning is broken
Three weeks later, our House Of Tefila
Comes crashing down
On the 9th of Av
A new tefila is introduced
Compensation
קינות = תיקון
Why is there no new learning introduced
On the 17th of Tamuz
To compensate for our loss of learning?
The Arizal Reveals How Hundreds Of Thousands Of Jews Were Counted
Every Jew’s name was gathered tribe by tribe
Then all jumbled together
Then separated tribe by tribe
Naftoli was counted last
So no sorting was necessary
That’s why it says בני נפתלי
Not לבני as in all the other tribes
Why not just count them initially tribe by tribe?
And what’s behind Naftoli’s distinction?
Imagine
A hopeful convert, or orphan
Homeless
Relies on srangers’ hospitality
And is rejected
Abused and expelled
Can you blame him
For being traumatized?
For an irrational reaction?
Would you execute him?
Somehow
Pesach Sheni explains
Emor’s tragic ending
Shabbos Shalom
Jewish Independence Day
Has a Hebrew name
פסח
Deliverance as guaranteed
To Avraham Avinu
Autonomy meant to facilitate
Requesting and embracing the Torah
Fifty days later
At Har Sinai
Hatikva
Ignores Hashem
His Torah
Tzaddikim
And halacha
Actually hopes they all just go away
לישועתך קויתי ה׳
The Baal Shem Tov Says
If you want to denigrate
That’s great
Denigrate yourself
If you want to praise
That’s also great
Praise Hashem
The world asks the obvious
Why not denigrate evil
And why not praise all that’s good
Guy In Shul Forgot The Day Of The Omer
You tell him what yesterday was
Why not tell him what tomorrow will be?
Ask Rabbi Akiva Eiger next time you visit the Shulchan Aruch…
Pesach Approaches Yerushalayim
Raging fire consumes chometz
Outdoors
Smoke envelops holy spaces
Teeming with Chassidim
Bedecked in festive regalia
Including shtreimels
The same fire rages indoors
Baking matzos mitzva
Hallel fills their perforation
Now is the time
For Korban Pesach
Chometz metamorphoses
Into Matza
All it takes is fire
The furnace of Avraham
Chag Kasher v’Sameach