Lech Lecha: Mr. Ger Tzedek- Lover Of God -Abraham Program!

                                                                    Parashas Lech Lecha

                                                Abraham My Lover – The First Ger Tzedek

                                                                      Rabbi David Katz

God loves Abraham. Abraham was a Ger. Abraham loves God. Under these terms, one will conclude and realize the true meaning of the text, “Abraham My Lover” – and that this Love is unconditional, running the gauntlet of every faction of Love contained in the Torah. If you want – Love God, Love Israel, Love Jews, Love Gerim, Love Torah, Love your neighbor, Love your wife, Love your son – every true love on Earth, then perhaps one should invest time into understanding Abraham, the first [Ger Tzedek] of all Gerim. To put it simply, Jews are commanded to Love [to which the commentators will apologize for the difficulty that runs towards perceived impossibility of this command] while the Ger [i.e. Abraham] simply falls in love.

To first understand matters, we as people don’t dictate our emotional affairs with God [when undeserved]. If I feel like loving God [or at least convince myself of this new religious flavor] there is no guarantee that God will openly Love me back. Yes God loves us all, yet as Torah will show time and time again, if one is so bold as to claim to Love the God of Israel, your grace period is quite short, and soon you will have the merit of meeting “Mr. Test” – for any serious follower of Torah will have his faith based on love tested promptly by God. Yet the Torah is littered with exceptions to the rule no matter what; sometimes it’s the widow, or the orphan, or the Levite….or the Ger. And always remember, God Loves the Ger. He just does.

Yes we try to Love God and sometimes it works out and sometimes we stumble in our efforts, not different than any flesh and blood relationship. Where God is different, is that His side of the equation is not based on a flesh and blood [emotional] response. God might weigh it out as a test as was mentioned, He could enter merit into the equation, this could be a matter of repentance; there are essentially a myriad of ways that God will act towards a human yearning for Him. At that rate all we can say is that God is Good, righteous, Just, and the True Judge. Some will experience a clear path to God, others will be met with challenges. Yet the biggest perceived impediment to God’s Love [as the Love is always there, that’s the point of the effort and the Torah on the matter to encourage the Servant of God to Love God through various agencies and Mitzvot, all leading to Love Hashem your God] might not be in the ingredients of which we approach Him, rather in the withdrawal of the subject’s own Love! In fact if one is compelled to Love God from trial, one can ask why do good people suffer, and if from the source of Blessing, one can belittle the actual dynamic taking place as a perceived happenstance.

Underneath the complexities of Life and Love – “He loves me/He loves me not” – for whatever reason, and all of one’s struggles and life made easy moment’s, the relationship might be different than you ever imagined, in fact, you may be operating the Abraham program, all the while you are searching for merit in Abraham! In other words, as you search for God, and to offer Love to Him, He may have already found you; Joe average may be perhaps something different to God. Sometimes God pours out His love for the sake of His love, and this becomes the foundation of being a Ger [Tzedek]. Should this be the case, instead of “trying” to Love God, one would need to realize “God loves me!” – I am a Ger, and at that point, it becomes the journey of falling in Love.

The Torah is for Jews and Gerim. Jews are commanded to Love God, Love your fellow, Love the Ger, etc. One could even say this is one reason why God created the Jews out of the World’s Gerim, to be a Nation that would forever be charged and bound to the task of preserving the art of Love. Moses reiterates often in the Book of Devarim, “What does Hashem your God want from you – only to Love Hashem your God!” This is the very premise of the Shema, in which we proclaim a Love for God after declaring his unique One-ness over His peoples. This begs the question then, as to the nature of the Ger – if he really even exists.

The good news is that he does exist, and the journey of the Ger is unique in the eyes of God, for if Noah found grace in the eyes of God, we can at least say the same thing about every Ger; one could call it the Naaman moment, when one realizes he is having a God/Jewish moment, and needs the prophet of Israel stat! Ok, not always is there a prophet of Israel standing nearby, but thanks to God’s providence [mazal], Jews and [invisible/unknown] Gerim are intertwined, and have  been since God said “I am Hashem Your God, and even going back to Shem and Abraham where it all began to take its current shape. Thus for every Naaman moment, a Jew [even if unbeknownst to himself] will have his “be a light to the nations moment” – and this is where the falling into Love begins, not much different to Naaman, who departs from Elisha the Prophet, in order to properly fall in Love, and fall out of idolatry.

 It is here, the Ger Toshav is born, and the path of the Ger Tzedek begins; he need not search for Abraham outside of himself in a mythological what if scenario, for he is now a student of Abraham, finally realized as a Lover of God in God’s eyes. This is where the path to the Garden of Eden and joining hands with the Shechinah will fill the heart of the Ger. God loves the Ger, and the Ger Loves God – not much different from Shir Hashirim, and the Love that King Solomon compares to the Holy of Holies.

