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Home -> 5778 -> Vaeira

ואלה שמות בני לוי לתלדתם גרשון וקהת ומררי

Roberto Szerer
In Vaeira, 5778

These were the sons of Levi in order of their birth: Gershon, Kehas and Merari. (6:16)

Shevet Levi was the one tribe that was excluded from the Egyptian bondage. They studied Torah all day, while their brethren slaved for Pharaoh. One should not think for a moment that they had it “easy,” since they did not work. Pharaoh was no fool. He knew that, as long as a segment of the Jewish People maintained its bond with the Torah, the nation would survive. In order to break Levi’s bond with the Torah, Pharaoh decreed that only those who worked were entitled to food: no work; no food. He thought that he could starve the Leviim into breaking…

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Home -> 5778 -> Vaeira

וידבר ד' אל משה ואל אהרן ויצום אל בני ישראל ואל פרעה מלך מצרים להוציא את בני ישראל מארץ מצרים

Roberto Szerer
In Vaeira, 5778

Hashem spoke to Moshe and Aharon and commanded them regarding Bnei Yisrael and regarding Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to take Bnei Yisrael out of Egypt. (6:13)

Easier said than done. Hashem commanded Moshe and Aharon to take the Jews out of Egyptian bondage. Two problems surfaced: Pharaoh has to agree, and the Jews have to want to — and believe that they actually can — leave. Moshe Rabbeinu had earlier voiced his concerns, but Hashem told him not to worry. The Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh explains how this played out. Hashem told Moshe, “I have appointed you to be their ruler.” That is wonderful. Who says that the nation that had been enslaved body and soul, for 210 years, was prepared to accept Moshe’s leadership? How did…

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Home -> Shemos -> 5778

ברך עלינו... את השנה הזאת... ושבענו מטוביך

Roberto Szerer
In 5778, Shemos

– Bareich aleinu ues ha’shanah ha’zos. V’sabeinu mituvecha. Bless upon… this year… and satisfy us from Your bounty.

Two lessons may be derived from this brachah: the positioning of it in the sequence of Bircas Shemoneh Esrai; and its content. First, as the ninth brachah, it follows immediately after Bircas Refaeinu, the blessing for healing. We derive from here that good health – physical and emotional – takes precedence over a living. In other words, one should not place his concern about the means he employs for earning a living over his health. If earning a living takes its toll on his health, it is not a “living.” Indeed, it is the opposite. Second, the brachah addresses the…

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Home -> Shemos -> 5778

ויגדל משה ויצא אל אחיו וירא בסבלתם

Roberto Szerer
In 5778, Shemos

Moshe grew up and went out to his brethren and observed their burdens. (2:11)

Moshe Rabbeinu grew up. What was his act of “growing up”? How did he manifest his maturity? He went out to his brethren and observed their burdens. In other words, Moshe’s act of maturation was his identification with his people. How did he identify with them? He did not just wear a “yellow star” as an armband; he intended to see their suffering and grieve with them. It is easy to identify with the Jewish People when they are riding high. What about when they are bent over, suffering from back-breaking labor, ridiculed for being different, disdained and debased as…

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Home -> Shemos -> 5778

ויצו פרעה לכל עמו לאמר כל הבן הילוד היארה תשליכהו וכל הבת תחיון

Roberto Szerer
In 5778, Shemos

Pharaoh commanded his entire people, saying, “Every son that will be born – into the river you shall throw him! And every daughter shall you keep alive.” (1:22)

While Pharaoh had originally issued an edict for the Jewish midwives to kill the male Jewish babies and allow the females to live, he now wanted all of the boys – even Egyptians – drowned. This decree was the result of Pharaoh’s astrologers pinpointing the day that the Jewish savior would be born. They also foretold that his downfall would come through water. Thus, Pharaoh had all of the male children born on that day put to death through water. How small-minded they all were in thinking they could foil Hashem’s plan. Moshe Rabbeinu was raised in Pharaoh’s palace by none…

