Bonjour / Hello [nickname_else_first_name]
Table of contents
1) Synagogue Closure due to Government Restrictions
2) Perashat Hashavoua - Rabbi Eli Mansour
3) Halakhat Hashavoua - David Azerad
4) Holy Jokes!
1) Synagogue Closure due to Government Restrictions
Per government requirements in order to limit the spread of the covid omicron variant, all places of worship are to be closed.
We will keep you updated as developments progress as to when we will be able to reopen.
We hope all our members stay safe and remain healthy in this special time
2)PERASHAT HASHAVOUA
Parashat Yitro: Taking Advice
This Week's Parasha Insight with Rabbi Eli Mansour
The Torah in Parashat Yitro tells about the arrival of Moshe’s father-in-law, Yitro – for whom the Parasha is named – to join Beneh Yisrael as they encamped at Mount Sinai. Yitro was formerly an idolater – in fact, he was the pagan priest of Midyan – and he now embraced the belief in the one, true God and underwent conversion to become part of Am Yisrael.
The Torah tells that after Yitro’s arrival, he advised Moshe to change his procedure of judging the people and answering their questions. Yitro saw that Moshe handled all the nation’s questions personally. The people stood in a long line waiting for their turn to bring their questions and disputes to Moshe. Yitro alerted Moshe to the fact that he cannot shoulder this burden by himself; it is simply too much for one person to handle. He urged Moshe to establish a network of scholars and judges to whom the people could bring their questions, such that Moshe would be called upon to decide only the most difficult cases. Moshe accepted Yitro’s advice, and he appointed scholarly and righteous men to serve as judges to help him bear the responsibility of resolving the people’s questions.
We know from elsewhere that Moshe appointed judges only after God commanded him to do so. This measure was taken not as a result of Yitro’s suggestion, but rather in fulfillment of the divine command. The obvious question thus arises as to why God waited until after Yitro proposed the idea before instructing Moshe to appoint a judicial network. If this is what God wanted, why had he not told Moshe to make these appointments earlier? Why was it necessary for Yitro to first suggest the idea before God issued the command?
It seems that God wanted to demonstrate the importance of seeking and accepting advice, even from people of lesser stature. He of course wanted Moshe to appoint judges; but He decided to allow Yitro to make the suggestion so that Moshe could accept the advice and thereby teach us an important lesson. Yitro was formerly a pagan priest, deeply entrenched in the world of idolatry. He had only recently come to the Israelite camp and accepted the belief in God. Without question, Moshe’s credentials far surpassed his. Moshe was God’s personally appointed messenger, the greatest prophet that every lived. We might have expected Moshe to say something to the effect of, "Who are you to start telling me how to run the nation? Don’t you think I have more experience than you? And don’t realize that God Himself tells me what to do?"
But instead, Moshe humbly listened and accepted Yitro’s advice, to show us that a person should never feel too proud or too important to hear or accept advice, regardless of who offered it.
In Parashat Bereshit, we read that before God created Adam, He said, "Na’aseh Adam" ("Let us make man"), as if speaking to other people. The Sages explain that before the creation of man, God "consulted," as it were, with the heavenly angels. Obviously, this was His decision, and not theirs. Nevertheless, God convened a "meeting," so-to-speak, in order to teach us the importance of consultation, of hearing another opinion, of listening to what others have to say.
A person with a healthy ego welcomes other opinions and other people’s advice. He feels confident enough in his capabilities to hear a different view, and even to defer to another person’s expertise. It is the insecure person who feels uneasy about consulting, who is afraid to expose himself the possibility that somebody else might have an idea that he did not think of himself.
The remarkable story of Moshe and Yitro thus teaches a critically important lesson about humble regard for other people’s advice. We have much to gain by availing ourselves of the ideas and knowledge of the people around us, rather than stubbornly insisting that we have all the answers and all the right ideas. If Moshe could accept advice from Yitro, then we certainly should be prepared to hear and accept the advice of our colleagues and peers.
3) HALAKHAT HASHAVOUA
Selected & translated by David Azerad, Hazzan Maghen Abraham
Halachot of Respecting Parents-Kibud Horim, according to the rulings of Rabbi Obadiah Yosef zt”l
In this week's Parasha we are introduced to the Mitzvah of Kibud Av V’aem Honoring your parents as it is written in Parashat Yitro Chapter 20 verse 12
כַּבֵּ֥ד אֶת־אָבִ֖יךָ וְאֶת־אִמֶּ֑ךָ לְמַ֙עַן֙ יַאֲרִכ֣וּן יָמֶ֔יךָ עַ֚ל הָאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ׃ " “ “ Honor your father and your mother, that you may long endure on the land that the LORD your God is assigning to you.”