The Ger in Love, who loves by responding to and recognizing God’s love upon him, for simply realizing that he is a noble Ger to God, will literally fall in Love on many levels and to many furthest extents. He will Love Israel, Love the Jews, Love his fellow man, etc. – in short, for every Torah precept of Love, the Ger is there. The irony is in his relationship with the Jew, for the Jew knows not of this Love, struggles with his inclinations that counter love, and even denounces the Love of the Ger; the entire time the Ger is there in Brotherhood for the Jew, yet the Jew remains blind to the Divine dynamic. Oddly, this scenario plays out throughout the entire Torah, from Kain and Able, Yishmael and Isaac, all the way until today. For all that the Jew is challenged by the yolk of Heaven, the Ger has fallen into place, and has become a standing partner in Serving God.

How ironic is it then, that Loving Ger should be discouraged from Torah, prayer, Brotherhood, Mitzvot, song and dance, etc. To put it mildly, the Ger has been put into a place of Love, and his soul’s desire now is to express this Love! – all in the name of serving God from Love, and most uniquely from the lack of command, rather from the very fact that God has Loved him, and he has seen this Love and acts to preserve it for eternity. The Ger under the spread wings of the Shekinah, will delight in the path of Torah such that the Zohar explains that this is the way to healing all of the World’s sufferings […urging people to accept their divine role and place, such that God’s Love reaches all of the Torah’s subjects; Gerim, Priests, Levites, etc.  All must be realized and accepted to find content within the soul, and this alleviates suffering].

The crown jewel to such philosophy is the Shabbat, for it resonates in the exact light of the Noahide Laws. Just as one takes the Laws in the fashion as Moses taught at Sinai, so too a Ger is to take Shabbat. Not for his sake is he to take Shabbat, but to join the Brit of Yisrael [who is sworn to guard preservation that God created the World as represented by Shabbat; this serves as the World’s continued existence as well], as an expression of Amen to the Jewish command of Shabbat. The Torah hints at this by stating “My Sabbaths you shall keep” – implying two peoples’ Sabbaths; along with commentary that suggests this is the deeper appreciation as to why Hashem created Shabbat in the first place, was for World Peace between those who keep the Torah.

In short, God Loves the Ger. The Ger Loves God. Abraham was called by God His Lover, and the Ger from then on until the end of time shall be subjected to falling in Love. There is nothing to fear from such providence, for one’s salvation is finally find this Love; Blessed is the Ger to be of the first to know God’s Love, and Blessed is Am Yisrael to have a faithful Lover/Brother in the Ger. One day the Jews with give back the light and Love the Ger as he was created to do, but ironically, by that time, the Ger’s Love will already have played its part in bringing Moshiach. Torah of Moshiach? – learn to Love, and that journey began with the Ger. You may even want to call him Tzedek…like Abraham who loved God, as the father of all Gerim, and who fulfilled the Torah’s deepest desire, in making Gerim. As Torah states, God loves the Ger, and there is no greater Honor to God, than having Gerim return to walk the Divine path.

Audio Shiur Tonite Sunday 11 P.M. [Tzfat Time]

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One Kingdom May Not Impose Upon Another - Ramchal

   חיים עובדיה יוסף בן יעקב
[גורגיה]

• 555 - Moshiach ben Yosef in atbash [opposite letters]
• Add a ה to יהוסף for 'קידוש ה plus a "ו" for יעקוב as per Inyanei Geulah, and the Gematria is 566 - Moshiach ben Yosef.
• Roshei Teivot + Ima: חייב 'ע' הרי גוג: "The decree" against 70 Nations, who are destined to fall in the Mtns. of "Gog" [Thus the Rav's Name alludes to the impending Geulah, like Moshe preceding Joshua]

May we see Yeshuot Klal Yisrael B'Zchut Torat HaEmet! ב''ה הביאת המשיח בקרוב

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Noah In Your Ear

• Noah and Shabbat
• My Sabbaths You Shall Observe
• Day and Night - Ultimate Shabbat
• Noah and Redemption
• Abraham, Noah, Shem
• Tree of Life
• etc.

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Vaiter n' Shas - Onwards We Go!

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Little Noah! All New Kids Program For Noah Jr!

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Simchas Torah [Sheni] - Better Late Than Never!

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Noah's Secret

                                                                  Parashas Noach

                                        Shabbos: Taking the First Step Towards Redemption

                                                                  Rabbi David Katz

Parashas Noach contains one of the most emphasized verses in the Torah that brings form to most [if not all] opinions that weigh into whether the Noahide is to keep Shabbat or not. The verse [8:22] says, “…Continuously , all the days of the earth , seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, DAY AND NIGHT, shall not cease.” The range is vast in interpreting this verse, for some it spells out an obvious forbidden connotation in regards of the Noahide’s opportunity to keep the Shabbat, yet for the advocate [i.e. the Kabbalist vs. the Rationalist] of the Noahide/Ger, it is not a question of ‘no” but rather when and how! The Zohar has a couple of views that are most pertinent when exploring the Noahide Shabbat, and how it serves as a massive step towards Redemption and in revelation of one’s soul, name, and mission on this Earth.

