Eat, Drink and Be Merry (Parashat Eikev)

You will eat and you will be satisfied and you will bless Hashem, your G-d, for the good land that He gave you.  Take care lest you forget Hashem...lest you eat and be satisfied...and your heart will become haughty and you will forget Hashem, your G-d, Who took you out of the land of Egypt from the house of slaves..."

In the midst of an awe-inspiring message in the beginning of this weeks parasha, a seemingly random emphasis is suddenly put on what we do when we eat.  The parasha starts out telling us what wonderful rewards we will receive if we listen to Hashem (a topic I will certainly re-visit another time) and then goes on to recount the many things Hashem had already done for us while we were in the desert.  Last, it begins telling us about the Land we are being brought to and all of the wonderful things we can expect to receive there when, all of a sudden, we are told that when we eat and become full, we should bless Hashem.  I would be ok with that, except that just a few lines later the Torah again begins talking about what happens when I eat and become full.  Only this time, it tells me that if I don't bless Hashem afterward - I am haughty.

What gives?!?

I am absolutely horrible at fasting.  It is not uncommon for me to spend much of a fast-day in bed with a migraine and to feel extremely weak at the end of the fast.  I know this to be the case, I am fully aware of it and I mention it any time I discuss the practice of fasting with others.  And yet, when it is not a fast-day, do I appreciate the fact that I am able to eat?  Do I actively think about the fact that if I wasn't putting that food or drink in my mouth I would probably be lying in bed feeling sick?  The answer, sadly, is no!  Despite my appreciation for food when I cannot have it, when I can - it is taken for granted.

In this weeks parasha, we are given a list of gifts that Hashem is going to lay upon us - streams, wheat, figs, honey; we are promised that we will eat without poverty and lack nothing; we will have stones of iron and mountains full of copper.  Then we are reminded, when you eat from these gifts and you feel that you are full - remember to thank Hashem for all that He has given you.  Remember to appreciate it!  For if you do not thank Him for the food that He gave you and you do not stop to recognize that all that you have, He gave to you - then you will have forgotten Him!

I remember when I was a Freshman in college, I used to substitute at a Yeshiva in Boro Park my brother taught at to make some money.  One time I was particularly low on cash and my bills were coming due when I received a phone call from the principal asking if I could come in to work the next day - perfect!!  For the next 24 hours I walked around (literally) saying "I'm so lucky, I'm so lucky."  I did this until I received another phone call from the principal telling me that the teacher I was to be subbing for could make it in at the end and so he didn't need me.  Hashem taught me a profound lesson that day.  "You think you're lucky, he asked.  I'll show you that you and luck have nothing to do with it"  Bli Ayin Hara, ever since that day I always make it a point to stop and thank Hashem when something goes well.

The lesson I was taught that day is the same lesson we are being taught in this weeks parasha.  The Torah is reminding us that, even for something as seemingly insignificant as eating, when we get full - we should recognize that it was only through the hand of Hashem.  Of course, this rule applies to any other "gift" that He gives us.

May we all be zoche to recognize that everything we receive in this world is only given to us because Hashim wills it to be that way.  Once that realization is made, may we succeed in showing our appreciation to him properly.  In doing so, may we merit to see the coming of Mashiach speedily in our days.



Shabbat Shalom!

The Power of Prayer (Parashat V'Etchanan)

"I implored Hashem at that time, saying, 'My Lord...Please let me cross and see the good land that is on the other side of the Jordan...'"

Rashi explains that the word ואתחנן - I implored - has an alternate meaning of I prayed.  From that interpretation, we can learn that Moshe prayed to Hashem for two things: to cross the Jordan and to see the land on the other side.

A few pasukim later, we are told Hashem's response: "Ascend to the top of the cliff and raise your eyes westward, northward, southward, and eastward, and see with your eyes, for you shall not cross this Jordan."  Rashi, again, comments that the statement for "and see with your eyes" was in response to Moshe's second request - to see the land on the other side.

