Publicize The Miracle! (Clebrate with us!)

That is what we are told to do. Our Nesivot Sholom Chevra met at our gracious hosts' house in Passaic NJ. Why we learned the deep meaning of Chanukah we also were ivited to partake of as much delicious schnitzel and cholent as stomachs would allow. Previously we had the opportunity to learn from Shlomo Brevda on Tuesday Novemeber 27 2007 at Ahavas Yisrael in Passaic NJ.


Some of the greatest things we are blessed with as a people, as a nation, as Torah observant jews, are often simply not appreciated for what they are. We have miracles to be thankfull for every single day. We daven with all of our kavanah, and hope for a good things, and they happen. We face adversity, and pray to Hashem that we not fall victim to a negative outcome, and we are spared so many tragedies.

I was 18 years old and had the unique opportunity to live with my grandpaernts who lived in Poland duting WW II they survived the holocaust in hiding. One time I told my grandfather I was hungry. He looked at me in all seriousness, and told me that I do not know what it means to be hungry. I had heard his story many times even as a young child in Kindergarten so of course I instantly knew he was right. He went on to tell me that when I think I am hungry, I go to the refrigerator, "thats not what it means to be hungry".

One of my Grandfather's most often told stories was about the time he played chess for his life. Without giving over the entire story suffice it to understand that when he met with the man he played chess with, he was hungry. The man my grandfather played chess with happened to be the owner of a small bungalo in the off season at a time period in Poland when shelter for a jew must have been difficult to obtain (as I write this I am sure it is a gross understatement) in Poland during the war. I remember my grandfather's gestures as he spoke the very familiar tale.

As they sat down to play chess (my grandfather knew the art of schmoozing) his gracious host gestured casually to some fruit on the table and offered him something to eat. Oh no, my grandfather said, gesturing to his stomach as if he was full. Meanwhile he told me how hungry he really was! He made a gesture to his throat saying he would have taken a knife to his own throat before revealing to his host any clue as to how hungry he really was.

That was all my grandfather needed to say. There was no doubt in my mind that I did not know what it means to be hungry. I might add here that it is also most likely true that no one reading this truly knows what it means to be hungry. How often do we think to truly acknowledge in our hearts, minds, and neshoma how much of a miracle it really is that we and are children have never known hunger.

Aharon Moshe Sanders, 2007

Weekly Torah Portion

http://thewriterscafe.tripod.com/id16.html

My ideal presentation of my Torah perspectives at this point in my Torah learning can be compared to what an aspiring actor is taught to do on a first reading of a play. Ignore stage directions, do not try to impart any meaning, simply read the words in a neutral manner

http://www.chabad.org/calendar/birthday_cdo/aid/6228/jewish/Jewish-Birthday.htm

The above is a link to a wonderfull little gadget which I would love to propose to google to be included on everyones home page. The think that the organizers of the chabad website would have to do (are you guys listening) is to research the vast sources of Jewish records, to find every single significant event in the Hebrew calendar. That way along with a quote of the day from A. Einstein, or A. Lincoln, we can also have today in Jewish History!

Good Idea? Make it so!

AhMbDvd Sanders 10/24/07

http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/media_cdo/aid/397220/jewish/The-Six-Day-War-and-Tefillin.htm

I had been searching the internet for some written information about the Lubbovitcher Rebbe's famous Tefillin campaign, only to find that it was a video. I guess sometimes some of the greatest ideas or campaigns, get recorded in the most convenient method of presentation.

http://www.chabad.org/calendar/view/day_cdo/aid/297712/jewish/Passing-of-Rashi.htm

Never Stop Reading!

The Perils of Posting,

I created this particular blogspot because of four specific hebrew words which I am transliterating in the most phonetic way I can. Also I have put together a little tune of Niggun which helps me to both remember their words, as well as their pronunciation, and meaning.

These particular words from our Pirkei Avos are:
Netzer Mata'-aye....Ma'-asey- Ya-dai....

These four words are found in the introduction to Pirkei Avos (The Ethics of our Fathers). These words are from Isaiah 60:21, I took the time to read the entir chapter 60, only to find it to be all positive or good things (tidings?) for us, the Jewish Nation.

The words can be translated as follows: The Branch of my Planting, The Works of my Hands. This text which gets repeated before ever chapter means states:

Kol Yisrael (from Mishna Sanhedrin 90a) {All Israel (or all the jewish people-who have not utterly divorced himself from Israel's lofty spiritual and ethical destiny) {{{courtesy Artscroll Mesorah Heritage Foundation-Chapter One PA notes on Prologue pg 29}}}... has a share in the world to come, and it is said your people all all righteous forever they shall inherit the land,

Netzer [the Branch] Mata'-aye [of my plantings] Ma'-ase- [the works] Ya-dai [of my hands].

