BS"D Now it’s time for Breakfast, but before you eat that orange juice and cereal we can do another mitzvah…V’ochalto,v’sovoto, u-vayrachto – And you shall eat and you shall be satisfied and you shall bless HaShem, your G-d (Deuteronomy/Dvarim Chapter 8: Verse 10)
This is actually one of the official commandments that HaShem gives us directly in the Torah – Dvarim is the fifth of the five books of the Chumash (Chamesh means five in Hebrew – see mitzvah number one if you have forgotten what the Torah is exactly)Okay, back to our mitzvah – Eat, Pray and be Satisfied. What is this all about?
Rabbi Jonathan Rietti suggests a parable in his wonderful tape/CD on keeping kosher in his excellent lecture series "Enhancing our Jewish Identity" Volume 2: (To hear all of Rabbi Reitti's lectures go to: http://www.simpletoremember.com/authors/a/jewish-inspiration/)
There once was a King who had a son. When the son got older, the King decided to give his son a large bag of money so that he could go out and make his way in the world. A year later, when the money had run out, the son came back to visit the King, and of course to get more money. The King was not impressed. He tells his son - I didn’t give you the large bag of money so that I wouldn’t see you on a regular basis. This time I will give you just what you will need for one day, so that tomorrow you will need to come back to see me again.
That is what HaShem also wants from us. The easiest way for us to have an ongoing relationship with Him is to teach us to say a blessing before we eat and after we eat. Try it – say a blessing out loud and slowly every time BEFORE you put something into your mouth – it will really make a difference. HaShem gives us different blessings to say on different types of food – this helps us really think about what we are about to eat.
Do we need to say the Ha-Etz blessing – for foods that grow on trees such as apples, oranges or pears? Is this food the Ha-Adoma blessing – for foods that come from the ground such as mushrooms, potatoes or corn? What about drinks (juices, milk or pop) – that’s the SheHakol blessing, foods made from flour (pasta, cakes or cookies) – that’s Mezonos, bread – HaMotzei -a class all by itself as bread is considered the main part of any meal, wine – HaGofen – another one that is in a class all by itself - the list does get complicated.
And what about after we eat? Same thing – just different blessings, depending on what we ended up eating. Borei Nefoshos – the short-after blessing for a quick bite; Al HaMechia for something with flour; the full Birkas HaMazon - Blessing After Meals or “Bentching” as it is referred to – for a full meal including bread. At least three times a day Hashem is guaranteed to have us think about Him – just because we need to eat – quite a remarkable process wouldn’t you agree?
What about Jewish Pride? A lot of Yidden (Yiddish for Jewish people) do not feel it necessary to observe specific Mitzvahs in order to feel close to HaShem. “I know I’m Jewish – and I feel as close to HaShem as you do”. Maybe it’s true – maybe you do feel even CLOSER to HaShem.
But, Jewish pride is so important. So, let’s stand up and be proud that we are Jewish. Let’s shout it from the rooftops – well maybe not from the rooftops – that might be dangerous. Try this:
Stand up in the middle of an airport and say a bracha (blessing) SLOWLY and OUT LOUD before you eat an apple! Think it’s easy? Try it – it’s not. It’s tough – but, why? We just said that saying a blessing before we eat is a great way to have a relationship with HaShem. We all agree we need to thank HaShem for that apple. So, why is it so tough to say that blessing slowly and out loud? Because…someone might hear us – they might think we are weird or something...
Monday, August 31, 2009
NEXT MITZVAH OF THE DAY - WHICH SHOE DO WE PUT ON FIRST?
BS"D So after we have washed our hands and thanked HaShem for looking after our bodily needs so well, most of us get dressed at this point in our morning. The Code of Jewish laws, which we call Shulchan Aruch in Hebrew, teaches us everything we need to know in order to act as a Jewish person should. It is our guide book to a Jewish way of life. On page 6 is outlines the rules for how we get dressed in the morning:
…when dressing ourselves, we must always give preference to the right hand or foot, over the left; but when removing shoes and other articles of apparel, the left comes first…When our shoes have laces, we first put the shoe on the right foot without lacing it, then we put the one of the left and lace it, and afterward we lace the one of the right. The method of dressing also applies to all other articles of clothing.
Here is a great story taken from the book “Visions of Greatness” – Volume 2, by Rabbi Yosef Weiss, page 193. (Reprinted with permission)
The following story is related by Rabbi Reuven Tillim:
At the turn of the twentieth century, the yeshiva did not yet exist on American soil. The only source of Jewish education available was the Hebrew day school, where dedicated rabbanim (rabbi’s) often labored to inject a little enthusiasm for the Jewish religion into boys who were more interested in daydreaming, playing baseball and enjoying all the diversions of the “free world”.