From this we see that, although he did not get "everything" he asked for, Moshe prayed to Hashem and Hashem granted his request.  For those who will ask, "why couldn't Hashem grant him both requests?" - look two pasukim earlier for your answer...  Hashem says to Moshe "It is much for you!"  Rashi explains this pasuk to mean that Hashem has something greater in store for Moshe.

I used to have hanging in my office a picture that read

"G-d's 3 answers to your prayers:

1. Yes

2. Not Yet

3. I have something better in mind"

In this weeks parasha we see that Moshe received all three answers.  To his request of seeing the land, Hashem told him yes.  To his request of crossing the Jordan, Hashem said "no - I have something better in mind."

We do not understand Hashem's reasoning behind what he does.  For this reason, it is easy for us to get angry and frustrated when things don't go our way.  It may seem to us as though Hashem is ignoring our pleas.  However, if we just look at the first two paragraphs of this weeks parasha, we can understand that when we pray, Hashem does hear us and He does answer us - sometimes it may not be the answer we think we want - but at the end of the day, we must remember that Hashem knows what is best for us.

May we all be zoche to improve our tefilla - to appreciate and understand that Hashem is always listening to us.  In doing so, may all of our prayers be answered and may we merit to see the coming of Mashiach speedily in our days!

Shabbat Shalom!

A New Beginning (Parashat Devarim)

This weeks parasha begins the final chapter in the Torah.  Moshe, under the instruction of Hashem, takes this as an opportunity to prepare Klal Yisrael for their final journey by reviewing with them everything they have done (both the good and bad) thus far and giving them some foresight into what is coming.

There exists a dating website - "www.sawyouatsinai.com" which, in its "about us" page, indicates that its name is derived from the midrash which teaches that every Jewish soul stood at Har Sinai - including yours!  Simply put, we were all present at the giving of the Torah - whether we remember it or not.

The pasuk begins: "These are the words that Moshe spoke to all Israel...".  Rashi comments "all Israel" teaches us that every Jew was present to hear the rebuke.  This way, nobody would be able to mock his brother for accepting the rebuke and argue"had I been there, I would have answered back."

So frequently I am bombarded with questions from students arguing that if Hashem would speak to them personally, they would accept His words.  The fact that He spoke to Klal Yisrael, they argue, is not sufficient.  In response to this and in conjunction with the midrash of Har Sinai, I would like to offer the following additional interpretation of "all Israel"...

Perhaps, the pasuk does not limit itself strictly to the Jews of the time when Moshe spoke.  Perhaps, similarly to every soul having been present at Har Sinai, Moshe's message was a message to ALL ISRAEL - a message to those present in that generation and for all generations to come!  If we interpret the pasuk in this light, we can appreciate much more the lesson that Moshe was teaching!!

May we all recognize that Moshe was speaking to all of us when he rebuked Klal Yisrael and may we internalize the message he was giving.  In doing so, may we merit to see the coming of Mashiach speedily in our days!

Shabbat Shalom!



*In addition to this week marking the beginning of a new chapter in the Torah, it also marks the beginning of a new chapter for Darchei Yitzchak - a wonderful organization founded in loving memory of my father, Yitzchak ben Nachum, a"h.

Darchei Yitzchak provides nightly Torah classes for High School and Post-High School boys and girls (respectively) as well as recreational activities (basketball for boys and baking for girls) thereby giving them an opportunity to learn more about their heritage in an informal setting and to questions that which they do not understand.

With an emphasis on the "why" and "how" of Judaism, the mission of Darchei Yitzchak is to instill in each of its students a belief in G-d and to teach them the foundations and reasons behind the laws of Judaism; enabling them to accept the Torah because they believe it is true - not because they are told it is.

Please visit our new website, www.DarcheiYitzchak.org, to learn more information about the organization and to see our schedule of programs (coming shortly).