One quick quote-paraphrased " I can see for for miles because I am standing on the heads of those befor me " JFK ? sometimes the important thing is getting he gist of the quote.

A quick thank you, there is a meber of the Kehila who happens to be an authur (as in Jewish Books...not a blog authur) who gave a shiur on Pirkei Avos in our Shul. He had issued some challenges, and some insight into Pirkei Avos, and I will not name because of Yetzer Hara concern, however I will thank him.

Also someone who was my Chevrusa (at least for maybe an hour ) decided he wanted to study from Pirkei Avos with instead of from Chagigah (in preparation for Parsha Bereishis, or Masechta Sukkot in preparation for ...guess :).

We opened to page one, because I usually like to start at the beginning, and I found some words I liked an tried to hammer them out in my slow hebrew delivery, only to find that they rhyme. About the 3rd time I tried repeating them, it seemed they came with a little niggin (tune) which I have already shared with at least half a dozen people in the Kehila.

Blog authur's note: I realize some of my writings on these blogs are starting to use english spelling of Hebrew words, without even providing the explanations. I do this without apology for several reasons, which include, that I had to struggle with these words when first entering the orthodox fold, so why should I try to make it so easy for my readers, be they orthodox or not.

If you the reader of this blog who is jewish and not yet orthodox, {then in the Zechus of the two previously mentioned people, and also in the merit of the person who will soon be married who showed such an important page of Chagigah}, (which gives us an incredibly rich reason for forgiving others for things they had done to us which may have caused difficulties for us:
http://tiger_bythe_toe.tripod.com/writings.html

A link which includes the applicable page of Gemorah (also courtesy of Artscroll)

may some of these writings provide you with the insight to look into adopting the very sound set of values, and ethics which were given to us memebers of The Jewish Nation:

"... For I have given you a good teaching, do not forsake My Torah. It is a tree of life for those who grasp it, and its supporters are praiseworthy. It's ways are ways of pleasantness and all its paths are peace...."

(bold face choices my own, translation of hebrew word Artscroll transliterated The Seif Edition- Sabbath and Festival-Mesorah Heritage Foundation pg 432)

We say (or sing) these words on Shabbat as we put the The Torah, back into the Ark (Aron Kodesh).

I can't recall if we actually had a tune for these words, in the shul I attended regularly on Shabbat (over a dozen years ago), I recall that that there was a tune we sang both when taking the Torah out, and then when we returned the Torah to the ark.

Then after returning the Torah-we left the Ark, we would from a circle close to Ark, and interloccking our arms upon each others shoulders. The words to that song were very easy, Nai, nanai, nai nai, nai, nai, nai nai nai, naai...(3x).... I felt as if we were bathing in the Schechinah as we sang together savoring the last few moments with the Torah (never looking at our watches only the joy within our faces...until somehow it seemed as if enough was enough... and now back to our program!)

A brief word from our sponsor, we now have transliterated Siddurim, which I see are not so popular in town, I think such books are great tools for enthusiastic beginners. This way you do not have to feel like an outsider everytime there are interactive phases in the davening. you can say Ye-Hey Shmei Rabba..with the best of them. After doing such things so often, in less then a years time I guanrantee that you will be able to say your Yehe's without looking into a siddur. (its a little bit of humor, however I will be seeking advertisiers for these pages very soon!)

While giving out nameless bracha's for the living, an actual Niftir (dead) relative of mine came to mind. My uncle Harvey Sanders, he was very dedicated to his work, his family, and a fair, honest and just person. When he was dying of cancer I did try to convince family to bring him to an out of town specialist, however...well let me stop that one there. He came to mind because he and I were in attendence at a synagogogue, and Yehei Shmei came up. He said it with the guys, and later asked me: "Don't you say it ?" Looking at me, as if thinking I was somehow philosophically opposed to saying it. I asked him what is it, or what does it mean (he was saying it from memory) He said you just say it, and I may have responded oh.

You see for some reason, along with my brother, I was not sent to Hebrew School when I was a child.

I have one more piece of blog work to do today, which follows up on this mornings web search surprize results. Some importaant pending and urgent financial matters, some more deep thought work, as required in updating a resume. And I might owe someone an actual apology, however my daughter taught me that even if you were not the person who was wrong it is still a mitzvah to be the one to appologize!

AM 10/17/07 11 am (this one took nearly 2 hrs to write)