[Jewish] I miss you/ parsha

[Raquel Greenberg]

Hi guys,

I want to say hi and that I miss you all.  Avraham/ Adrian and I almost 
decided to come for this next Shabbat, but we won't for personal reasons.  
But I want to connect to you anyway, since I haven't seen some of you in a 
long time.  Soon enough we'll also have a sleep-over Shabbaton at our tiny 
place.  It'll be squished, but fun.  What do you think about the little 
paragraph on the flyers I put up?  It was another way for me to say hi to 
you.  This is a really long teaching i got from a friend in israel.  I only 
skimmed it and some of it seems complicated, I'm sure how much knowledge it 
requires.  But maybe if any of you will be reading the parsha together on 
Saturday you can bring a copy of this and see if it gives you any insights.  
There is also a call for prayer tomorrow, around the world.  I won't be 
reciting the specific things they ask for, but I'll direct my intention to 
peace and healing for the world (not just the Jews or Israel, because there 
is so much pain and suffering everywhere) tomorrow afternoon.  If anyone 
wants to join me in intention that would be great.  I still haven't decided 
if I want to fast until 1pm, but check in with yourself and see how that 
feels to you.  I hope you're all doing well.  Have a wonderful Shabbos, 
love, Raquelli



PARSHAT KI TISSA
19-20 ADAR I, 5763.  Feb 2003

Shalom uvracha!
Shalom Aleichem from Montreal. I hope that you are well B"H. I am aware that 
there
have been some problems with the mailings over the last three-four weeks. 
Please
excuse any inconveniences - we're working on it and b'ezrat Hashem we'll 
find a
solution soon. As the Rural Community Beit Midrash is B"H 'in session', I 
have
added only a few new words to our learning of the previous years.

As we are all aware we must continue to pray sincerely for our safety and
well-being. "Osseh shalom bimromov Hu ya-asseh shalom aleinu v'al kol 
Yisrael
v'imru Amen".
In case you haven't yet heard about the special call for prayer, I am 
enclosing
this message that arrived this week and is being widely distributed:
To all Family & Friends,

A special call to unite in prayer during these dangerous times:

Whatever your plans may be for the afternoon of Thursday, February 20, 
please set
aside some time to help protect the Jewish people and the civilized world.
The effort, which is expected to involve tens of thousands of determined 
Jews,
entails no expenditure of funds or physical effort, only of heart.
A group of esteemed rabbinical figures in the Orthodox world, the Council of 
Torah
Sages, has asked the entire Jewish community to unite in prayer that 
afternoon, in
light of the world situation in general and, in particular, the specific 
threat to
Jews, here in the United States, in Europe and in Israel.
The heartfelt prayer of every single Jew is invaluable.
What the highest rabbinic body of Agudath Israel of America has asked is 
that Jews
gather in their synagogues - or simply take the opportunity at home or work 
-- to
pray Mincha, the traditional afternoon service -- and then to recite several
Psalms (the request specifies chapters, 13, 43, 44, 79, 80, 83, 102, 121,130 
and
142) and the special "V'hu rachum" -- "He, the Merciful One" prayer 
traditionally
recited on Monday and Thursday mornings, in a heartfelt manner. Jews who are
unable to pray in Hebrew should pray in whatever language they speak. Those 
who
are able, they suggested further, should fast from the morning until 
approximately
1:00 P.M. (the "Mincha Gedola" time, the earliest time for the Mincha 
service,
which varies somewhat in different cities).
The rabbis' request begins with words from Maimonides, stressing the 
importance of
crying out to G-d at times of danger. To do less, the great Jewish thinker
explains, is "cruel-hearted," because prayer evidences our belief that G-d 
rules
the world, and so refraining from prayer implies the opposite. And, as G-d 
tells
us in His Torah: "If you walk with Me with indifference [the attitude that 
all is
happenstance, the commentaries explain] -- then I will walk with you in the 
same
manner [leaving your plight as if to happenstance] (Leviticus, 26)."
Thus, the Council beseeches us: "At this hour, with the danger of war 
hovering
over us, and powerful evildoers threatening the remnant of the Jewish People 
in
Eretz Yisrael and in the Diaspora, and the entire civilized world, how can 
we not
tremble and our hearts not melt? How can we not raise our prayers in 
supplication
to our Father in Heaven?"
There are precious few opportunities with the potential to unite Jews of 
different
walks of life, political beliefs and congregational affiliations. But prayer 
--
for ourselves, for our fellow Jews and for the world -- is certainly one of 
them.
According to our religious tradition, the time of the Mincha prayer -- the
afternoon -- is a special one, particularly auspicious for effective 
intercession
with the Almighty. Let us all, wherever and whoever we are, storm the 
heavens on
February 20.
And may we successfully merit G-d's compassion and forgiveness.
Published: Sunday, February 16, 2003