The path to understanding the Zohar’s very premise that the verse quoted is a proof for Shabbat observance, one must first have a background knowledge of a deeper look at the Six days of Creation – after all, Shabbat is the day that we glorify Hashem of having created the World! The following system is a key to understanding most Kabbalah and the Noahide – Jewish relationship through usage of the famed model of the Tree of Life; this will be through precedent of the Days of Creation Divine Attributes [Sefirot] that are applicable to Jews and Gerim.

As most are aware, the Creation took place through God’s labor amidst six days, whereas on the Seventh Day, it would become a Blessed rest day for Hashem through His Blessing to make it so. For all that the traditional 7^th Day “Shabbat” is the proper time and place for this rest day, i.e. at the end of the week [as this would be the precedent given to Israel at Sinai, and the most easily understood in the Torah] the Zohar illustrates that per force of Kabbalistic truths, there is another aspect to the rest day, and this comes from yet another principle in scripture [Vayikra 19:3], “My Sabbaths you shall observe.”

The grammar in this expression implies that the Shabbat is not double for one observant group; rather it implies two different observances. The simple answer is the Jew and the Ger are its subjects – to which the Sefer “Bahir” offers an analogy to describe a King’s Day of Joy that he shares with his beautiful bride along with his two sons of which he deeply loves. The Zohar [Hakdamah 5a] then takes liberty to explain through the Divine Attributes offer a clear blueprint as to how this works. Once we have a model of Wisdom as to how this works on a soul level, it becomes quite easy to provide the Chassidut [“Chassidei Umot HaOlam”], or, the sweet Torah of Spirituality in real time, in a way that we can easily see how to live this out in our lives every day of the week.

The Zohar after an explanatory discourse, shows how the first three days of creation are called “Avot” [“fathers”, after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in an analogous level of exegesis], and they culminate into an unprecedented revelation on the Fourth Day, which is the day that the Moon was reduced in size [which fourth emphasizes the point, as the Moon is a hint of the Shabbat Day, or the proverbial “Seventh” level]. Simultaneously, days Four, Five, and Six function as a unit of three [and obviously a full set of Six Days], logically, giving way to the Seventh Day, the traditional Shabbat. What makes this passage in the Zohar most interesting is that it says that Day Four as the Fourth Day in regards to the Three “Avot” is actually a hidden Shabbat [in regards to the first three days] and can only express itself as such, alongside our traditional Seventh Day Shabbat.

The spin on this outlook, is that anyone uninitiated into the Zohar’s rationale, may hastily conclude that the “first Shabbat” [i.e. the Fourth Day] would belong to the non-Jew and the traditional Shabbat belongs to the Jew.  Yet with careful consideration to all angles [the Zohar takes into account an extremely dynamic model and numerous factors into its formula], we see that the Jewish Shabbat is surprisingly the Day Four revelation [that can only be revealed on the Seventh Day] while the Noahide Shabbat is in its traditional spot. To simplify matters, the Seventh Day is the location of the level of Shabbat “To Guard” [“שמור”] (which is taken up by Jews and Gerim) while the level of the Fourth day [actualized on the Seventh day] is synonymous with the term “To Remember Shabbat” [“זכור”].

Thus Israel embodies “to guard” and “to remember” – two powers condensed into one day. The Ger contains his “to remember” within the confines of “to guard.” The outcome is one day of Shabbat for two peoples, perfectly catered to both, in a way that not only is spiritually satisfying, but prepares the World for Messianic revelation. This becomes more easily visible once perceived in context of the Name of God and in Divine Attributes.

In Kabbalah, there are 10 Sefirot, which when placed in context of a system of “Seven” [days of the week, Laws of Noach, etc.] the custom is to employ the lower seven Attributes, while the upper three serve as an inspiration to the lower seven, much like a head and a body. Thus the Seven levels of Attributes can be seen in two different ways, such that the model of Shabbat works.

The first Three Days that are coined “Avot” would find that their “Fourth” Day is located in “Kingship” [Malchut] – the traditional 7^th. It just so happens that the first three days/attributes  find their fourth level only in the seventh and last space, thus leapfrogging over the traditional 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th spots, settling in Kingship/7^th Day – the Day of God’s Glory. This is parallel to the Forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their culmination into the “Fourth Forefather” – King David. This constitutes the level of “Remembering Shabbat.” The Ger Shabbat then takes numbers 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, and into the 7^th Day – the Holy Shabbat that must be guarded.

It is at this junction, that we find two peoples, Jews and Gerim, each observing Shabbat, in a unique way tailored to their souls, and in the same time and space. As the verse says, “DAY AND NIGHT, shall not cease” we now have two people to observe, guard, and remember an entire Shabbat. The Zohar explains that the Ger’s Shabbat emphasizes and utilizes the Friday Night as a modus operundi to fully punctuate the portion of Shabbat that falls within the first hours of Shabbat. The Shabbat portion that best suits the Jew, is to take command of the Shabbat Day, gaining full steam ahead, and erupting through Havdalah, onwards into “Yom Rishon” [Day one of the new week].

