Yiddishe Mamme

Written by Rabbi Avraham Moshe Kiper - Founder of Neve Ziviya This year we read Parshat Bamidbar on the day preceding Rosh Chodesh Sivan. Let’s look for the connection between this Parsha and the giving of the Torah. In chapter 1 verse 19 it is written, “ According to G-d’s command to Moshe he counted them in the desert”. The Kedushat Levi asks why this verse is written as it is. We might think that it should have been written the other way, that is, “He counted them in the desert according to G-d’s command to Moshe.” Why is the verse seemingly reversed? He then explains that our sages teach that there are six hundred thousand letters in the Torah, corresponding to the six hundred thousand souls of the Jewish people. Moshe Rabeinu knew which letter each and every person corresponded to. Therefore when he was counting the Jewish people, he was also learning all of the letters of the Torah. That is why the verse hints to us, “According to G-d’s command to Moshe.” It is telling us that in...

by Shalvi Weissman There are angels in the world who tell us that we're not good enough – and they are right! As perfect beings, angels hold up perfection as their standard of measurement, but their measurements have been getting us humans into trouble from the very beginning. When G‑d decided to create the world, in His humility He asked the angels what they thought. The answer was, of course, "No! Don't do it! They will tell lies, they will break the rules, they will make mistakes, and it's not worth it!" G-d never expected perfection G‑d, however, decided that despite the risk, it was a worthwhile investment- and Adam and Eve were created. His explanation to the angels was that we would be kind to each other. When it was time to give the Torah, the angels didn't want Him to entrust it to us. Moses was in heaven for forty days and forty nights learning the Torah and preparing to bring it down to the Jewish people. The angels came to G‑d and said, "What...

Shavuos marks our personal relationship to Torah. In his wild quest to locate who stole the Torah, Satan turns to Moshe (Shabbos 89a) and asks where it is. Moshe responds to the Satan: Who am I that God would give me the Torah. Ultimately, Satan accuses Moshe of lying. Moshe responds: True, I have the Torah – but it is not mine, for how can I possibly own God’s Torah? Hashem corrects Moshe: precisely because you diminish yourself, you now become its proprietor. In effect, Hashem is saying that to acquire Torah, humility is the requisite trait. The great paradox of owning Torah now becomes: the less one claims Torah, the more he has of it.

I'm sure that you believe in G-d. When it comes down to it, most people do. If they don't, then they say "Maybe there's a G-d." But our souls know, and when we are honest with ourselves, we know too. So where do all of the doubts come from? We all have doubts sometimes. If part of us believes in G?d, then where do these doubts seep in? The doubt is really a doubt in ourselves. We know all of our faults and failings better than any other human alive. We know our weaknesses, our fears, our moments of utter failure. Sometimes situations arise that seem to demand from us much more than we have: more strength, more willpower, money, patience, wisdom, holiness… If I were… If I had… then I could handle this situation. But I'm not and I don't and I can't. So there! But the situation doesn't go away! It keeps on pressing, demanding, insisting. Maybe it occasionally lets up, but before you're finished taking a deep breath it's back with a vengeance. ...