Let us together dedicate our learning to Hashem in the name of all of 
Israel. May
the merit of our learning bring healing and comfort, strength and 
compassion,
security and peace, love and unity upon all of Yisrael and all friends of 
Yisrael.
May our learning be infused with Hashem's holy light, may we radiate this 
light.
May the holy light of the Torah cleanse and heal our eyes and our hearts, 
that we
may see and hear and know; that we may be what we are meant to be. May we be
inspired and enlightened, and may we inspire and enlighten the darkness in 
the
world with Hashem's holy light - and dispel the darkness ...  with the 
arrival of
Mashiach quickly ... now! Amen.

What does it mean to 'wait for Mashiach'? What does it mean to desire 
Mashiach?
One aspect of Mashiach's arrival represents an enormous bursting forth of 
elevated
holy consciousness - the consciousness that will enable all to realize that 
we
don't have to fight anymore, that we can live in peace; that all blessing 
comes
from Hashem, the source of all blessing - as it says, "And the world will be
filled with the knowledge of Hashem, like the waters that cover the sea."

MACHATZIT HASHEKEL: THE HALF SHEKEL

The parsha begins with the final instructions for the setting up the 
Mishkan. Each
male, of age 20 and over, was obligated to contribute a 'half-Shekel'. 
Everyone
had to have a part in the Mishkan, and everyone had to 'know' that they were 
only
a 'half'. The Slonimer Rebbe explains that here the holy Torah is teaching 
us,
that sets are inherent in the creation of the world. We cannot be complete, 
unless
we unite with one another.

According to Halacha - Jewish Law, even a poor man had to contribute his 
half
Shekel, even it meant that he would have to sell his outer garment or take a 
loan
in order to raise his contribution. In other words, the Mishkan would be
incomplete without his contribution. The Shechinah dwells only in a complete
sanctuary, one in which every individual is represented and present, having
contributed his 'half-Shekel'.

The Mei Hashiloach teaches that at the moment each person passed before 
Moshe
Rabbeinu to contribute his 'half shekel', he was 'elevated' and it was 
revealed to
him that his being and purpose here in this world was unique.


THE KI'OR, MIRRORS, WASHING HANDS AND FEET, APPROACHING THE ALTAR AND 
ENTERING THE
TENT OF MEETING

NETILLAT YADA'YIM: RITUAL WASHING OF THE HANDS

Upon awakening in the morning, and after taking care of bodily needs in the
washroom, and before eating bread we do "netillat Yadayim". Using a large 
cup or
small pitcher filled with water, we pour the water over each hand either two 
or
three times, alternately [upon awakening and after the washroom] or 
consecutively
[before eating bread] .

"Netillat yadayim" has its origin in the mitzvah washing of the hands and 
feet by
the Kohanim before approaching the Altar or entering The Tent of Meeting. 
The
Kohen was obligated to do before doing the Service at the Altar or in the 
"Ohel
Mo'eid"[=Tent of Meeting]. The washing of the hands and feet was done as a
preparation to perform the Service of Hashem in utmost holiness and purity. 
In the
Mishkan and also later on in the Holy Beit Hamikdash, there was a special 
vessel
made out of shiny brass, that was placed between the Altar and the Ohel 
Mo-eid;
the Torah calls it a "ki-or" [laver]. It was filled with water and by 
opening the
spigots at its base the Kohanim washed their hands and feet.

The Mei Hashiloach explains that the washing of the Kohanim with the water 
that
was in the Ki'or, the Laver, is a matter of removing "negi-ah", [touch i.e.
personal considerations] from their Service of Hashem.

"Negiah" means touching, and this term or concept is used a number of ways. 
For
example in the Laws of Testimony, the Talmud disqualifies a witness who is
"no-gai-ah ba'davar" -- literally-'touching in the matter'; i.e., the 
witness
stands to personally benefit in some way from the testimony he is giving. We 
do
not rely on such a witness to testify objectively and truthfully, because he 
is
'touching the matter'.