Both keep the Shabbat by day and night; metaphorically the Jews rest Friday Night and are prepared to enhancingly serve God by day [as there are more proactive measures to fulfill by day for the Jew] while the Ger is infused to rush into Shabbat after an exhilarating 6^th Day and onwards into Friday night, while enjoying a day of rest with the Lord on Shabbat Day. Both Night and Day are kept by both, and when Gerim and Jews perfect the art of Shabbat before Moshiach arrives, we will find an enlightened Night by Jews [as prepared by the Gerim] and a day of Torah for Gerim [as prepared by Jews].  It may be quite simple to say that Jews have kept night and day Shabbat forever, yet the emphasis  comes within, “Shall not cease” – as if in taking shifts while one sleeps, the other takes command.

The Zohar states that through this, Holiness will pour into the World, and levels of never seen before Wisdom will enter our lives. As we grow in Holiness, Hashem will reveal Himself in Awesome revelation that will allow Mankind to repair the World for the Messianic Age.  Thus we find two verses that the Zohar shows how Jews and Gerim working together in their mutual Shabbat, are foretold as “You shall guard my Sabbaths” and “Night and Day shall not cease.” As the story usually goes with Jews and Gerim, the Torah and Kabbalah are predicated around the existence and fulfillments of these two Nations; Shabbat perhaps is the greatest example of unity, partnership, and Brotherhood that is prerequisite to God’s Most Holy Day.

We find yet another theme in the Zohar, that Noach is synonymous with Shabbat, for his prophetic name means what Shabbat is by definition: Rest! Parashas Noach may be a great source to learn about Shabbat, but truth be told, it is THE GUIDE to understanding redemption for all of time, either by simple definition of the past, or by looking forward in prophecy by means of the allegorical truth latent in the Parsha.

Yet one topic that is utterly buried in the Parsha, and is often overlooked [if not blatantly left out] is the life and story of Shem. Underneath all of the redemption plotlines of the Parsha starring Noach, we are bound to get caught up in the Noach – Abraham comparisons that will spill over into Lech Lecha. The missing link to these Parshiot, and to the Torah itself is Shem and the Torah of Shem. We are told by tradition that Shem stood for peace as lesson learned against the evil that existed in the days prior to the Flood. Thus for the Parsha that carries the loudest undertones for Shabbat is defined by definitions of Peace / Shalom.  

The Arizal says that Noach and Shem are the same aspect in two different people; each one giving a unique perspective of Torah, for we needed two people to express what the Mouth of God can say as one. If Hashem said “Remember and Guard the Shabbat Day” [the Torah captures both versions, and fittingly enough alludes to both Jews and Gerim separately in each location] in one utterance [as we heard two], then perhaps the message of Noach and Shem [to Abraham the First amongst the Gerim and all other Gerim] is simple…The path to redemption can be enveloped in the simple yet eloquent greeting that World will one day be announcing in every city on the planet; none other than, “Shabbat Shalom.” Once this is said, then His “Mikdash you shall fear” – as Shem and Abraham stood in Jerusalem [fear/Shalom lit.], obvious secrets of Torah hidden no more. 

Audio Shiur on Parasha 11 P.M. [Tzfat Time] Yom Rishon [Sunday Night]

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Let Mazal Decide

Americans say they need a crisis. Perhaps the World needs World Crisis I instead of the WWIII. As Rahmbo says, never let the opportunity of a good crisis go to waste. This is political engineering that I can actually look forward to; Mazal-nomics 101 - letting fate decide [i.e. God] could actually be the trump card this transition needs. I'm game if this is in fact the game.

JPost.com:

The US government began a partial shutdown on Tuesday for the first time in 17 years, potentially putting up to 1 million workers on unpaid leave, closing national parks and stalling medical research projects.

Federal agencies were directed to cut back services after lawmakers could not break a political stalemate that sparked new questions about the ability of a deeply divided Congress to perform its most basic functions.

After House Republicans floated a late offer to break the logjam, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid rejected the idea, saying Democrats would not enter into formal negotiations on spending "with a gun to our head" in the form of government shutdowns.

The political dysfunction at the Capitol also raised fresh concerns about whether Congress can meet a crucial mid-October deadline to raise the government's $16.7 trillion debt ceiling.

With an eye on the 2014 congressional elections, both parties tried to deflect responsibility for the shutdown. President Barack Obama accused Republicans of being too beholden to Tea Party conservatives in the House of Representatives and said the shutdown could threaten the economic recovery.

The political stakes are particularly high for Republicans, who are trying to regain control of the Senate next year. Polls show they are more likely to be blamed for the shutdown, as they were during the last shutdown in 1996.

"Somebody is going to win and somebody is going to lose," said pollster Peter Brown of the Quinnipiac University poll. "Going in, Obama and the Democrats have a little edge."

The dollar held steady on Tuesday even though much of the US government was due to start shutting down. S&P stock futures inched up 0.2 percent, unchanged from earlier price action after the cash index fell 0.6 percent on Monday, while US Treasury futures slipped 5 ticks.

Most Asian markets were trading higher on Tuesday.

