MHA-FYOS Dean's Blog

The second of this week’s double Torah portion is Parashat Kedoshim – a parasha full of mitzvot. The Torah writes, “You will observe My laws; you will not mate your animal into another species, you will not plant your field with mixed seed; and a garment that is a mixture of combined fibers will not be upon you.” In this verse, the Torah records the prohibition of wearing sha’atnez – a mixture of wool and linen combined within one garment. Rabbenu Chizkiyahu ben Manoach, in his commentary Chizkuni , presents two messages that can be derived from the mitzvah of sha’atnez . In his first explanation, Chizkuni suggests that sha’atnez is one of a category of commandments – including not interbreeding animals or certain plant species – and is connected to the mitzvah that immediately precedes it – to love one’s fellow. Chizkuni writes, Immediately after the Torah commands us to be holy and to not do violence to our fellow, it commands us, similarly, to not do violence to an...

This week’s parashiyot, Tazria and Metzora, deal with tzara’at. Tzara’at is a disease that afflicts the skin, clothing or home of those who commit certain types of sins – most commonly the sin of lashon hara – gossip.  Although the disease of tzara’at resembles leprosy, it was a physical disease caused by a spiritual sickness – an external consequence of an internal corruption. In fact, the word metzora, the name given to one who is smitten with tzara’at, is an allusion to the sin that causes it. Metzora is a contraction of the phrase motzi shem ra – bringing about a bad name for another through spreading gossip about him or spreading falsehood. Our rabbis repeatedly teach about the severity of the sin of motzi shem ra. Midrash Rabba (VaYikra 16:6) teaches that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says that the word “Torah” is used five times in connection with the word “Metzora” to teach us that anyone who spreads gossip about another is transgressing all five books of the Torah.  C...

  Yom HaShoah, Yom HaZikaron, Yom HaAtzmaut – the annual commemoration of the establishment of The State of Israel, and the constant sacrifice made to maintain its security, out of the darkness and ashes of the Holocaust.   Within one week we are overwhelmed by the sadness over the loss of those millions who perished at the hand of the Nazis, yemach shemam vezichronam, awed by the heroism of the soldiers of the Israel Defense Force and emboldened by the celebration of the existence of the State. Last evening, we, as a community, memorialized the victims and vociferously declared, in word and in deed, that we are survivors. This coming week, we will recognize the dedication and sacrifice of our Israeli soldiers through education and a tzedakah campaign. Twenty-four hours later, we will celebrate Israel with a march at 2:30 pm from MHA, up White Station Road, down Laurie Lane, down Yates and into Baron Hirsch Congregation.  ...

This Shabbat, the Shabbat immediately preceding Pesach, is customarily given a special name, “ Shabbat HaGadol ” – the Great Shabbat. Indeed, on this Shabbat HaGadol , we read a special Haftarah ending with the verse, “Behold! I send you Eliyahu HaNavi, before the great (gadol) and awesome day of Hashem.” The Midrash offers another rationale which may explain this unique appellation given to this Shabbat before Pesach. A great miracle, explains the Midrash, occurred on that Shabbat before Pesach. It was the “Shabbat of a Great Miracle.” Like our Pesach, the exodus from Egypt occurred on the 15th of Nissan. The exodus occurred on a Thursday. Thus, the Shabbat prior to the exodus from Egypt occurred on the 10th of Nissan. The Jewish People had a unique obligation on that 10th of Nissan – the year of the exodus. Each family was commanded to take the lamb that they would be slaughtering for the korban pesach and to tie it to their bedpost in anticipation of that upcoming momentous night. ...

This week’s double parasha , Vayakhel-Pekude, presents the building of the mishkan – the portable Tabernacle. Through their donations, the Jewish People provided the material and labor needed for the construction of the mishkan . Indeed, the people’s generosity led Moshe to end the call for donations. The Torah writes: All the wise people came – those completing all the sacred work, each of them from his work that they were doing – and they said to Moshe, saying, ‘The people are bringing more than enough for the labor of the work that Hashem has commanded to perform.’ Moshe commanded that they proclaim throughout the camp, saying, ‘Man and woman shall not do more work toward the gift for the Sanctuary!’ And the people were restrained from giving. On the surface, this final verse is difficult to understand – why were the people restrained from giving to this holy cause of building the mishkan ? Even if enough supplies had been given, certainly there existed a need for operational fundi...

To see this article online, click  here . Shoshanat Ya’akov :  Seeing Mordechai through Rose-Colored Glasses Shoshanat Ya’akov / Tzahala Ve’Samecha / Bir’otam Yachad / Techelet Mordechai. The rose of Jacob / was cheerful and glad /  when they jointly saw / Mordechai robed in royal blue. A Jewish liturgical poet ( paytan ), of unknown identity and time, wrote this line towards the end of his piyyut , Asher Heini .[1] Despite its shroud of anonymity, Asher Heini is recited in Ashkenazic communities on Purim night immediately following the after-blessing on the Megillah-reading.[2] Shoshanat Ya’akov is recited again after the daytime reading.[3] What critically important message does Shoshanat Ya’akov convey that demands such prominent placement in the Megillah-reading service? Piyyutim reinforce and elucidate lessons from Tanach and other authentic Jewish sources. The best piyyutim succinctly recast these foundational ideas by borrowing phrases, l...

This coming week we will celebrate the holiday of Purim, be’ezrat Hashem , and we will read Megilat Esther. Early in the Megilah, Jewish ascendancy is quickly replaced by Jewish peril. Esther becomes queen and Mordechai reveals an assassination plot to the king. Suddenly, Haman is promoted and the king issues a decree of death for the Jews. Mordechai reacted publicly to this decree; “Mordechai learned of all that had been done; and Mordechai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth with ashes. He went out into the midst of the city and cried loudly and bitterly. He came until the front of the king’s gate for it was forbidden to enter the king’s gate, clothed with sackcloth.” (Esther 4: 1-2) This location served as Mordechai’s post to pray and fast on behalf of the Jewish People for most of the rest of the Megilah story. In another moment of ascendancy, the king ordered Haman to publicly parade his arch nemesis, Mordechai, around the capital city in royal clothing on a royal horse. The ti...