"Negiah" is also used in relation to the performance of the mitzvot; be it 
in
Torah (study) or Avodah (service of Hashem) or Gmi-lut Chassidim (doing acts 
of
loving kindness). To do a mitzvah without any "negiah" means to do it simply 
and
only because this is the Will of Hashem. Doing a mitzvah with a "negiah" 
means to
do the mitzvah for the sake of personal gain and advantage.

The Kohen is a servant of Hashem. "L-cha-heyn" means to serve. In the 
Covenant of
Mattan Torah, Hashem tells us, "And you shall be unto Me a kingdom of 
Kohanim, and
a holy nation." (Exodus 19). To serve Hashem in simplicity, without any 
"negiah"
is a most difficult thing to do. The holy Baal Shem Tov once said to his 
students
at he would willingly give up all his spiritual gifts just to do one mitzvah 
with
the pure 'simplicity' of a simple yid doing a mitzvah; doing it simply 
because
that is what Hashem wants him to do. It is for this purpose that would wash 
their
hands and feet before approaching the Altar or entering the Tent of Meeting.

The Mei Hashiloach further relates the washing by the Kohanim to our 
practice of
"Netillat yadayim"*.  The Mei Hashilo'ach teaches that the 'kavanah' of our
washing of the hands in the morning and the washing before eating bread, is
similar to the kavanot of the kohanim before they proceeded to doing their 
service
in the Temple. [The kavanah of the Kohanim's washing is discussed further 
on.]

Before taking care of our body's needs we need to pray to Hashem, that 
Hashem
should help us not to be overcome by any earthly desires that may be against
Hashem's will . We pray that Hashem should remove these desires. And even in
matters which are permissible and that we must do, we pray that the energy 
we will
get from the food we are about to eat will be used entirely for the good, 
that we
derive only 'good energy' from the food we are about to eat. We seek to be
conscious of what we are about to 'touch' or 'take' with our hands, to learn 
how
to touch and take in the service of Hashem, instead of touching and taking 
to
fulfill my own personal desires for pleasure and honor.



THE 'KIYOR' [KEE-YOR] -- THE LAVER

1. One of the objects placed in the sanctuary, between the altar and the 
'tent of
Meeting', was the Kiyor. It was made of the brass mirrors that had been 
donated by
the women. The Kohanim were instructed to wash their hands and feet, with 
the
water that was in the Kiyor, before entering the 'tent of Meeting', as well 
as
before approaching the altar.

2. The Kiyor is the only vessel concerning which the Torah identifies who
contributed the materials for its' construction. When the children of Israel 
were
asked to offer their personal T'rumah contribution for the construction of 
the
Mishkan, the women contributed their brass mirrors.

At first, Moshe Rabbeinu did not want to accept the mirrors, after all are 
they
not a symbol of vanity!? However, Hashem told him to accept them, because 
these
mirrors were 'holy'; for it was with these mirrors that our mothers, back in
Mitzrayim, ensured the continuity of the Jewish people.

The Midrash tells us that our fathers, under the heavy burdens of a very 
very
lengthy and abusive slavery, no longer wanted to bring any more children 
into the
world. What did our holy mothers do? Our mothers started using mirrors and
applying 'make up' in order to seduce our fathers, so that they could bear
children. Now they brought these very same mirrors and offered them as their
Trumah to Hashem.

They would sit with their husbands and together they would gaze into the 
mirror.
Mother would say to father, "Do you think I am pretty? Come sit with me, I 
want to
show you beauty. Your soul and eyes are pained every day. Come I want to 
show you
something beautiful, something that will heal your eyes and restore your 
sight,
restore your soul. Look in the mirror with me, what do you see? Can you see 
our
beautiful children playing and dancing joyously, learning Torah and doing 
mitzvot,
living with love?

Beauty is heavenly. Beauty is from the World to Come, and we are allowed to 
see
some of it in this world, just to remind us. Everything of this world, no 
matter
how beautiful it may look now, eventually loses its beauty. Whatever beauty 
you
see in something now is only a reflected beauty. The source of this beauty 
is in
the World to Come. By making things beautiful in this world, we are bringing
heaven down to earth, to connect this world to heaven. We must be careful 
not to
sever the connection, so that we can elevate our lives in this world. Look 
some
more and look towards the source of all beauty, look towards Hashem. See how 
much
of Hashem's light and beauty our children will bring into the world. See how
beautiful you and I can be."

Now we understand why Hashem told Moshe Rabbeinu to accept the mirrors for 
the
Mishkan. But why were these mirrors used particularly for the Laver?