POLITICAL POLARIZATION

The shutdown, the culmination of three years of divided government and growing political polarization, was spearheaded by Tea Party conservatives united in their opposition to Obama, their distaste for Obama's healthcare law and their campaign pledges to rein in government spending.

Obama refused to negotiate over the Republican demands and warned a shutdown could "throw a wrench into the gears of our economy."

Some government offices and national parks will be shuttered, but spending for essential functions related to national security and public safety will continue, including pay for US military troops.

"It's not shocking there is a shutdown, the shock is that it hasn't happened before this," said Republican strategist John Feehery, a former Capitol Hill aide. "We have a divided government with such diametrically opposed views, we need a crisis to get any kind of results."

In the hours leading up to the deadline, the Democratic-controlled Senate repeatedly stripped measures passed by the House that tied temporary funding for government operations to delaying or scaling back the healthcare overhaul known as Obamacare. The Senate instead insisted on funding the government through Nov. 15 without special conditions.

Whether the shutdown represents another bump in the road for a Congress increasingly plagued by dysfunction or is a sign of a more alarming breakdown in the political process could be determined by the reaction among voters and on Wall Street.

"The key to this is not what happens in Washington. The key is what happens out in the real world," said Democratic strategist Chris Kofinis. "When Joe Public starts rebelling, and the financial markets start melting down, then we'll see what these guys do."

A Reuters/Ipsos poll showed about one-quarter of Americans would blame Republicans for a shutdown, 14 percent would blame Obama and 5 percent would blame Democrats in Congress, while 44 percent said everyone would be to blame.

An anticipated revolt by moderate House Republicans fizzled earlier on Monday after House Speaker John Boehner made personal appeals to many of them to back him on a key procedural vote, said Republican Representative Peter King of New York.

After Boehner made his appeal, House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer called on him to permit a vote on a simple extension of federal funding of the government without any Obamacare add-on. "I dare you to do that," Hoyer roared.

THE FALLOUT

The potential fallout has some Republican Party leaders worried ahead of the 2014 mid-term elections and the 2016 presidential race, particularly given the Republican divisions over the shutdown.

Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who commandeered the Senate floor for 21 hours last week to stoke the confrontation and urge House colleagues to join him, sparked a feud with fellow Republicans who disagreed with the shutdown and accused the potential 2016 presidential candidate of grandstanding.

"Whether or not we're responsible for it, we're going to get blamed for it," King told reporters on Monday. "They've locked themselves into a situation, a dead-end that Ted Cruz created."

It was unclear how long the shutdown would last and there was no clear plan to break the impasse. The Senate on Tuesday planned to recess until 9:30 a.m. (1330 GMT), at which time Democrats expect to formally reject the House of Representatives' latest offer for funding the government.

The shutdown will continue until Congress resolves its differences, which could be days or months. But the conflict could spill over into the more crucial dispute over raising the federal government's borrowing authority.

A failure to raise the $16.7 trillion debt ceiling would force the country to default on its obligations, dealing a potentially painful blow to the economy and sending shockwaves around global markets.

Some analysts said a brief government shutdown - and a resulting backlash against lawmakers - could cool Republican demands for a showdown over the debt limit.

"A lot of this is political theater. It's not about real policy. Part of this is taking a stand for their constituents," said Julian Zelizer, a historian at Princeton University.

"If there is fallout from a shutdown and there is a big enough shock, maybe they will be willing to move on to other issues," he said.

Obama says negotiating over the demands would only encourage future confrontations, and Democrats are wary of passing a short-term funding bill that would push the confrontation too close to the deadline for raising the debt ceiling.

"The bottom line is very simple - you negotiate on this, they will up the ante for the debt ceiling," Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer said.

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Starting On The Right Foot!

                                                                       Parashas Bereishit

                                                                             Very Good

                                                                        Rabbi David Katz

Parashas Bereishit is often considered the source of the richest traditions of Kabbalah, Creation, and general mysteries of reality that have inspired Torah thought in every generation that has graced our existence. What sticks out however in the Universe of the Ger [and in absolute unity with the Nation of Israel] is the pristine encapsulation of the Ger, his World, and the basic function within Torah. The Torah’s very first Parasha for all intents and purposes lays out the blueprint for what will be the life to come towards the World to Come, as Jews and Gerim enter the Great Universal Shabbat, detailing the underlying premise of the Parasha.

The Shabbat of these two peoples centers around two parallel themes: the two Nations and the impetus to bring New Light into fruition, i.e. the Messiah of the two Peoples. The unfolding of such events begins in The Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, and their blueprint for what will become The Jewish People and The Gerim. As we know, Adam and Eve sinned, and their rectification came at Sinai, through the agency of the fulfillment of the Jews and Gerim. In a lateral theme at Sinai, we encounter “Jethro” [or lack thereof] and his [potential] Messianic significance through intimate association with Moses and Pinchas, the two archetypes of facilitating the Redemption.

