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Table of contents
1) Perashat Hashavoua - Rabbi Eli Mansour
2) Halakhat Hashavoua - Hazzan David Azerad
3) Holy Jokes!
1)PERASHAT HASHAVOUA
This Week's Parasha Insight with Rabbi Eli Mansour
Parashat Korah: Elevating Ourselves
We read in Parashat Korah of the group assembled by Korah to challenge Moshe’s authority. They accused Moshe of nepotism, that he unfairly granted the exclusive post of Kohen Gadol to his brother, Aharon. Moshe responded by inviting Korah and his cohorts to offer Ketoret (incense) together with Aharon in the courtyard of the Mishkan the following day, and Hashem would accept the offering of the person chosen to be the Kohen Gadol. Tragically, all the rebels perished after offering the incense, whereas Aharon, of course, survived, proving that he was the one chosen by G-d to serve in this special role.
Two leading figures of Korah’s revolt, Datan and Abiram, refused to come and participate in this Ketoret offering. When Moshe sent messengers to summon them, they brazenly responded, "Lo Na’aleh" – literally, "We will not go up" (16:12). They were later devoured by the ground.
Ibn Ezra (Rav Abraham Ibn Ezra, Spain, 1089-1167), explaining the phrase "Lo Na’aleh," suggests that the Mishkan was perhaps erected in a location that was higher than the rest of the camp. Datan and Abiram thus replied, "Lo Na’aleh" – that they would not climb to the Mishkan to participate in the offering of the Ketoret.
However, Ibn Ezra then offers a second interpretation, writing, "One who goes to the service of G-d, or to the chosen site, is called ‘ascending’." According to this explanation, the term "Na’aleh" is used here allegorically, not literally. Going to the Mishkan to perform a religious act is called "ascent," and thus Datan and Abiram said that they refused to "go up" – meaning, to bring an offering to G-d.
Another expression of this idea is the term "Oleh" used in reference to a person called to recite the Berachot over the reading of the Sefer Torah in the synagogue. In ancient times, the place where the Hazan stood and where the Torah reading took place was actually lower than the rest of the sanctuary. Nevertheless, the person invited to recite the Berachot is called an "Oleh" – "one who goes up" – because performing a Misva is always to be regarded as an experience of elevation, an opportunity to lift ourselves and become higher.
We should relish and enthusiastically seize every opportunity we are given to perform a Misva, because each one elevates us and brings us higher. We might at times be reluctant to perform a Misva because it entails too much time and effort, it requires a sacrifice, or we just do not think that this particular Misva is important. Ibn Ezra’s brief remark should remind us that every Misva we perform, even if it does not initially seem that valuable or significant, lifts us up and makes us greater. Let us, then, embrace every Misva opportunity that we are given, so that we can continually elevate ourselves to greater heights, each day of our lives.
2) HALAKHAT HASHAVOUA
Selected & translated by David Azerad, Hazzan Maghen Abraham
Laws of praying for Refua Shelema according to the rulings of Maran Rabbi Obadiah Yosef ZT”L
When praying for a patient, should the name of the father or the name of the mother be mentioned?
The Minhag of the Sephardim is when praying for Refua Shelema for someone ,one should mention the name of the person and the name of his or her mother and not the father. If one does not know the name of the mother he may then use the name of the Father. If also the father's name is unknown, our custom is to say the son or daughter (בן או בת (of Chava.
In the book of “Responsa Torah Lishma” ( ובשו"ת תורה לשמה ) it is brought down that the reason we mention the mother over the father is because the mother is exempt from many Mitzvot especially Mitzvot "שהזמן גרמא" Mitzvot that apply only at a fixed time and women are exempt from doing them as well as Limud Torah.Therefore the mother is judged less harshly ( קטרוג) then the father who is obligated to do the Mitzvot and or study of the Torah and does not do it.
When should the name of the patient not be mentioned in prayer for his healing?
It is explained by the (פוסקים ) {rabbis that answer halakhic questions – posekim} that whenever one does a Mi-Sheberach for someone and that the patient is with him in the room he should refrain from mentioning his name, however if the patient is not beside him he should mention the full name and the mothers name as explained above. There is no need to mention the last name of the patient however one should add the words
"בתוך שאר כל חולי עמו ישראל", sharing the name of the patient with all other patients of Am Yisrael who need Refuah Shelema and by doing so the prayer will be heard more ,why ,because generally tefilot that are said in the merit of all (the tzibur/kahal) have more potential to be accepted.May we hear of speedy recovery of all who need it Amen.
Bevirkat Shabbat Shalom Umevorach
David Azerad
3) HOLY JoKeS!!
Selection of funny snippets, loosely related to this weeks parashah, to brighten your day
A man enters a bakery hurriedly and asks the attendant how long it would take to make a brand new cake. He was told to return in one hour. An hour later he’s back in the store and he looks disappointedly at the cake. “Maybe I didn’t make myself clear. I would like the cake in the shape of the letter “K”!” “Come back in a half hour!” He’s told! He promptly returns a half hour later and looks critically at the results. “I wanted it to be covered with bright pink icing and fancy flowers!” He is advised to wait a few more minutes. After a short while he is shown the finished product made according to his specs. Sensing his approval, the relieved attendant then asks as he does routinely, “Shall I put it in a box like this? “No!” he replies, “I’ll eat it here!”
Explanation of the Joke
Korach’s tragic flaw is sadly reflected in this silly joke. Sure he spoke of lofty matters, and many good people were persuaded by his seductive rhetoric but fundamentally he was gravely mistaken. How so? The Torah doesn’t delay a word in telling us where the fault line lies. “Vayikach Korach”-“And Korach took…” He was a taker. His motive in creating malcontent amongst the people was for his own hidden agenda. He wanted a title like “Kohen Gadol” for himself. All those convincing speeches he delivered with all their subtle profundity were ultimately self- serving. He wanted for himself a slice of the Kovod, the great glory. He baked that big fancy cake and it was for him to eat in the here and now! He was “taking” albeit under the pretense of a “fairness doctrine”