Rabbi Yochanan Berman (names are fictitious) was among the many selfless men who left the comfortable sphere of Jewish life in New York to settle in cities with tiny Jewish populations in an effort to spread Torah and yiras shamayim (fear of Heaven). Reb Yochanan was determined to seize the opportunity to teach his students as much as possible. When the school year started, he soon established a healthy rapport with the boys in his class. They listened respectfully as he outlined the code of Jewish law and explained all the halachos (laws) that they needed to know.
One day, Reb Yochanan began to teach the section of halachos that deals with the proper way to put on one’s clothing in the morning. “The right shoe is put on first, then the left,” her old the boys. “There are many instances in the Torah which show that the right is more important than the left”.
READ THE REST OF THIS STORY ON: http://jewishstoriesandmore.blogspot.com/
…when dressing ourselves, we must always give preference to the right hand or foot, over the left; but when removing shoes and other articles of apparel, the left comes first…When our shoes have laces, we first put the shoe on the right foot without lacing it, then we put the one of the left and lace it, and afterward we lace the one of the right. The method of dressing also applies to all other articles of clothing.
Here is a great story taken from the book “Visions of Greatness” – Volume 2, by Rabbi Yosef Weiss, page 193. (Reprinted with permission)
The following story is related by Rabbi Reuven Tillim:
At the turn of the twentieth century, the yeshiva did not yet exist on American soil. The only source of Jewish education available was the Hebrew day school, where dedicated rabbanim (rabbi’s) often labored to inject a little enthusiasm for the Jewish religion into boys who were more interested in daydreaming, playing baseball and enjoying all the diversions of the “free world”.
Rabbi Yochanan Berman (names are fictitious) was among the many selfless men who left the comfortable sphere of Jewish life in New York to settle in cities with tiny Jewish populations in an effort to spread Torah and yiras shamayim (fear of Heaven). Reb Yochanan was determined to seize the opportunity to teach his students as much as possible. When the school year started, he soon established a healthy rapport with the boys in his class. They listened respectfully as he outlined the code of Jewish law and explained all the halachos (laws) that they needed to know.
One day, Reb Yochanan began to teach the section of halachos that deals with the proper way to put on one’s clothing in the morning. “The right shoe is put on first, then the left,” her old the boys. “There are many instances in the Torah which show that the right is more important than the left”.
READ THE REST OF THIS STORY ON: http://jewishstoriesandmore.blogspot.com/
SECOND MITZVAH OF THE DAY - ASHER YATZER - BATHROOM TIME
BS"D I don’t know about you, but after I wash my hands in the morning, it is a direct route - Do not pass Go - to the bathroom. So then after relieving ourselves, it’s time to say thank you again to HaShem and we get to do another Mitzvah…
We wash our hands again – the same way we did first thing in the morning (see Mitzvah Number One below). Then we go outside of the bathroom because we are not supposed to talk inside the bathroom (ever notice that there are no mezuzzos on a bathroom door) and we say this blessing:
Blessed are you, Lord our G-d, King of the Universe, who has formed man in wisdom, and created within him numerous orifices and cavities. It is revealed and known before the Throne of Your Glory, that if but one of them were to be blocked, or one of them were to be opened, it would be impossible to exist even for a short while. Blessed are you, Lord, who heals all flesh and performs wonders.
Amazing - thank you Hashem for thinking of everything we need to exist in this world. Everything we take for granted twenty-four/seven – You thought of everything – all we need to do is say: Thank you.
Here is a great story seen on the AABJD website (http://www.aabjd.org/) :
The following article, first printed in the Journal of the AmericanMedical Association, addresses many of the issues related to Asher Yatzar. Please note that he is attributing the tefillah to Abaye which is possible, but not necessary reading of the Gemara, he also edits the text.
For Everything A Blessing by Kenneth M. Prager, M.D.Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York. When I was an elementary school student in yeshiva – a Jewish parochial school with both religious and secular studies – my classmates and I used to find amusing a sign that was posted just outside the bathroom. It was an ancient Jewish blessing, commonly referred to as the asher yatzar benediction, that was supposed to be recited after one relieved oneself.
For grade school children, there could be nothing more strange or ridiculous than to link to acts of micturition and defecation with holy words that mentioned God’s name. Blessings were reserved for prayers, for holy days, or for thanking G-d for food or for some act of deliverance, but surely not for a bodily function that evoked smirks and giggles. It took me several decades to realize the wisdom that lay behind this blessing that was composed...