The ingredients are now set aside to garner a deep understanding of the Torah in one long breath, as to ascertain, “what it’s all about.” To aide in these matters, it is convenient to add Job/Iyov into the mix, for his story is the missing piece of the puzzle that allows us to view history’s greatest moments with an edge of objectivity. No philosophical or Kabbalistic angle can be said to be complete without dealing with life’s greatest issues [as per Bereishit’s fundamental foundations], such that is the essence of Iyov. [Examples are existential angst, why the righteous suffer, what triggers a God experience, etc. Iyov addresses them all.] The repair of Adam, Jethro’s motives, and Messiah’s clarity, along with the primal thoughts of the Ger and Jewish compulsion, Parashas Bereishit offers a steady diet of spirituality that eventually yields the Light spoken of in the Haftorah – the Salvations of Hashem.

As soon as we meet Adam and Eve [along with a myriad of Kabbalistic layers and hints that contain literally every secret known to Mankind] we are immediately thrust into the Ger – Jewish blueprint. In Fact under this lens, the entire Parasha serves as the basis of these two peoples. Yet we may allow ourselves to focus on several core isolated issues that stand out as the key concepts in understanding the roles of the Torah’s two essential citizens.

Just flipping through the Parasha [and ultimately arriving to Adam and Eve] we see right away imagery of the Sun and Moon, Light, separation, primordial souls [in language], male – female, “Very Good”, Man in the Image of God, fruitful and multiply [command], “The 6^th Day”, Shabbat, Heaven and Earth, The Garden of  Eden, Adam and Eve, The roles of both and in equality, Names, a necessary evil, one flesh [at the expense of one’s origins],  sin and merit, relationship and animosity, necessary repair, philosophy of Life [and death], freewill [Iyov], Brothers, reincarnation [Seth], “Erev Rav’ [evil descendants and fallen angels], traditions of righteousness, and the culmination of Noah – Redemption – Shabbat – Peace.  Does it get more Jew- Ger than this in imagery once we apply the actual characters to the blueprint?

The Zohar teaches that “Very Good” as opposed to simply “Good” was a vital component to Creation to achieve God’s plan. By creating an Adam and Eve and documenting their rise and fall, this would set the stage for the future of Torah and The Greater Congregation of Jacob [“The Four-Headed Shin”]. Mankind would be born out of this array; some destined to be wicked, some to be righteous, some to be Jewish, and some to be Gerim. Whereas the naked eye sees male or female or shades of gray, Hashem sought out servants of the Lord to serve Him in truth to know Him. Yet much like Adam and Eve, the role of each is vital, has name and purpose, and ultimately serves together in the World to Come [as per earned by God’s dictation of Righteousness embedded into Creation from within “Bereishit.”

Suffice it to say, what began as Creation to arrive at Adam and Eve, will go out as the repair of Worlds and Labors to be eternally thankful through Gerim and Jews side by side. For all of the imagery brought above, these two Nations will live to enjoy the same Torah that never changes; only context deepens and appreciates with Divine Knowledge.

Now that the Torah is established for all of time, there remains one slight issue – the Sin of Adam. And for this, we call upon the mighty Iyov – he who provides the lens that the Messiah will magnify.

To understand Iyov in one swoop, and in a way that polishes our product, one simple rectification in perception will clear the murky skies. Rather than probe Iyov as to, “why he suffers” allow the mind to ponder, “he simply suffers,” and this is the obvious hand of God upon him. As much as there is a real reason and thus a need for a real empathy, some matters [actually all matters] are purely the dreadful Hand of God that in a paradoxical way allows Free Will and fate to coexist with a harmony that beckons the enigma of “Shamayim” – fire and water in a type of metaphysical companionship. For all that Adam endured and was responsible for, at the same time, Hashem was busy establishing the Torah, and Creating Messianic Light. Once we remove our gaze from upon Adam [“what DID he do wrong?!”] we can then look forward to Sinai, and the rectification of Adam through Jews and Gerim; even more acute in these matters are Jethro and Pinchas, who play several roles, such as Iyov, Adam, and Messiah.

One may notice that the Torah was given in Parashas Jethro, yet he wasn’t even there! Jethro chose to fulfill the goal of Torah to make Gerim, even at the expense of becoming Jewish [which gives new meaning to preconceived notions all many levels]. Yet one could easily say, that he should have arrived and stayed at Sinai for a plethora of reasons. Such decision making can be seen [in the arena of Free Will] as the proverbial Good vs. Very Good debate. Jethro certainly chose Good, and this turns out [by history standards] to have been the Will of God. Yet by the standards of logic, he could have stayed [thus even arrived on time] at Sinai, and allows himself to contemplate [albeit through struggling] the Iyov program, while “sinning” like Adam – as a compulsion from God [and one filled with angst]. Should that have gone down that way, we would have met the son of Putiel, i.e. Pinchas, i.e. descendant of Jethro in a much sooner and more dramatic way.

Just as we are told to view Adam in the same lens as a proper viewing of Iyov, by allowing him to exist without the constant grill to probe the unknowable [as to why he/they do in fact suffer/sin], Jethro would have come into the same light, and Pinchas [he who sees the hand of God repeatedly in Torah history] would have seen the Divine Hand intervening at Sinai itself! The Creation of Adam even hints to Sinai as the seal of Creation, as it was the repair of Adam, giving of the Torah, and even hints in the Hebrew itself by referring to 6^th of Sivan by usage of the Kabbalah. [הששי as opposed to ששי – the ה implies the specific 6^th Day in history, i.e. Shavuot.]

