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Judy’s Progress
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A weekly Dvar Torah published in loving memory of Mrs Judy Feiglin A"H Nylgyyp y"n ldn[m Mjnm 'r /b h"[ hwj ltyg /rm /mvn ywl[l
Vol 3 No. 14 3 Shevat 5774 January 4 2014 Bo
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Parshas Bo
Parshas Bo contains the first Mitzvah in the Torah that Hashem's commanded to Moshe Rabbeinu - the Mitzvah of sanctifying the months according to the lunar cycle. The Midrash says that Moshe showed the Jewish people the correct appearance of the moon and told them that when you see the moon like this, you must sanctify the new month - this is for all future generations. From here we see that the determination of months, and therefore every festival in the Jewish calendar, was handed to the leaders of the Jewish people to decide.
The Gemorah in Rosh Hashonah tells about Rabbi Yehoshua, who had a different calculation as to when Rosh Chodesh should be than Rabban Gamliel, who was the leader at the time. Rabban Gamliel sent him a message that he decreed that Rabbi Yehoshua should come before him with his staff and his money on the day that should have been Yom Kippur according to Rabbi Yehoshua's calculation. Rabbi Akiva was upset by this, but Rabbi Yehoshua said to him that from here we learn that everything that Rabban Gamliel did was correct, for we expound from the Torah that the festivals are determined by the leaders - whether in their correct time or not. Furthermore, in a different Medrash Chazal tell us that the ministering angels asked Hashem when Rosh Hashonah is. He responded, "You are asking me? We shall go together and ask the court below (on earth)" In the Sefer Or Hatzofun, written by the Alter of Slabodka, he writes that from all of the above ideas, we understand that the determination of times is completely dependent on the Jewish people. What the Sanhedrin decreed, even Hashem - in a manner of speaking could not change. Furthermore, the Torah endowed the people with this power which affects physical aspects of creation! Chazal say that from Adam until this point
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in the Torah, the solar calendar was used. At this point, the Torah commands the Jewish people to change the entire method of calculating months. Not only that, but the courts have the power to sanctify the month with their stating "The month is sanctified", that would define when Rosh Chodesh was, even if it was out of sync with the lunar cycle. Even if they were mistaken or erred intentionally, the months were counted based on this and therefore the occurrence of the festivals were also set from here. The Beis Din also had the power to add a month to the year, if they felt necessary based on numerous careful calculations and Halachic considerations. This additional month (as happens to be this year) would postpone Pesach, and the entire year by one month. According to Halachic definitions of adulthood, such changes in the calendar would result in a Bar or Bat Mitzvah being postponed by a month! Something we can extract from here and apply to ourselves is what immense control we have been granted over the world because of the power of Torah. Hashem created the world with the letter "Hei" - the sun, moon and millions of stars were created with this one letter. We can't begin to imagine what we create with every word of Torah that we study, with every simple Mitzvah that we perform. Infinite worlds could be created from the mere letters of the Torah! The 'lights' that they create, that are beyond our wildest dreams emanate around the world. The power given by the Torah to the Jewish people is very great. Therefore we must ensure not to disturb our learning with idle chatter, and ensure that torah learning does not cease for a moment. This is true especially in a generation where there exists a general weakness in Torah study. May we merit to continue growing in learning and strength, until the final redemption.
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Vol 3 No. 14 3 Shevat 5774 January 4 2014 Bo
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Judy’s Progress
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Dear Family and Friends, We hope you are enjoying the Divrei Torah every week.We hope that they bring some additional Torah thoughts to some Shabbos tables around the world! If you would like to support Torah learning in Israel in Judy's h"[ merit, we have added a "Donate" button to the blog proceeds go directly to Kollel Zichron Pinchas Meir in Yerushalayim. ($US only at this time). Anyone who is interested in contributing/writing a Dvar Torah for a particular week or sponsoring an edition please email us at
[email protected] can also email us at that address to subscribe (or unsubscribe) or you can read it on the blog at http://www.judysprogress.com/ Wishing everyone a Good Shabbos, All the best, Sarah Abraham & Yitzchak Feiglin and families
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Proudly published by Judy's children, Sarah Abraham and Yitzchak Feiglin and families. Read why on the blog. Keeping memories alive and spreading the light of Torah.
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