What is the importance of this particular Mitzvah?
First is to honor your parents then it’s to have reverence towards them and not to disrespect them. The Rambam goes on to say that this Mitzvah is so great where Hashem ordered us to honor /respect and revere our parents the same way we are ordered to respect and revere him. As we see clearly in the עשרת הדיברות the Ten Commandments that the fifth Mitzvah is on the right alongside the Mitzvot that are between Hashem and mankind.
Who is obliged to fulfill the Mitzvah of Kibud Horim ?
Every person owes respect to his parents, whether the person is young or elderly, single or married and has his own family already he owes respect to his father and mother, and not as those who think this mitzvah is only for small children and singles.
Like all other commandments of the Torah, It is incumbent and a commandment upon the parents to educate their children even when they are young about the Mitzvah of honoring a father and mother. Parents should not feel awkward teaching their children to respect them since it is a direct Mitzvah from the Torah.
Why is it important to learn the laws of honoring parents?
Just as it is obligatory for each and every one to learn the existing laws, such as the laws of blessings, Shabbat etc…, so it is obligatory to learn and memorize the laws of honoring father and mother since it is a commandment that is constant and one can fail in many halachot out of ignorance.
Is there a difference between a father and a mother in the commandment of honoring parents?
There is no difference between the father and the mother, both have to be equally respected and to both we must have reverence יראה. Therefore, the Torah preceded in Honor / Kavod the father to the mother, כַּבֵּ֥ד אֶת־אָבִ֖יךָ וְאֶת־אִמֶּ֑ךָ ׃ " “ Shemot Chap.20 Ver.12 `` Honor your father and your mother,” since we naturally tend to respect our mother more than our Father the Father was mentioned first and when it comes to Reverence -יראה the Torah mentioned first the Mother then the Father since we naturally tend to have more reverence to our Father then our mother : " אִ֣ישׁ אִמּ֤וֹ וְאָבִיו֙ תִּירָ֔אוּ אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם" You shall each revere your mother and your father" Vayikra Chapter.19 Ver.3 " to teach you that both are equal between honor and reverence.
Until what point does a person say I have done enough or I have maximized the Mitzvah of Kibud Horim?
There is no limit to honoring a father and mother, and therefore as much as a person can respect his parents he should. As a reward Hashem gives that person longevity in this world and the next, and he will succeed in all his affairs, and his children will respect him and see him even in his old age, and God will bless him as well.
Even if it is difficult. Hence an elderly father or mother who needs constant and prolonged care, and requires the son or daughter to be with the father or mother for a long time, you must still respect them. A person may also appoint a messenger to take care of his father or mother. if he himself can not do it.
How does one fulfill the parents' requests?
When parents ask their son/daughter for a particular request, it is an honor to do what they want immediately without any delay at all. And they shall do their request with great joy, vigilance and great agility, and this Mitzvah will stand for him in this world and the next.
The late Rabbi Arizal wrote (Sha'ar HaMitzvot page 1): "In doing the mitzvah, do not think that it is a burden ,you shall do it with great desire as if they were giving him a thousand gold coins. It is also forbidden for parents to burden their children with being meticulous with them when it comes to honoring them, so that it will not be difficult for the children to do this precious Mitzvah.
When parents come to visit - how should they be respected?
When parents come to visit their children’s house, it is a great mitzvah to receive them with kindness and joy. And also ask from everyone in the household to treat his/her parents with due respect and splendor. It is also a Mitzvah to visit one's parents in their own home even though they do need our help. Just by visiting them one observes a mitzvah from the Torah.
In general, matzah refreshments, which the son will visit his parents in their home, even though they do not need him to serve them. And every time he visits them, he observes a mitzvah from the Torah. And if he can visit them every day, a good blessing will come upon him. If it is difficult for parents to visit them every day, simply do not visit them.
Bevirkat Shabbat Shalom Umevorach
David AzeraD
4) HOLY JoKeS!!
Selection of funny snippets, loosely related to this weeks parashah, to brighten your day
Yitro: the first managment cosultant
If God Had Texted the Ten Commandments (note: in 5., pos means “parent over shoulder” and in 7. :-X means “big sloppy kiss”)
- no1 b4 me.
- dnt wrshp pix/idols
- no omg’s
- no wrk on w/end (sat 4 now; sun l8r)
- pos ok – ur m&d r cool
- dnt kill ppl
- :-X only w/ m8
- dnt steal
- dnt lie re: bf
- dnt ogle ur bf’s m8. or ox. or dnkey. myob.