In the end, Jethro did not opt to go to Sinai first, Iyov took a different route in history in the actual cementing of the story [although the plot thickens each attempt we apply Iyov to Torah lore], and Pinchas became elected for redemption through a completely different deed with Zimri and Cozbi [which was also aided by Jethro his grandfather]. What we have accomplished however is a way to understand Adam and why he was compelled the way he was. One can faithfully say he employed the Iyov / hypothetical Jethro program, in hopes that it will appeal with a Messianic glow in a way most never bother to view it as. For when we view Adam as a Torah story that serves as a beacon of redemption and high intellect to bring that fateful day close, the Torah gets off on the right foot and paves the path to that which we all seek: the way of the Tree of Life – on every level. In other words, a consistent Torah is born and uniform in her desires from cover to cover.

We can learn a lot from Adam and Eve, and as Iyov has shown us, we can even fathom the light of Redemption in a contemplative way. Yet with every mental calculation and circus act of cogitative prowess, the main goal was never lost in the process, and remains the same throughout the entire Torah – the art and passion of making Gerim. Hashem has shown us that Creation is Very Good, and for no other reason than making Gerim. Thus from deeper introspection from Adam and friends, we gain insight to a theme that bleeds through the entire Torah: Hashem loves Gerim and so should you. We may even be surprised to wake up one day and realize that redemption depends on it, for this could truly be Very Good, and the Shabbat Shalom that we all seek.

Audio Shiur On Parasha Monday 11 P.M. [Tzfat]

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Ger Tzedek and The Great Shabbat Shalom

                                                              Parashas V’Zos Ha’Beracha

                                                                       Shabbat Shalom

                                                                       Rabbi David Katz

Parashas V’Z’H’B takes course like most moments of spirituality in life, often requiring Faith and Trust in Hashem right to the end before revealing the revelation that eternally changes perception. We see that Sinai was defined by such parameters, and often times in life our greatest moments of clarity or success come only by means of having the endurance of containing a nasty four letter word called “wait”[ing]; patience is a virtue. Our Parasha although significant in many ways from start to finish, only the end [after having built up Torah’s biggest Moses moment through anticipating his death] resonates with Moses’ most powerful message, and it comes down literally to the last words and an addition by Rashi. In the end, we are introduced with Moses’ passionate climax in his last moment; ישראל   which is י-שר-אל “he will have sang about God. As Moses pours his heart out, it is likened to the Torah’s hidden song of the Messiah that Moses ironically delivered over the broken tablets, conjuring memories of Sinai that took place on Shabbat. Moses’ message is contained on Shabbat and is enclothed in every way within Shabbat.

The Torah ends with Moses dying in the Plains of Moav, the traditional scene and theme of the Torah’s retelling as per “Mishna Torah” and taking to the local premises to issue a monumental Messianic ending, similar to the end of Bamidbar. Our End of Days moment, where Moses finally reaches his apex as the eventual Messiah, is told in a context that he sang this tune through his action of breaking the tablets. He wouldn’t sing in the normative sense, rather he would bare his soul and express the absolute essence of the Torah; think no further than smashing the tablets – to which Hashem agrees with this approach. By Devarim’s end, this is formality, and we are told [with the help of Rashi] – “That” what you did [i.e. smashing the tablets] was for the eyes of all of Israel. This would be Moses’ greatest action, moment, miracle, etc., his life-defining moment, such that all prophecies of the future shall be remnants within the broken shards whose essence remained vocal from Sinai…the day that began on the great Shabbat. [This is hinted in the 6 Days of Creation, as Hashem alludes to “The Sixth Day” – i.e. Shavuot which is the 6^th of Sivan.]

Point blank, we are told that Moses’ will be remembered for breaking the tablets, as that was an expression of his essential mentality of greatness, such that it was for all intents and purposes his Messiah moment that he will revisit in the End of days, where he will sing this song again [this time with an audience able to absorb its message]. The key word in understanding the episode at hand, is contained in the word, “that.” In Hebrew, the word “that” is derived from the word Asher meaning “praiseworthy”; thus it is praiseworthy – that! [what you did, i.e. smash the tablets!] (“that” becomes a point of emphasis) is Moses broke the tablets, found the secret of Psalms in the Torah [thus found his “David” moment, i.e. the basis of God’s Kingdom, for David’s Torah begins as a parallel to Torat Moses with “Ashrei” - praiseworthy], and laid down the foundation of Torat Moshiach in the breaking and contained within the word “that.” Here we find all of the ingredients for greatness: Moses’ passion, broken tablets, praises of God, perfect Hebrew to capture the moment, sparks of redemption revealed, etc. Yet to put it simply, one can step back and gaze at the bigger picture.

