Parshas Devorim | The Kollel Connection

August 1, 2014 – Candle lighting 7:55, Shabbos Ends 9:02

Note: Times are for Bensalem; Check your local calendar for exact times in your area.

Rabbi Moshe Travitsky

Welcome to the Kollel Connection.

We appreciate your comments and feedback.

The Kollel Connection is dedicated this week in merit of all the soldiers who are fighting to protect the Jewish people in Israel. It is also in memory of the fallen heroes who gave their lives to save other Jews in Israel. May Hashem help and protect the entire Jewish people, and destroy all the wicked people who want to harm the Jewish people.  

This week we read Parshas Devorim. The Shabbos, which is the Shabbos before Tisha B’av,  (the fast day on which both the first temple and the second temple were destroyed), is also known as Shabbos Chazon, for the Haftorah of the week that begins with the words Chazon Yeshaya – a vision from Isaiah. In the haftorah, Isaiah laments how a cow knows its owner, and a donkey knows the feeding trough of its master. However, the Jewish people don’t recognize their master – Hashem.

The commentary Ubesoraso Yehege asks the following question: it is understandable that the prophet complains when a Jew doesn’t even act like a cow that knows its owner, while the Jew doesn’t know Hashem. However, what is the praise of the donkey that knows that trough of its owner? After all, it is simply looking for food for itself?

He explains that the point Isaiah was making, is that a donkey has total trust in the feeding trough of its owner. The donkey doesn’t think for a minute that it might have to find sources of nourishment. Rather, it relies on its owner. Isaiah demanded that the Jewish people also show their reliance on Hashem, and trust in Him.

This point is especially important in these days. As we join the entire Jewish world in praying for the success of the Israeli soldiers in Gaza, we must know that our success and safety is totally in the hands of Hashem. Let us unite in prayer and extra mitzvohs as a merit that no more Jewish blood be spilt, and that those who wish to harm Jews be totally destroyed. May we soon see the day of the coming of Messiah, the rebuilding of the Temple, and the ingathering of all Jews back to the land of Israel!!!

Wishing you and your family a Great Shabbos!!!!!!!! 

Rabbi Moshe Travitsky

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“Naaseh Vnishma” | The Kollel Connection

June 6, 2014 – Candle lighting 8:08, Shabbos Ends 9:16

Note: Times are for Bensalem; Check your local calendar for exact times in your area.

Rabbi Moshe Travitsky

Welcome to the Kollel Connection.

We appreciate your comments and feedback.

We have just finished celebrating the holiday of Shavuos, when we celebrate G-d’s giving of the Torah to the Jewish people. Our Sages tell us, that the Almighty first offered the Torah to all the nations of the world, but they asked “What was in it”? Each nation heard about a part of the Torah that it did not want to keep – whether not to steal, not to commit immoral acts,… and refused to take it. When the Jewish people were offered the Torah, they didn’t ask what it was that they were accepting. In an amazing act of dedication to G-d, they unconditionally accepted the Torah, saying “naaseh vnishma” – we will do the Torah even before we understand it, and then we will try to understand it. This unconditional acceptance of the Torah was something that stands as a merit to the Jewish people till this day.

This week I received an email that certainly flies against this very concept of naaseh vnishmah – the concept of accepting Hashem’s will as something that we must follow. It would be more comfortable to not even bring up this subject, and to pretend that this email never came. But it  did, and I believe that this email must be addressed, to clarify the severity of the issues involved for those who may not know better. Hiding behind some very flowery titles such as “equality”, “respect”, tolerance”,… some of the most severe prohibitions of the Torah are tossed out, trampled upon, and disregarded.

This email noted that this weekend was LGBTQ Pride and Jewish LGBTQ Pride. The email suggested that “It is a time to stand alongside and with our LGBTQ Jewish friends, family, colleagues, and congregants. It is a time to speak up for equal rights for all; to celebrate our diversity and unity–to celebrate Life.” And then the email proposed that special ”prayers” be said this Saturday in Synagogues, that were written by people who called themselves “Rabbis”!

If we are looking for the Jewish attitude to this movement, how far do we have to go? What does the Torah mean when it says “And a man you shall not lie with as one lies with a woman, it is an abomination.“? (Leviticus 18:22) What is the punishment contained in the Torah in Leviticus 20:13?   Does the Torah leave the attitude of a Jew towards these ways of living unclear?

True, people may have different types of temptations and instincts. If one will say that they have a temptation to live this kind of lifestyle, and that it is hard for them to control it, that may be so. But are we allowed to do things just because we have an urge to do them? Is the fact that the Torah does tell these people to control their feelings in no undefinite terms unclear? If a person has a passion to steal does that allow him to steal? If a person has a temptation to commit adultery, does that become permitted? Does the Torah not make demands of us to control our passions?

Is there anything unclear about the intent of the Torah? The obvious truth is that the Torah’s response to this is clear as daylight. It remains the responsibility of people to live up to the Torah’s standards.

We can understand the reason for those people who are caught up in desires for alternative lifestyles to try to change the Torah, and try to allow this behavior that the Torah clearly calls an abomination. After all, it is hard to change. Controlling temptations takes work, and effort. What about the “Rabbis” who are advocating this?

Why would a person that calls themselves a “Rabbi” advocate  the “sacred work of creating spaces that are welcoming and affirming” to such terrible behavior? Is such a person a “Rabbi” or a clown? Does a  “Rabbi’” do what is popular or what is right? Is a  Rabbi supposed to follow what public opinion polls show is popular? Is a Rabbi supposed to follow or lead?