READ THE REST OF THIS STORY ON: http://jewishstoriesandmore.blogspot.com/
You can get your own ASHER YATZER poster to hang outside your bathroom by calling: FOUNDATIONS (800) 700-9577
We wash our hands again – the same way we did first thing in the morning (see Mitzvah Number One below). Then we go outside of the bathroom because we are not supposed to talk inside the bathroom (ever notice that there are no mezuzzos on a bathroom door) and we say this blessing:
Blessed are you, Lord our G-d, King of the Universe, who has formed man in wisdom, and created within him numerous orifices and cavities. It is revealed and known before the Throne of Your Glory, that if but one of them were to be blocked, or one of them were to be opened, it would be impossible to exist even for a short while. Blessed are you, Lord, who heals all flesh and performs wonders.
Amazing - thank you Hashem for thinking of everything we need to exist in this world. Everything we take for granted twenty-four/seven – You thought of everything – all we need to do is say: Thank you.
Here is a great story seen on the AABJD website (http://www.aabjd.org/) :
The following article, first printed in the Journal of the AmericanMedical Association, addresses many of the issues related to Asher Yatzar. Please note that he is attributing the tefillah to Abaye which is possible, but not necessary reading of the Gemara, he also edits the text.
For Everything A Blessing by Kenneth M. Prager, M.D.Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York. When I was an elementary school student in yeshiva – a Jewish parochial school with both religious and secular studies – my classmates and I used to find amusing a sign that was posted just outside the bathroom. It was an ancient Jewish blessing, commonly referred to as the asher yatzar benediction, that was supposed to be recited after one relieved oneself.
For grade school children, there could be nothing more strange or ridiculous than to link to acts of micturition and defecation with holy words that mentioned God’s name. Blessings were reserved for prayers, for holy days, or for thanking G-d for food or for some act of deliverance, but surely not for a bodily function that evoked smirks and giggles. It took me several decades to realize the wisdom that lay behind this blessing that was composed...
READ THE REST OF THIS STORY ON: http://jewishstoriesandmore.blogspot.com/
You can get your own ASHER YATZER poster to hang outside your bathroom by calling: FOUNDATIONS (800) 700-9577
FIRST MITZVAH OF THE DAY - MODEH ANI
MODEH ANI L’FANECHA - Thank you HaShem for granting me another day in this world
BS"D Modeh Ani L'Fanecha - Thank you HaShem for granting me another day in this world (Olam HaZeh), The essence of a Jew is gratitude to HaShem. “Yehudi” comes from the root verb meaning to thank. If we really stopped to think about how much HaShem does for us every second of the day, we wouldn’t be able to stop saying thank you.
Sometimes we can get frustrated at the people around us – why don’t most people say “thank you”? We take each other so much for granted. We don’t always remember to say thank you for the countless jobs each of us do every day to keep our households afloat – the shopping, cooking, dishes, taking out the garbage, clothing, washing, drying, cleaning, working - the list is endless – and I mean everyone – men, women, children. We all take each other for granted – so what about HaShem?
So here is a very easy Mitzvah: Before we go to bed at night, we put a basin, a small towel and a large cup of water (negel vasser - literally "finger water" in Yiddish) by our bed. The first thing we do when we wake up, every morning, is to immediately thank HaShem for returning our souls to us. We put our hands together, fingers facing upwards to Shamoyim (Heaven) and say:
Modeh ani lefanecha Melech chai vekayam shehechezarta bi nishmasi bechemla rabbah emunasecha. I offer thanks to You, living and eternal King, for You have mercifully restored my soul within me; Your faithfulness is great.
We then take up our negel vasser cup in our right hand, pass it to our left hand, and pour water over the entire right hand until the wrist. Then take the cup in the right hand and pour similarly over the entire left hand, alternately each hand three times while saying this blessing:
Baruch Atta Ado-noy Elo-hai-nu Melech ha'olam asher kid-sha-nu b'mitz-vo-sav v'tzi-vanu al Netilas Yadayim. Blessed are you, Lord our G-d, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the washing of the hands.
Dry your hands and you have now completed your first mitzvah of the day! We wash our hands first thing in the morning because when we sleep it is as if 1/60th of our neshama (soul) has passed on to the next world. But here is a great story that shows that HaShem's guidebook (The Shulchan Aruch - Code of Jewish Law) runs the world:
Rabbi Simcha Dessler, Educational Director of Hebrew Academy of Cleveland, Ohio, cited an amazing article in the January 9th, 2009 Newsletter.