Just as Moses was told to look over Israel without actually going in, we now have the luxury of gazing upon the life and teaching of Moses, and under a fine microscope called V’Z’H’B, where we get a firsthand look at the actual life and death of the Man of God Moses. By processing this essential Torah that is brought in a very terse area of Torah [Moses super condensed], we can come up with a very simple revelation of the Torah’s telling command, such that it is all-encompassing.  All of this came down on Shabbat. There must be Shalom [since the tablets were broken due to lack of Shalom]. Hence the message of Moses that lives and will live, is Shabbat Shalom [for all].

The word “Asher” [“that”] by the tools of Hints in Torah is the same letters as “Rosh” [head] and is one letter downwards from “Shabbat”; this is symbolic that the essence of Holiness is on Shabbat – the source of knowledge of God, from the teaching of [the soul of] Moses-Messiah [higher revelation than the Moses who actualized in a body; thus the smashing was when he attained knowledge from the soul of which all Torah comes from] and the “Rosh” hint alludes to the Erev Rav/Amalek who are considered the “Head” of all evil, an anti Moses. In Messianic terms this is the “Sar” [leader] of the Erev Rav names Armilos, which his title “Sar” is the same letters as “Sar” – meaning sing! Thus he is the “anti-song” and a leader of Gog Magog that tries to derail the glorious moment when we are promised that Moses shall sing again, this time in the Resurrection of the Dead that happens in the Holy Land, where Moses’ soul will come to life.

The Erev Rav as we know were Moses’ biggest challenge, and they represent the biggest threat to making kosher God-fearing Gerim. Among their ways are to steal holiness for themselves in all non-pure ascension within Torah Judaism or the detriment to Judaism/Torah. Moses’ actions allow us to compute that the antidote to this necessary evil is through the delight of Shabbat, which as we have come to learn, and will be reinforced in our Parsha, the Shabbat is destined to be the day of Honor for God having Created Creation, enveloped by Jews and Gerim.

Sinai takes place on Shabbat, and it was the day that God spoke the Fourth Commandment to keep Shabbat as one of the 10 Commandments. [Israel was already commended in Shabbat as Gerim pre-Sinai/Jewish in Marah; this just adds to context] Yet when we look carefully at the text in the Torah within the words of the command, as the Jews to take part is obvious, thus the unique revelation is the inclusion of the Ger in your gate – is also to keep Shabbat. And with this I say, let the games begin! – Who in fact is this Ger?

The answer in short, is the Ger Tzedek, and he is a non-convert [although obviously this is not to exclude the convert, for obviously he is to keep Shabbat as the Jew]; I believe this is where Moses broke the tablets. “That” – is where the Torah begins after one has digested the Second Tablets, That is where you will find what Moses calls the “Esh-Dat” [Fiery Law], That is where you will find this blend of Moses, That is where you will find the spirit of Messiah, That is where you will be able to find the Ger Tzedek [in Torah], That is where you will find the Song of Moses, That is where you will find Knowledge of God [אל], That is where you will find “That”, and That is where you will find Shalom.

This article can end in an infinite amount of ways at this point, and we have arrived to the Torah’s conclusion; Shabbat is for Jews and Gerim, and Shabbat that contains both will lend you its vessels of the Messianic Brit Shalom, as Pinchas’ spear is synonymous with Moses’ Might. They both learned from Jethro no less, the consummate Ger Tzedek, who is the Daat [knowledge] of redemption that makes this story happen, as Rebbe Nachman, the Ger comes from afar, completes the mind/knowledge, brings sublime honor to God, and makes Moshiach /Redemption possible. The irony is, is that Jethro, who functions as the basis for of the Torah’s Messianic moments [hence his delay to Sinai, allowed the Erev Rav to reveal their hand, which brought out the Messiah in Moses], needs to be redeemed more than anyone [Berachos 17b, “he who sustains all yet needs sustenance himself] – a true Ger Tzedek.

That which Moses did was great, he broke the Tablets, and shows the path to redemption. Underneath those Second Tablets are the shards of the first ones, that Moses was destined to break. The message is clear, if we don’t break through, how will the Ger [Tzedek] ever be allowed back in, to enjoy the delight of the Shabbat that he is destined to be a part of, and that he is an integral piece of the Day of God. Look for the Law of Fire, allow yourself to smash through barriers, find the proverbial “That” and welcome in all of Israel, even if it truly is allegorical, as Moses alluded to, for that is the truth you seek, not a fabrication narrow minds that lead to big bombs that go boom.

The Messiah in Moses sings a different tune, one that smells of delight in our End, one that we are starting to hear loud and clear. It can be said in an infinite amount of ways, so to make things simple, and from a place of Chesed [kindness] aroused in the Fear of God – Shabbat Shalom – “that” to me, is the Torah of the Man of God Moses, he who listened to Jethro the Ger Tzedek, and sought to make Gerim.  May we see the End of this story soon in our days, and merit to talk about it together on Shabbat, and enter the Universal Shabbat that is due to come soon in our days, to be inhabited by Jews and Gerim. Shabbat Shalom, Amen Amen.

Audio Shiur On Parasha Motzie Shabbos 11 P.M. [Tzfat Time]

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