Can we do תפילות prayers for:
Rabbi Dovid Siegel and Torah.org?
So that through them The האור Light, רפואה The Healing and The ואהבה Love of ישועת יהוה Yeshuath YHWH may come back to הארץ The Land of Israel?
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Haftorah
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by Rabbi Dovid Siegel
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Parshas Shlach
Yehoshua 2:1
This week's haftorah displays the
power of perfect faith and its miraculous results. The haftorah begins
with Yehoshua sending two special individuals on a secret mission to
investigate the land of Israel. The Jewish people were camped directly
facing the Promised Land and Yehoshua sought to determine the most
strategic point of entry. This mission was extremely dangerous because
the land's inhabitants natives were well aware of the pending Jewish
invasion of their land.
Yehoshua instructed the spies to survey all of Eretz Yisroel but
devote special focus on Yericho. They crossed the Jordan and went
directly to Rachav's inn, the first one inside the city's walls. The
king discovered them immediately and sent messengers to order Rachav to
release the intruders. Out of the goodness of her heart, Rachav engaged
herself in an unbelievable act of heroism. She swiftly hid the spies and
then persuaded the king's messengers that the spies fled the city. Once
the messengers were out of sight she informed the spies that everyone
was awestricken by the Jewish nation and its Hashem. She then proclaimed
her personally recognition of Hashem as master of the universe and her
firm belief that He would easily defeat all in His way.
Chazal reflect upon this most unusual welcome and sharply contrast
it with the disheartening experience of this week's parsha. Therein we
read about ten men of distinction who were sent on a similar mission to
survey Eretz Yisroel. Yet, their results were devastating and the spies
ultimately convinced the nation to reject Eretz Yisroel. Chazal reveal
the fundamental difference between the two groups. The spies in
Yehoshua's times were totally devoted to their mission. They were
prepared to overcome every obstacle in their way and therefore met
unbelievable success. Conversely, the spies in Moshe's times were not
fully committed to their mission. This apparently tainted their vision
and created their distorted impression of the land and its inhabitants.
(see Yalkut Shimoni 8)
In truth, Eretz Yisroel presented extraordinary challenges to the
Jewish people. Its inhabitants were far from friendly to its intruders
and nothing short of an open miracle could secure the nation's safety.
Moshe Rabbeinu's spies displayed grave concern over this. They observed
the giant's towering stature and took note of their constant
preoccupation in eulogies and funerals. The spies sadly succumbed to
their well-grounded fears and forfeited their privilege of entering the
land. Yehoshua's spies possessed perfect faith and total commitment to
their mission . This inner strength dissuaded them from the influence of
their frightening experiences and assisted them in their perfect
fulfillment of their mission
This stark contrast serves as a profound lesson in total faith and
trust in Hashem. From a practical standpoint, Yehoshua's spies stood no
chance and faced guaranteed death. The Jewish nation was camped within
earshot of Eretz Yisroel and this secret mission was bound to be
discovered. Although, the spies disguised themselves as traveling
salesmen it is hard to fathom that such pious men could truly pass as
Canaanites. All they had going for themselves was steadfast faith and
trust in Hashem. They bravely entered the "lion's den" and lodged in
Rachav's inn. Rachav was fondly known throughout the land and enjoyed
warm personal association with all the authorities. The results were no
different than one would predict and the spies were discovered the
moment they entered her inn.
However, with perfect faith in Hashem the events that followed were
far from predictable. Chazal reveal a most startling display of Divine
Providence and inform us that Rachav had recently embraced the Jewish
religion. (see Yalkut Shimoni 9) Hashem had actually directed the spies
to the only Jewish soul in the entire land of Canaan. Their faith proved
rewarding and instead of delivering the spies to the king, Rachav
extended herself in every way to her recently discovered Jewish
brethren. She encouraged them with profound statements of faith and was
ultimately a catalyst to deliver the Promised Land into Jewish hands.
Hashem favorably rewarded her for her heroism and she subsequently
merited to marry Yehoshua himself. Her new life was very fruitful and
she became the mother of many Jewish prophets and priests. In
retrospect, the spies' perfect faith resulted in securing the
deliverance of the land into their Jewish brethren's hands. Instead of
immediate death the spies re
turned with total confidence that Eretz Yisroel would soon be theirs.
These are some of the unbelievable results of perfect faith. Let it
be the will of Hashem that we continue our strides in faith and
commitment serving as a special merit for us to return to our Homeland
in peace and harmony. |
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Haftorah, Copyright © 2012 by Rabbi Dovid Siegel and Torah.org. The author is Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim of Kiryat Sefer, Israel. Kollel Toras Chesed
3732 West Dempster
Skokie, Illinois 600
76
Phone: 847-674-7959Fax: 847-674-4023
kollel@arlin.net
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Please Say Yes to Abba Yahweh and His Laws special in
this time when Abba Yahweh is 'testing' us:
Hab 1:12 Art thou not mikedem (‘everlasting’ also said of
Moshiach, indicating Moshiach’s eternal divine nature: Dan
7:14 And there was given Him
(Moshiach) dominion, and honor, and sovereignty, that all people, Goyim,
tongues, should pey-lammed-chet. [1](worship
as deity) (see Dan 3:12, serve, reverence as deity Him (Moshiach). His dominion
is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His (Messianic)
Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.]see Michoh 5:1[2]; Yahweh Elohai (my
Elohim) Kedoshi (my Holy One)? We shall not die. Yahweh, Thou hast appointed them
(these Chaldean) for mishpat (ordinance); O Tzur, Thou hast ordained them (these
Chaldean) for reproof.
(Please
read the whole book of HaNavi Habakuk?)
Please take it serious what Abba Yahweh is telling us in:
Deu 18:15 Yahweh Eloheicha (your Elohim) will raise up unto thee a Navi
(prophet) from among thee, of thy achim (bretheren), kamoni (like me Exo
32:30 The next day Moshe said to the
people, "You have committed a terrible sin. Now I will go up to Yahweh;
maybe I will be able to atone for your sin."); unto him ye must listen;
Deu 18:16 According to all that thou
desired of Yahweh Eloheicha (your Elohimin) Chorev in the Yom HaKahal (day of
the congregation), saying, Let me not hear again the voice of Yahweh Elohav
(your Elohim), neither let me see this eish hagedolah (‘great fire’) any more,
that I die not.
Deu 18:17 And Yahweh said unto me, They
have well-spoken that which they have spoken.
Deu 18:18 I will raise them up a Navi
(prophet) from among their achim (brethren), like unto thee, and will put My
words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him
[Yn 10:18].
Deu 18:19 And it shall come to pass,
that whosoever will not listen unto My words which he shall speak Bishmi (in My
Name), I will require it of him.
Joh 8:28 Therefore, Rebbe, Melech
HaMoshiach said to them, When you perform the hagbah (lifting up) of
the Ben HaAdam, you will have da'as (knowledge) that Ani Hu [YESHAYAH
41:4; SHEMOT 3:14-16], and from myself I do nothing, but as HaAv (the Father)
of me taught me, these things I speak.
[1]
Dictionary of the Talmud. M. Jastrow p. 1178 פלח
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