He wrote of a conference of neurologists from around the world where a Professor of Britain shared the results of a study which determined that a certain percentage of people faint upon arising in the morning. Professor McMaron went on to explain that the cause lies in the radical transfer of positions – from prone (laying flat) to standing. Professor McMaron discovered that it takes twelve seconds for blood to travel from the feet to the brain and that when one stands immediately upon arising the blood travels to the brain too quickly, causing these individuals to faint. The professor recommended that upon awakening, people should slowly count from one to twelve before standing to avoid the risk of fainting.
Another professor, an Orthodox Jew, then asked to speak. He ascended to the podium and stated that for thousands of years, Jewish tradition has provided a prayer of gratitude to the Almighty for restoring our souls and being given the gift of life anew each morning. The prayer is recited immediately upon waking up and while still in bed. There are twelve words in the prayer, and when said with proper concentration, it takes twelve seconds to recite the twelve words.
The Jewish professor then went on to recite the prayer: Modeh ani lefanecha Melech chai vekayam shehechezarta bi nishmasi bechemla rabbah emunasecha.
Amazing – twelve words – twelve seconds – totally amazing. Thank you HaShem!
BS"D Modeh Ani L'Fanecha - Thank you HaShem for granting me another day in this world (Olam HaZeh), The essence of a Jew is gratitude to HaShem. “Yehudi” comes from the root verb meaning to thank. If we really stopped to think about how much HaShem does for us every second of the day, we wouldn’t be able to stop saying thank you.
Sometimes we can get frustrated at the people around us – why don’t most people say “thank you”? We take each other so much for granted. We don’t always remember to say thank you for the countless jobs each of us do every day to keep our households afloat – the shopping, cooking, dishes, taking out the garbage, clothing, washing, drying, cleaning, working - the list is endless – and I mean everyone – men, women, children. We all take each other for granted – so what about HaShem?
So here is a very easy Mitzvah: Before we go to bed at night, we put a basin, a small towel and a large cup of water (negel vasser - literally "finger water" in Yiddish) by our bed. The first thing we do when we wake up, every morning, is to immediately thank HaShem for returning our souls to us. We put our hands together, fingers facing upwards to Shamoyim (Heaven) and say:
Modeh ani lefanecha Melech chai vekayam shehechezarta bi nishmasi bechemla rabbah emunasecha. I offer thanks to You, living and eternal King, for You have mercifully restored my soul within me; Your faithfulness is great.
We then take up our negel vasser cup in our right hand, pass it to our left hand, and pour water over the entire right hand until the wrist. Then take the cup in the right hand and pour similarly over the entire left hand, alternately each hand three times while saying this blessing:
Baruch Atta Ado-noy Elo-hai-nu Melech ha'olam asher kid-sha-nu b'mitz-vo-sav v'tzi-vanu al Netilas Yadayim. Blessed are you, Lord our G-d, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the washing of the hands.
Dry your hands and you have now completed your first mitzvah of the day! We wash our hands first thing in the morning because when we sleep it is as if 1/60th of our neshama (soul) has passed on to the next world. But here is a great story that shows that HaShem's guidebook (The Shulchan Aruch - Code of Jewish Law) runs the world:
Rabbi Simcha Dessler, Educational Director of Hebrew Academy of Cleveland, Ohio, cited an amazing article in the January 9th, 2009 Newsletter.
He wrote of a conference of neurologists from around the world where a Professor of Britain shared the results of a study which determined that a certain percentage of people faint upon arising in the morning. Professor McMaron went on to explain that the cause lies in the radical transfer of positions – from prone (laying flat) to standing. Professor McMaron discovered that it takes twelve seconds for blood to travel from the feet to the brain and that when one stands immediately upon arising the blood travels to the brain too quickly, causing these individuals to faint. The professor recommended that upon awakening, people should slowly count from one to twelve before standing to avoid the risk of fainting.
Another professor, an Orthodox Jew, then asked to speak. He ascended to the podium and stated that for thousands of years, Jewish tradition has provided a prayer of gratitude to the Almighty for restoring our souls and being given the gift of life anew each morning. The prayer is recited immediately upon waking up and while still in bed. There are twelve words in the prayer, and when said with proper concentration, it takes twelve seconds to recite the twelve words.
The Jewish professor then went on to recite the prayer: Modeh ani lefanecha Melech chai vekayam shehechezarta bi nishmasi bechemla rabbah emunasecha.
Amazing – twelve words – twelve seconds – totally amazing. Thank you HaShem!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