REMEMBERING THE FUTURE

3. Reb Nachman of Breslov, zt"l, teaches that 'forgetting' was created, so 
that
you should 'forget the past', and 'memory' was created to 'remember the 
future'!
{Yes, the Torah does instruct us to 'remember' many things of the past, but 
here
we are talking about something else.}

Instead of remembering all the good things which we can do in the present 
and
future, we remember all our past mistakes and disappointments. Therefore we 
need
'memory of the future'. Ana zamin l'm'hevey! I am ready to become! This is 
the
meaning of tshuvah

4. When you look in a mirror you see the past; that is not what you need or 
want
to see in Hashem's Sanctuary. Almost always when we really want to approach
Hashem, the 'yetzer harah' - the evil inclination, places obstacles in front 
of
us. One of the most sinister and subtle of these is: "You? Who are you to 
approach
Hashem? You who has done so many sins, how dare you approach?....look at 
your
hands .... they are stained ... your feet carry the evidence of being where 
you
should not have been.... of how they trampled over others in your pursuit of
self-gain. And now you want to approach the Altar ... how dare you? Do you 
not
remember all the mistakes you have made and all your disappointments?!!!

5. Hashem instructs all Kohanim, [all who want to be close to Him] to wash 
their
hands and feet, to approach the altar, and to enter into the 'tent of 
Meeting'.
And when you will see the Kiyor, the Laver, made of the brass mirrors of 
your holy
mothers, and you are about to wash your hands and feet, remember how your 
mothers
gazed forwards and saw the future of the Jewish people. Yes, you have to fix 
your
past, but you can only do so when you remember the future. You must not let 
past
mistakes and disappointments ever stop you from coming closer to Hashem; 
from
coming closer to yourself, to your friends, to your children, to your 
parents, to
realizing your goals and potential. Ana zamin l-m'hevey! I am ready and 
prepared
to become....always! Amen.

THE INNER SANCTUARY

During the last few weeks we have been learning about the inner Mishkan 
which each
one of us is constructing on the inside. The Mei Hashiloach brings the 
following
teaching from the Zohar: [the following is a free translation]

The Mishkan and its vessels allude to the form of "Adam", the human being, 
as is
found in Tikkunei Zohar,.and the form of the building of the Mishkan 
corresponds
to the form of Creation, for it is all one, the Mishkan, the Creation and 
the form
of Adam.

The holy Ark [possibly referring to the two tablets] corresponds to the 
brain;
"the Neshamah which You gave [into] me, she is pure".

The "Kapporet", the cover of the holy Ark corresponds to the heart, and the
'Kruvim', the Cherubim, represent the wings of the lungs which are blowing 
air
upon the heart to cool down the heat of its desires.

The Incense Altar is correspondent with the nose and the sense of smell. The
'Shulchan', the Table corresponds to the ears. The 'Menorah' corresponds 
with the
eyes and the 'Mizbach hanechoshet", the Altar upon which the sacrifices were
offered corresponds to the mouth, bringing holiness to all their 'eating'. 
For
this reason that a purple dyed cloth was draped over the Altar when they 
were
traveling, for this alludes to speech.

I am not going to pretend that i know or understand Kabbalah. However when 
such a
teaching is quoted in a Chassidic text, it has been made accessible to us. 
Since
it is very close to Shabbos and since i just learned this teaching last 
night, I
would like to suggest that all of us try to give the above teaching some 
thought
and meditate on it during Shabbos. What does it mean for example that the 
Menorah
corresponds to your eyes? What does it mean to elevate and clarify all 
eating?
What is the secret of the Incense offering? And what about the ears, how do 
they
relate to the table, how can my ears be a part of Hashem's Sanctuary within 
me?
Please share your understandings and insights with us next week.

The 'Shulchan' the Table is usually related to 'parnassah' making a living, 
while
the Tikkunei Zohar quoted above relates the 'Shulchan' to our ears. At our 
Shabbos
table on Friday night i mentioned the above teaching and asked if anyone 
would
offer an explanation to help us understand the connection 
'hearing/listening' and
making a living?

Ze-ev Macklin said as follows: The first time we encounter the issue of 
working to
make a living, in the Torah, is found in Bereishis-Genesis 3:17-18 .....

And to Adam He said: "Because you listened to the voice of your wife and ate 
from
the tree which I commanded you, saying, 'Do not eat from it;' the soil will 
be
cursed because of you. In sorrow you shall eat from it all the days of your 
life.
It will grow thorns and thistles for you; and you will eat the herbs of the 
field.