Monday, July 30, 2012

Legacy - Parshas Vaeschanan

Can we do תפילות prayers for:

Rabbi Naftali Reich 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?

	Legacy
	by Rabbi Naftali Reich
	Print Version

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Parshas Vaeschanan

Dancing Flames

A friend with a secular orientation once asked me, "Rabbi, considering the size of your family, wouldn't you agree that your children's emotional well-being would be compromised by the addition of yet another child?"

I explained to him that it depends on one's perspective. We can view each child as a liability that could potentially deplete our parental reservoir, or we can look at the infinite richness each one contributes to the family, and ultimately, to the world at large. With this perspective, the parents' joy, far from diminishing with the birth of an additional child, becomes all the greater.

Underscoring this idea, we celebrate the gift of each child by designating an individual candle for him or her, every Friday evening at licht-bentching. Each additional flame adds to the radiance of the cumulative light.

If we see ourselves as beneficiaries of Hashem's bounty, granted the wonderful privilege to share and care for another human being, to ennoble and enlighten that child as much as possible, we will find that the resources we've been blessed with are more than enough for our needs.

One of the most universal human responses is the unconditional embrace of a newborn. The very sight of the baby elicits exclamations of endearment and delight. An infant reflects pure innocence and activates the inherent good and love within people.

Perhaps on a certain level, we long to recapture that outpouring of love we ourselves were showered with at that stage. But do we want it so badly we'd prefer to remain that little child? Surely not. Although maturity imposes burdens we'd sometimes rather do without, perpetual childhood with its carefree absence of responsibility would obviously not make for a fulfilling and meaningful existence. The neshama needs to be nourished, and that only comes with continuous challenge and growth.

We encounter this thought in this week's Torah portion, as we read of Moshe Rabbeinu's longing to enter Eretz Yisroel at the end of his life. His desire to grow in spiritual stature despite having reached the apex of human accomplishment, is unabating. He is 120 years old, but still longs for a new frontier.

Having overcome the most gut-wrenching obstacles and challenges in the first 80 years of his life, he was chosen by the Al-mighty to lead the Jewish people from bondage to freedom, to smash the Egyptian oppressors, and to endow the Jewish nation with Hashem's Torah. For forty years he has led them through the wilderness, connecting them to the Divine Spirit every step of the way. He has attained the highest level of prophecy possible for a human being. The legacy he is about to leave behind is unparalleled. Yet he isn't prepared to rest on his laurels. At the doorstep to the promised land, Moshe fervently beseeches G-d to allow him to enter with the Jewish people, so that he can perform the commandments that are exclusive to Eretz Yisroel and take part in the building of the Holy Temple.

With his unrivaled leadership and achievements, couldn't Moshe have contented himself with basking in past and present glory?

The point, however, is that each moment in life's journey carries its own special challenge and opportunity. To be satisfied with yesterday's achievements is to sell oneself-and Hashem-short.

As a young boy, growing up in Manchester, England I was quite a car enthusiast. I went from one car dealership to another, collecting glossy brochures of every sports car model. My collection included Aston Martens, Alpha Romeos, Triumph Spitfires, and of course limited-edition Mini Coopers. They were all lovingly stored in two suitcases under my bed. At the age of sixteen, I went off to advance my yeshiva studies in Gateshead. Upon my return, I discovered to my chagrin that my mother had thrown out all my brochures. She said that as she was cleaning for Pesach, she figured I didn't need them any more, and had thus disposed of them.

I recall suppressing my indignation with difficulty, while resigning myself to the finality of my loss. To my mother, an automobile was simply a means of getting from A to B. How could I explain to her that to me, the torque, graceful lines, special features, and even the MacPherson struts, were all of vital importance?

With time, I was able to look back with appreciation for what she had done. Sometimes we need to be pushed to the next stage of our journey. Holding on to our childish fancies may inhibit our ability to mature and to appreciate the more important things in life. Yes, I am still a car enthusiast at heart. Most vacations include a visit to an automobile museum where I can delight in examining early Packards and Chryslers. But this hobby, instead of being a dominant theme in my life, is now one minuscule facet of a much larger mosaic.

As parents of a newborn once again, my wife and I pray that we are granted the health, wisdom, and sensitivity to guide this child through the many crucial stages of his development, turning his tiny flame into a vibrant torch. May we merit to be at his side to help him try out his wings, test his engines, and position his headlights, to taxi him all the way to the end of the runway.

May we all be zocheh to watch with pride as our charges take off and soar independently to the skies. And may we be inspired to set an example for them by being unafraid to tackle new frontiers on our own individual life journey.

Wishing you a wonderful Shabbos!

Rabbi Naftali Reich

Legacy, Copyright &copy 2012 by Rabbi Naftali Reich and Torah.org. Rabbi Reich is on the faculty of the Ohr Somayach Tanenbaum Education Center.

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Please Say Yes to Abba Yahweh and His Laws.

Please read the Mitzvoth go to: Positive Commandments and the Negative Commandments), easy to read. It is very important to know them. For, the understanding of the rest of The Scriptures.

Hab 2:3 For the chazon (vision) is yet for a mo’ed (an appointed time); it speaks of HaKetz (the End), and does not lie; though it tarry, wait for him

Moshiach— see: Sanhedrin 97b, ‘It has been taught; R. Nathan said: This verse pierces and descends to the very abyss:11 For the Vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though he tarry, wait for him (Moshiach); because it will surely come, it will not tarry.12]; because he (Moshiach) will surely come, and will not tarry.

(11) Just as the bottom of an abyss cannot be reached, so is it impossible to grasp the full purport of this verse (Rashi).
(12) Hab. II, 3.

Believe…..

Hab 2:4 Hinei (behold), his nashamah (soul) which is puffed up is not upright in him; but the tzaddik (righteous) shall live by his emunah (believe).

Through Moshiach, Yeshuah from Yahweh who give you emunah (believe)…..

Gen 15:6 And he believed in Yahweh; and He credited emunah (faith)] to him as tzedakah (righteousness).

Please read the whole book of HaNavi Habakuk?

The Koran teaches us that you have to die…….

But, please Yudah (Jews) and Ephraim (most Christians) Listen to His Voice:

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 Michah 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 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 (to be burnt dried up, ruined, wasted) 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.

Joh 10:18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have samchut (authority) to lay it down, and I have samchut to receive it again. This mitzvah I received from HaAv (the Father).

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.

Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiah Yeshuah – is Yeshuah Yahweh. Like it is said in:

Gen_49:18 I have waited for Thy Yeshuah (Salvation), Yahweh.

Exo_15:2 Yahweh is my oz and zimrah (song of praise), and He is become to me Yeshuah (salvation); He is Eli (my Elohim), and I will praise Him; Elohei Avi (the Elohim of my Father), and I will exalt Him.

And not a half-god, or another mighty-one who came between HaShem and us! (Not, ‘It Suph’!) I believe many of us (Jews and Ephraimites!) have to learn that!

[1] Dictionary of the Talmud. M. Jastrow p. 1178 פלח