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Table of contents
1) Perashat Hashavoua - Rabbi Kaprow
2) Halakhat Hashavoua - David Azerad
3) Holy Jokes!
1) Perashat Hashavoua
The Tribe of Levi V.S. The Egyptians
Joseph and his brothers died, and the children of Israel multiplied in the land of Egypt. They held important positions and played an important role in the political, cultural, and economic life of the country. It is not surprising that they stirred the jealousy of the native Egyptians who felt outshone by the "foreigners."
Old King Pharaoh died, too, and a new king ascended the throne. He had no sympathy or love for the children of Israel, and chose to forget all that Joseph had done for Egypt. He decided to take action against the growing influence and numbers of the children of Israel. Pharaoh limited the personal freedom of the Hebrews, put heavy taxes on them, and recruited their men into forced labor battalions under the supervision of harsh taskmasters. But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, and the harder the restrictions imposed upon them became, the more the children of Israel increased and multiplied. Finally, when King Pharaoh saw that forcing the Hebrews to do hard work did not succeed in suppressing their rapidly growing numbers, he decreed that all newly born male children of the Hebrews be thrown into the Nile River. Only daughters should be permitted to live.
Thus Pharaoh hoped to end the numerical increase of the Jewish population, and at the same time to eliminate a danger which, according to the predictions of his astrologers, threatened his own life in the person of a leader to be born to the children of Israel.
The only group of Jews that escaped enslavement was the tribe of Levi. Levi was the last of Jacob's sons to die, and his influence over his tribe was lasting. They had taken over the Yeshiva Jacob had established in Goshen, and they instructed the children of Israel in the knowledge of G‑d and His holy teachings. Thus they were occupied with spiritual matters and did not mix with the Egyptians, while many of their brethren had given up their old customs and way of life. Except for their language, clothing, and names, many of the children of Israel had become assimilated into the social and cultural environment of their Egyptian neighbors, and they were the ones to arouse the wrath of the Egyptians. Only the children of Levi were, therefore, spared the slavery and oppression which the Egyptians imposed upon the rest of Israel.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Kaprow
If any member has a question or in need of assistance feel free to contact Rabbi Kaprow at rabbikaprow@maghenabraham.com
2) HALAKHAT HASHAVOUA
Selected & translated by David Azerad, Hazzan Maghen Abraham
Halacha according to the rulings of the late Maran Rabbi Obadiah Yosef Z”TL
How do we perform the Mitzvah of railing?
There is a Mitzvah from the Torah to build a railing around the rooftop of a house especially if it used to dry clothes or for leisure during the hot summer months etc,,, for fear that someone may fall. Therefore, it is mandatory to also build a railing for the balcony of the house or the stairs etc...
The railing should be at least ten Tefachim [Tefach = 8 cm high. Ten Tefach = 80 cm] from the floor. Preferably it is good to do it at least a meter high. It must be made firm and strong, so that it can bear the weight of a person leaning on it.
The one who builds a railing for his roof makes the following blessing when he is done: "Blessed are you, O Lord, our God, the King of the universe, whom we have sanctified by His commandments, and commanded us to make a railing." "ברוך אתה ה', אלקינו מלך העולם, אשר קדשנו במצותיו, וציונו לעשות מעקה"
Whoever leaves his roof without a railing, Not only he does not perform the Mitzvah of “Aseh” (a positive Mitzvah) as the Torah is commending but rather he performs a Mitzvat “Lo ta-Aseh “ ( a negative Mitzvah) as we can see from the following Verse in Deuteronomy 22 Verse 8 דברים כ"ב ח'--
כִּ֤י תִבְנֶה֙ בַּ֣יִת חָדָ֔שׁ וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ מַעֲקֶ֖ה לְגַגֶּ֑ךָ וְלֹֽא־תָשִׂ֤ים דָּמִים֙ בְּבֵיתֶ֔ךָ כִּֽי־יִפֹּ֥ל הַנֹּפֵ֖ל מִמֶּֽנּוּ “
"When you build a new house, you shall make a railing for your roof, so that you do not bring bloodguilt on your house if anyone should fall from it."
Is it obligatory to build bars in the window?
Although it is a Mitzvah to have railings in order to prevent danger, as the Torah commanded:
The one who builds a sukkah on a roof without a railing, and especially when there are small children who can walk around on the roof or by the balcony or next to a window they may also add bars for safety as the commandments in the Torah: וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּ֥ם מְאֹ֖ד לְנַפְשֹׁותכם
For your own sake, therefore, be most careful (Devarim 4-15)
Every person should remove any obstacle from his home at all times
Bevirkat Shabbat Sahlom Umevorach
David Azerad
4) HOLY JoKeS!!
How do brave Egyptians write?
With HERO-glyphics!
A mummy covered in chocolate and nuts has just been discovered in Egypt!!!
Archaeologists believe it may be "Pharaoh Roche"
What did Pharaoh say when he saw the pyramid?
MUMMY's HOME!!!
