Beshalach 5778

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Beshalach (Exodus 13:17-17:16 )

GOOD MORNING!  When is the New Year? Would you be surprised to know that there are 4 New Years in the Jewish calendar -- and Wednesday, January 31st is Tu B'Shevat (the 15th of the Hebrew month of Shevat) and the New Year for trees!

The first mishna - teaching - in the Talmudic tractate of Rosh Hashanah informs us of the 4 New Years:

1) The first of Nissan is the New Year with regards to counting the years in the reign of the Kings of Israel.

2) The first of Elul is the New Year with regards to tithing of the animals. (One out of ten animals born from the Hebrew month of Elul until the beginning of Elul the following year was given to the Temple.)

3) The first of Tishrei is the New Year for the judgment of mankind -- for life or death, rich or poor, sickness or health -- as well as for counting the Sabbatical Year (Shmita) and the Jubilee year (Yovel) for the land of Israel; the counting of the first three years of a fruit tree when the fruit is not allowed to be eaten (Orlah), and calculating the tithes for grain and vegetables.

4) The 15th of Shevat is the New Year for trees with reference to calculating tithes due to be given from fruit of trees in the time of the Temple in Jerusalem.

Tu B'Shevat is a festive day. The Torah praises the Land of Israel with reference to the fruits of the trees and the produce of the soil: "A land of wheat and barley and vines (grapes) and fig trees and pomegranates; a land of olive trees and (date) honey. ...and you shall eat and be satisfied, and bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you" (Deut. 8:8-10). The Jewish people rejoice in the fruits, in the Land and in the Almighty Who has given us life.

It is celebrated by eating the special types of fruits for which Israel is renowned: olives, dates, grapes, figs and pomegranates -- and also buxer (carob). It's also celebrated by planting trees in Israel and if you can't get to Israel, you can purchase trees to be planted in Israel from the Jewish National Fund (JNF.org or call 800-542-TREE). There are 5 million trees that need to be replaced after the Carmel Forest fire a few years ago. Just as others have planted for us, we plant for the future and those who will come after us.

In our home we put out a whole fruit display -- especially those mentioned above for which the land of Israel is praised. It is a time of appreciation for what the Almighty has given us and which we might take for granted. Let your attitude be gratitude! The Kabbalists in Safed created a Tu B'Shevat Seder (similar to the Passover Seder) with explanations and meditations where the inner dimensions of fruits are expounded, along with blessings, songs and deep discussion. You can find it at http://www.aish.com/tubshvat

Man is compared to a tree. In Pirke Avot (Ethics of the Fathers found in the back of most Siddurim, Jewish prayer books, available at your local Jewish bookstore, at JudaicaEnterprises.com or by calling toll-free to 877-758-3242), it is written: "A person whose wisdom exceeds his good deeds is likened to a tree whose branches are numerous, but whose roots are few. The wind comes and uproots it and turns it upside down. But a person whose good deeds exceed his wisdom is likened to a tree whose branches are few but whose roots are numerous. Even if all the winds of the world were to come and blow against it, they could not budge it from its place" (Avot 3:22).

Just as a tree needs soil, water, air and sunlight, so does a person need to be spiritually rooted and connected with a source of nourishment. Water to a tree, Torah wisdom for us -- as Moses proclaims: "May my teaching drop like the rain" (Deut. 32:2). Air for the tree, spirituality for us -- as the Torah states that "God breathed life into the form of Man (Genesis 2:7)." Sunlight for a tree, the warmth of friendship and community for a person. Rabbi Shraga Simmons wrote a beautiful article, "Man is a Tree," expanding on this theme. You will also enjoy "Fruit and the Essence of Mankind" by Rabbi Nosson Slifkin -- available at http://www.aish.com/tubshvat .

 

Torah Portion of the week

Beshalach, Exodus 13:17 - 17:16

The Jewish people leave Egypt. Pharaoh regrets letting them go, pursues them leading his chosen chariot corps and a huge army. The Jews rebel and cry out to Moses, "Weren't there enough graves in Egypt? Why did you bring us out here to die in the desert?" The Yam Soof, the Sea of Reeds (usually mistranslated as the Red Sea) splits, the Jews cross over, the Egyptians pursue and the sea returns and drowns the Egyptians. Moses with the men and Miriam with the women -- each separately -- sing praises of thanks to the Almighty.

They arrive at Marah and rebel over the bitter water. Moses throws a certain tree in the water to make it drinkable. The Almighty then tells the Israelites, "If you obey God your Lord and do what is upright in His eyes, carefully heeding all His commandments and keeping all His decrees, then I will not strike you with any of the sicknesses that I brought on Egypt. I am God who heals you." (This is why the Hagaddah strives to prove there were more than 10 plagues in Egypt -- the greater the number of afflictions, the greater number from which we are protected.)

Later the Israelites rebel over lack of food; God provides quail and manna (a double portion was given on the sixth day to last through Shabbat; we have two challahs for each meal on Shabbat to commemorate the double portion of manna). Moses then instructs them concerning the laws of Shabbat. At Rephidim, they rebel again over water. God tells Moses to strike a stone (later in the Torah God tells Moses to speak to the stone, not here!) which then gave forth water. Finally, the portion concludes with the war against Amalek and the command to "obliterate the memory of Amalek from under the heavens."

* * *

Dvar Torah
based on Growth Through Torah by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin

During our 40 years sojourn in the desert, we were attacked by the nation of Amalek. While the battle took place, Moshe stood on the top of a hill and raised his hands towards the heavens. This reminded the Jewish people to subject their hearts to the Almighty so that they would succeed and be victorious over Amalek. The Torah states:

"And the hands of Moshe were heavy and they took a rock and placed it under him and he sat on it" (Exodus 17:12).

Why did Moshe sit on a rock and not on pillows?

Rashi, the great commentator, informs us that Moshe sat on a rock and not on pillows because he did not want to sit in comfort while Jews were in danger and suffering. He wanted to feel their suffering and to share it. Rabbi Yeruchem Levovitz teaches that this is a lesson for us regarding how to feel another person's suffering. Don't just imagine the pain of another, but do something physically to actually feel his pain.

Empathy is such an important attribute that we should make every effort to feel for another person. By being aware of how a little discomfort bothers us, we can have greater empathy for others -- especially those coming to our door or meeting us in the street asking for tzedakah (charity)!

An egotistical person only cares about his own welfare and is totally uninterested in anyone else's difficulties and problems. He only wants to make certain that he is comfortable. If he is in any distress, he no longer can think about the suffering of others. Here we see that in order to feel someone else's suffering, we should go out of our way to make ourselves a little less comfortable when others are suffering. Our own distress is more real than someone else's. By being aware of how a little discomfort bothers us, we can have greater empathy for others!

 

Candle Lighting Times

January 26
(or go to http://www.aish.com/sh/c/)

Jerusalem 4:32
Guatemala 5:40 - Hong Kong 5:50 - Honolulu 6:00
J'Burg 6:45 - London 4:21 - Los Angeles 5:00
Melbourne 8:20 - Mexico City 6:08 - Miami 5:42
New York 4:48 - Singapore 7:01 - Toronto 5:03

Quote of the Week

Learn character from trees,
values from roots
and change from leaves
-- T. Hameed

 

 

In Loving Memory of

Rabbi Noah Weinberg
Yisroel Noah ben
Yitzchak Matisiyahu

 
In Memory of

Dorothy Sussman

by her children
Joel, Ira, Perri

 

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