May the spirit that we just celebrated in Shavuos, of “naaseh vnishma” – of doing the will of the Almighty no matter whether we understand it or not, whether it is easy or not, and whether we would have suggested it or not, come back to the entire Jewish people soon in our days!
Wishing you and your family a Great Shabbos!!!!!!!! 

Rabbi Moshe Travitsky

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Parshas Naso/Shavuos | The Kollel Connection

May 30, 2013 – Candle lighting 8:03, Shabbos Ends 9:11

Note: Times are for Bensalem; Check your local calendar for exact times in your area.

Rabbi Moshe Travitsky

Welcome to the Kollel Connection.

We appreciate your comments and feedback.

This week we read Parshas Naso.  It is also the second of the special five days leading up to Shavuos, the day we received the Torah from Hashem. These five days are forever afforded a special status, since the time of the revelation at Sinai. The story of the revelation begins with the arrival of the Jewish people to Sinai on Rosh Chodesh Sivan, the first day of the month of Sivan. This year that comes out on Friday. From that point on, until the day of  Shavuos, were five days that the Jews prepared for the most important event that would change the world forever – the Revelation at Sinai. On the second day of Sivan, (which this year is this Shabbos), Hashem told Moses to give the Jewish people a message: “And now if you will listen to My voice and keep My covenant, you will be to Me a treasure from all the nations,…. And you will be to Me a kingdom of officers and a holy people,….” (Exodus 19:5-6).

If we would pick an introductory line to tell the Jewish people before giving them the Torah, what would it be? Would we offer a sales pitch trying to show the beauty of Torah? Would we offer a strong warning how important it is to observe the Torah – to describe the severity of judgment and the punishment that awaits a person for every single time they have sinned? Perhaps we would describe how great the eternal reward is for every single one of the mitzvohs that we do?

Hashem chose none of the above. Rather, he chose to talk about how important we are. Why were these the lines that Hashem told Moses to tell the Jewish people before they get the Torah?

If we think about it, what is the greatest factor that prevents us from using all our potential to serve Hashem? Could you imagine the force and power that we would pray with if we could sense that He is ignoring everything else that is going on in the world, and just listening to us talk to Him? Could you imagine a person saying “I’m too tired to go to Synagogue” if he felt that the Almighty is waiting for him?

In truth, one could easily see that the source of most of our shortcomings in serving Hashem, is a lack of appreciation for how special our mitzvahs are. If we fully understood and felt how special we are to Hashem, and how beloved the things we do are to Him, then our entire approach to doing the commandments would be different.

Just for a quick illustration:   Can you imagine the excitement of someone who is asked to prepare something for the President and to eat it at a private meal with him? Will he or she mind making the food? Will it bother them to get up early that morning? Will they feel resentment at having to do this, or feel happy at this special moment?

This is our introduction to Sinai: Realize that you are my treasure. Value that relationship; act as a holy people act, as the most cherished people on earth. With an introduction like that, we are sure to find it much easier to joyfully accept on ourselves the responsibilities and obligations that we were taught at Sinai.

Wishing you and your family a Great Shabbos!!!!!!!! 

Rabbi Moshe Travitsky

To sponsor an issue of the Kollel Connection, please email BJOC@bensalemoutreach.org  Sponsorships are only $36 a week.

KC 362 – Parshas Shoftim | The Kollel Connection

August 9th  Candle lighting 7:46 Shabbos Ends 8:52 PM

Note: Times are for Bensalem; Check your local calendar for exact times in your area.

Rabbi Moshe Travitsky

This Shabbos we read  Parshas Shoftim. In Parshas Shoftim  the Torah tells us what to do if a Jewish man or woman sin before Hashem and break His covenant by serving an idol or another deity. The Torah tells us that when we hear of this we must investigate this thoroughly.  If we find that this is true, and this terrible sin has been done in the Jewish people, then we must punish this individual in the most severe way, with capital punishment. (Deuteronomy 17:4)     The commentaries wonder, why does the Torah have to mention that this sin as done “in the Jewish people”? What do the words “in the Jewish people” add to explaining the magnitude  of this sin of idol worship? Obviously, one who denies the very being of his or her Creator deserves the most severe punishment. However, that it is a point that is clear with or without the Torah telling us that this sin occurred “in the Jewish people”? Why are these words added to explain the sin that has been done?

The commentaries offer a most beautiful and important point. Whenever a Jew does a sin there is an effect that is made upon the entire Jewish people. This brings down the spiritual level of all of us. It dulls our senses to feelings of spirituality that we naturally have, it leaves us feeling less resistance to doing a sin, and less apt to do good deeds (mitzvohs). This is what the Torah teaches us with the words  “in the Jewish people”. Never can a Jew feel that his or her actions have no consequence to our people. Every ting that we do has an effect upon others, whether we see that effect or not.

If this is true in a negative sense, this is certainly true in a positive way. Our Sages tell us that the power of good is 500 times more powerful than the power of evil. If when we do a negative deed there is an effect on others, then when we do a good deed – a  mitzvah, there certainly is an effect on others. This is a most important lesson. The Torah wants us to realize and feel how important the actions we take are. Whether in a positive sense, or a negative sense, there is no such thing as ever just doing something that has no bearing on others.  The Torah teaches us that every action of ours affects others; it is truly “in the Jewish people”.

Wishing you and your family a Great Shabbos!!!!!!!!

Rabbi Moshe Travitsky

To sponsor an issue of the Kollel Connection, please email BJOC@bensalemoutreach.org  Sponsorships are only $36 a week.