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Essays on the weekly Torah portion, the holidays and Jewish thought.
Pirkei Avos Pirkei Avos – Preparation for the Future The season for reciting Pirkei Avos every Sabbath begins on the very first Shabbos following Passover in the (end of the) month of Nissan, the “month of Redemption” One can find a connection between the recitation of Pirkei Avos and the future Redemption. Pirkei Avos Pirkei Avos – Taste of Sinai One of the reasons given for the study of Avos after Passover is that the study and implementation of the ideals of Avos serves as a preparation for the receiving of the Torah on Shavuos. One may add the following point: This function of the study of Avos as a preparation for… Pirkei Avos Pirkei Avos – The Aleph, Beis, Gimmel of Judaism Pirkei Avos is punctuated with teachings that revolve around the number three. However, the three-fold nature of Avos is actually rooted in the very nature of Torah itself. The Talmud states: “Blessed is the Merciful one Who gave a three-fold Torah to a three-fold people,… Pirkei Avos Pirkei Avos – Whose Fathers? The name. Avos literally means fathers, which begs the question, why would the rabbis of the Talmud name this tractate that deals with ethics, “fathers?” Wouldn’t there be a more suitable name that more clearly describes the content of this book? Pirkei Avos Pirkei Avos – Two Dimensions of Avos and Two Lev- Els of Torah Re- Newal The universal custom is to recite Pirkei Avos in the Sabbaths between Passover and Shavuos, while in many communities—and this is also the Chabad custom—it is also recited on all the Sabbaths after Shavuos until Rosh Hashanah. There is a fundamental difference between the… Holidays Last Days of Passover – Don’t Stand on Ceremony PASSOVER PASSOVER Holidays Last Days of Passover – Double Vision PASSOVER PASSOVER Holidays Last Days of Passover – Silent! PASSOVER PASSOVER Holidays Last Days of Passover – Sing and Shine PASSOVER PASSOVER Holidays Last Days of Passover – The Horse and Its Rider PASSOVER PASSOVER Holidays Last Days of Passover – The Inner Song PASSOVER PASSOVER Holidays Last Days of Passover – The Last Day of Passover: The Bottom Line (Ii) PASSOVER PASSOVER Holidays Last Days of Passover – The Last Day of Passover: The Bottom Line PASSOVER PASSOVER Holidays Last Days of Passover – The Link PASSOVER PASSOVER Holidays Last Days of Passover – Three Jews, Four Opinions PASSOVER PASSOVER Parsha Vayikra – A Joint Offering Men and women bring different strengths to their marriage. The woman’s need for marriage is to express her selfness devotion to another. This G-dly feminine trait characterizes the Messianic Age dynamic. Parsha Vayikra – Adam’s Sacrifice No matter our state of mind and the state of our environment which causes us to sin we can always turn a new leaf. Parsha Vayikra – And He Called, and He Called, and He Called G-d is constantly calling us with love. Our ears must be receptive to hear that call. Parsha Vayikra – Bring a Korban, Not a Sacrifice! Sacrifice entails losing something for a bigger gain. The ideal is to get close to G-d and in the process bring toher things closer as well. Parsha Vayikra – Have You Brought a Korban Recently? A sacrifice is a three pronged process: A paradigm shift, emotional attachment to G-d and living that way.