The Light Side of the Moon

This upcoming Shabbat - the last before the Hebrew month of Nissan - is always known as "Parshat Hachodesh." We read the Torah chapter describing the the commandment of sanctifying the "New Moon."


It's interesting to note that the Jewish People have always been likened to the moon. It's not so hard to see why. Just as the moon waxes & wanes, shines bright & then goes dark, so too goes the Jew throughout history. We've gone from the highest of times to the lowest, and back again, seemingly in constant flux throughout time.

Fascinatingly, like the moon which waxes for the 1st 15 days of the month, the Jewish People rose in spiritual stature & greatness for its 1st 15 generations - from Abraham to King Solomon. We had then reached our fullness, like the full moon, shining G-dliness into the world through the Bait Hamikdash - the temple in Jerusalem. It was the most peaceful time in our history. It is told that massive groups of visitors to Jerusalem would convert en masse after witnessing the miracles of the temple & the great Jewish stature.
Our Sages say that, miraculously, the moon was always full during the reign of King Solomon.

Also, it's notable that the light we see from the moon, is really just a reflection of the light from the sun. So too, it is taught, a Jew's mission in life is to reflect the light of G-d into the world. By reflecting Torah and its values into our lives and beyond ourselves into the world around us, we fulfill our role as a "Light unto the Nations." (Isaiah 42:6)

We have to be proud and shine bright, with the conviction that what we shine is not our own - but the truth of G-d.
May the time soon come, when we wax to our brightest, with the final redemption now!

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel
P.S. I believe this is a must see when you have the time, & is very connected to this idea - Mayor Corey Booker Speaking @ Chabad

To Whom Does Israel Truly Belong?

~The email is dedicated to the speedy recovery of all injured Jews in Israel, and to the comfort of the Fogel family~


With the recent tragedies in Israel, I felt it fitting to speak about the Holy Land. First, it was the cruel murdering of 3 little children and their parents in the town of Itamar. Yesterday, it was the bombing near the central bus station in Jerusalem, that killed 1 and injured 50.

I could write 20 pages now about the history of Israel and why she rightfully deserves to exist. From the U.N. partition plan of 1948, to the wars against Israel that showed Israel victorious that year, as well as in 1967; to the 3,000 year uninterrupted living of Jews in the land. (To see a brilliant 5-min. summary of the conflict, click here)

Instead I'd like to take a unique look from the Torah's Perspective - one often not seen or mentioned of.

The Torah opens up with the verse:
"In the beginning of G-d's Creation of the heavens and earth."
The foremost commentator on the Torah, Rashi (1040-1105), is perplexed by this. If the whole point of the Torah is for the sake of the mitzvot (commandments), why does the Torah begin with stories!? Just get to the point! Rashi's answer to this is astounding, and very relevant to today's current events in Israel.

Let's look at Rashi's words: 'Rabbi Yitzchak said: Surely the Torah should have begun from the words, "This month shall be for you..." (Exodus 12:2), the first commandment which the Jewish people were given. Why does it begin with "In the beginning?" The reason is as it says: "He Declared to His people the power of His Works in order to give them the inheritance of the nations" (Psalms 111:6), i.e., if the nations of the world will say to the Jewish people, "You are robbers, for you seized the land of the seven nations [who inhabited Cana'an]," they will reply: "The whole earth belongs to G-d. He Created it and Granted it to whoever was deemed fit in His Eyes! It was His Will that they should have it; and, by His Will, He Took it from them and Gave it to us!"

Over a 1,000 years ago, Rashi hit the nail on the head. Any land or people can always claim ownership. California should more logically go back to the Indians, than Israel to the Arabs. But since logic never really wins against the U.N. and the int'l community, perhaps the Israeli Leadership could revert back to the Torah's view of things: "G-d Gave it to us. Period." Perhaps that would even be better received by the world than the present approach?
How eternally true are the words of Torah & its Rabbis.

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

Hamantaschen - The Inner Sweetness

When Jewish holidays come around, my taste buds start tingling.
True, matzoh doesn't really rock my boat too much, but Latkas, Jelly doughnuts, Challoh and wine, and the smorgasbord of other delicious kosher treats, all play a big role in feeling the holiday spirit.
As one man astutely observed, most Jewish holidays can be defined as: "They tried to kill us; we won, let's eat!"

But let's take a deeper look at the foods we eat at special occasions.
On Chanukah, I wrote about the inner meaning of donuts and latkas.
But as Purim arrives this Sat. Night/Sunday, let's take a look at what makes hamentaschen so special.

The story of Purim is incredibly unique. G-d Saves the Jewish People from annihilation (nothing new here), but does it in a way that seems natural. The Jewish Queen pulls some connections with the king, a few things go our way, and boom - the Jewish people are saved. It seems SO natural in fact, that the Purim story is the only one in the entire 24 books of the Bible, where G-d's name is not mentioned even once!

But the lessons of Purim are everlasting. G-d's "Name," His open Revelation to us in the world, is slim to none. He's Hidden. Like a puppet-master behind the scenes, guiding the show. From Middle East upheavals to tsunamis, G-d Guides the world without openly Saying "I'm Here." On Purim, G-d Made His Being a bit more apparent; more easily deduced from the events that unfolded.
It was just too much of a coincidence!

In our lives too, G-d Is intimately involved, but Hidden. Behind every event, even the painful ones, G-d Is Behind it. And if G-d Is Behind it, then the inner truth of the event is pure goodness. As the prophet Jeremiah said: 'Evil does not descend from Above.' Even when it isn't apparent. And that is the lesson of the hamantaschen:
A triangular cookie with a sweet filling on the inside, the hamentaschen symbolize the essence of the Purim story, and our lives: As tough or unsavory as an event may seem, there is a sweet inner reason behind it.

G-d Hides to Give us free-choice to choose to recognize His Role in our lives, or not. Like the Purim masks we wear, G-d Uses the world and "nature" as a mask to Hide His Doing. But as we listen to "Megillat Esther" Being read on Purim, let's remember the Kabbalistic interpretation: "Megaleh Ha'hester" - To Reveal that which is Hidden. Through recognizing the One behind the Mask, in our lives and the world's events at large, may we merit to see G-d Presence in actuality, and the sweetness behind all of history's events.

Have a happy Purim!

-Daniel
To see more on Purim, check out: Purim