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Home -> Shemos -> 5778

ויאמר אל עמו הנה עם בני ישראל רב ועצם ממנו

Roberto Szerer
In 5778, Shemos

He said to the people, “Behold! The people, Bnei Yisrael are more numerous and stronger than we. (1:9)

Wherein lies our strength? What are the characteristics of Judaism and its people that catalyzed fear in Pharaoh? We are: united with Hashem; united with family; united in ourselves; secure in our beliefs and in our distinctiveness. When Haman sought to eradicate the Jews of Persia, he told Achashveirosh, V’daseihem shonos mikol am; ‘Their laws are different from every other people’ (Megillas Esther 3:8). Horav Bunim, zl, m’Peshicha interprets this to mean: “Their ‘law’ is to be different/to be distinct from all peoples.” Our distinctiveness is what has preserved us as Jews throughout the millennia. Those who assimilated did not…

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Home -> Vayechi -> 5778

ושבענו מטובך

Roberto Szerer
In 5778, Vayechi

V’sabeinu mituvecha. And satisfy us from Your bounty.

Satisfaction is elusive for some people. In Pirkei Avos, the Tanna extols one who is sameach b’chelko, happy with his lot. This means that he does not determine financial success by how much he has accrued, but, rather, by what he has – period. He understands that he is blessed according to what Hashem has determined his needs are. Everyone receives from Hashem enough to meet his needs. Many of us are dissatisfied with just having our “needs” filled. We also want to satisfy our “wants.” It does not work that way. A truly wealthy person is a satisfied person….

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Home -> Vayechi -> 5778

שמעון ולוי אחים כלי חמס מכרתיהם ... ארור אפם כי עז ועברתם כי קשתה

Roberto Szerer
In 5778, Vayechi

Shimon and Levi are brothers; their weaponry is a stolen trade…Cursed is their wrath for it is intense and their age for it is harsh. (49:5,6)

The greatest blessing a parent (or anyone, for that matter) can confer upon a child is to tell him the truth about himself. If the subject of the blessing suffers from a shortcoming, his/her parent should note it and advise him/her about how to address the issues arising from this failing. Some parents and mentors shy away from relating the truth for fear of a negative reaction. This alone is proof that something is very wrong and should be addressed. Yaakov Avinu showed us the way, as he admonished his sons while he blessed them. After all, what value can…

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Home -> Vayechi -> 5778

ואני נתתי לך שכם אחד על אחיך אשר לקחתי...בחרבי ובקשתי

Roberto Szerer
In 5778, Vayechi

And as for me, I have given you Shechem – one portion more than your brothers, which I took…with my sword and my bow. (48:22)

B’charbi u’b’kashti, with my sword and with my bow. Rashi interprets sword and bow as: sword – sharp wisdom; bow – prayer. Targum Onkelos translates it as tzalusi u’b’bausi; with my prayer is my supplication. Thus, Yaakov Avinu’s strength lies not in his physical prowess, but rather, in his spiritual potency. Yaakov’s prayer was much more effective than his physical strength. This is true for all of us. Our strength is in our spirituality. We vanquish the enemy with our supplications, not with our guns. Horav Shimon Pincus, zl, observes that during an eis tzarah, period of tribulation, when the numbers…

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Home -> Vayechi -> 5778

ויקרבו ימי ישראל למות

Roberto Szerer
In 5778, Vayechi

And the days of the death of Yisrael drew near. (47:29)

The “days” of Yaakov’s death drew near.  A person does not die over a period of days; he dies in a moment. The Zohar wonders what is the meaning of the “days of death”? The Zohar explains that when the time for a person to pass from this world arrives, all of his days (which he has lived) are calculated and assessed. Each day that was spent in the service of Hashem, committed to mitzvah observance, Torah study and performance of acts of lovingkindness – is considered a day worthy of being counted. Other days, which are found lacking in…

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