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GOOD MORNING! There is much confusion amongst Jews as to what we believe in as Jews. What are the essential Jewish beliefs? Actually, throughout the ages the greatest of our sages have dealt with this question. Rambam, Moses Maimonides (1135-1204), is well-known and revered by Jews across the board as a Jewish philosopher and scholar. He formulated The 13 Principles of Jewish Belief as the essential beliefs required of every Jew. They are found in almost every prayer book and are accepted as the unambiguous creed of Judaism.
The Thirteen Principles of Belief fall into three categories:
Every principle as stated by Maimonides is prefaced with "I believe with complete belief that..." For the next few weeks I will enumerate and elucidate with the explanations found in the Artscroll Siddur. The Nature of the Belief in God has five principles:
For a brilliant exposition on the Thirteen Principles of Belief, read Fundamentals and Faith by Rabbi Yakov Weinberg, of blessed memory, former Rosh HaYeshiva of Ner Yisroel Yeshiva in Baltimore (and brother of Rabbi Noah Weinberg, founder and leader of the Aish HaTorah). Another excellent book is Maimonides' Principles -- The Fundamentals of Jewish Faith by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan. Both are available from your local Jewish book store or by calling toll-free 877-758-3242.
Torah
Portion of the Week
Vayeshev
This week's portion includes four stories:
Yosef interprets the dreams of his fellow prisoners, the wine steward (who was reinstated and forgot to put in a good word for Yosef) and the baker (who was hanged).
Dvar Torah
based on Growth Through Torah by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin
The Torah states, "And Jacob sat..." (Genesis 37:1). Rashi, the great commentator, cites the Sages who say that Jacob wanted to live in peace and serenity. However, this was not to be. The troubles of his son Joseph began. The Almighty said, "Is it not sufficient for the righteous that they receive their reward in the world to come? Why do they need to live in serenity in this world?"
What is wrong with wanting to live in serenity? Jacob desired serenity not so that he could devote his time to personal pleasures, but rather to be able to engage in spiritual pursuits.
Rabbi Yeruchem Levovitz explains that the purpose of this world is for a person to elevate himself by passing the numerous tests that come to him. The goal is spiritual growth from every life situation. Therefore, it was considered improper for Jacob to place his focus on serenity.
This, says Rav Yeruchem, is an attitude we should all internalize. Every occurrence in this world can make you a better person. When you have this awareness your attitude towards everything that happens to you in life will be very positive. Before, during, and after every incident that occurs reflect on your behavior and reactions. Ask yourself, "What type of person am I after this happened? How did I do on this test? Did I pass it in an elevated manner?
WHAT IS AISH HATORAH?
Aish HaTorah is an international Jewish educational outreach organization dedicated to ensuring the Jewish future. The greatest problem facing the Jewish people is ignorance of our heritage. One cannot love what he does not know. Aish HaTorah's forte is presenting our heritage in a manner which attracts modern Jews and shows them the relevance of Torah to their lives -- how to be happy, choose the right spouse, make a marriage work, raise children with values and get more joy out of life.
Aish's success comes from its intellectual approach and emphasis on free will. We encourage our students to ask every question and then to use their own freewill to choose their own level of belief and observance. To learn more about Aish, visit our website at aish.com .
CANDLE LIGHTING - December 7:
(or go to http://aish.com/candlelighting)
Jerusalem 3:59
Guatemala 5:14 Hong Kong 5:21 Honolulu 5:31
J'Burg 6:32 London 3:34 Los Angeles 4:26
Melbourne 8:13 Miami 5:12 Moscow 3:41
New York 4:10 Singapore 6:39
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
A diamond
is a piece of coal
that made good under pressure.
With Special Thanks to |