Schlagwort: torah

ON Parasha Wajakhel!

It’s time to consider Parasha HaShavua. In Vayakhel, the commandment to keep Shabbat is repeated right at the beginning! This double command is very important, as it was also required in the previous parasha. One might think that after Moshe Rabbeinu shattered the first pair of tablets, it’s now too late. This is not the case. In Vayakhel, he gathers all the Children of Israel and speaks to them as a father speaks to his children—firmly and sternly. He admonishes that anyone who works on Shabbat, that is, who makes this day a creative day on which something is changed, shall be put to death. This extreme instruction illustrates the extreme importance of Shabbat. A „heave-off,“ a gift for the construction of the Temple, is to be given to the Lord—from everyone whose heart desires it. He speaks of gold, silver, and copper. This is clearly evident in the presentation of Aaron, the first Kohen haGadol of Israel, in the parasha. It is important to recognize that both women and men participate in this process of giving to the Sanctuary. They all contribute with their individual talents. See Exodus 35:25. The women are listed first, followed by the princes who brought the shoham stones and the stones for the ephod (the breastplate of the Kohen haGadol). Finally, Exodus 35:29 states: „All the men and women whose hearts were inclined to do all the work that the Lord commanded through Moses to do—they brought them as a gift to the Lord.“

If one examines the content more closely, it is striking that Moshe Rabbeinu successfully obtained forgiveness for the sin of the Golden Calf. Two things are important to me here: One must remember these events so that one can attain the prerequisite for an awareness of the forgiveness of this great spiritual defeat and transgression. The joy with which a new beginning becomes possible for everyone can now be all the greater. Moshe Rabbeinu descends with a second pair of tablets and gathers the Jewish people. What is the purpose of this gathering?!! It is about the Jewish people understanding, above all, that G-d’s desire is to build a sanctuary – nothing else. The brief but very clear, indicative admonition to keep Shabbat, which comes at the beginning, is very important. He then describes in great detail and at length which materials are needed to construct the Tabernacle, and it becomes increasingly clear that the entire Jewish people, everyone, is involved. Men and women equally generously donate all the materials that Moshe Rabbeinu lists.

Then Oholiab and Bezalel are listed, who receive these donations as foremen and construct the Tabernacle. The people continue to donate generously until the craftsmen inform Moshe Rabbeinu that they have more than enough to complete their tasks. Therefore, Moshe Rabbeinu proclaims that all donations should cease. It is also important to recognize that there is close contact between Oholiab and Bezalel with Moshe Rabbeinu, and he listens to them.

For my part, I surrender any acquired rights I may have acquired in the past to the true and only King we have—Hashem—and will participate in our Jewish tradition, which dates back to this time.

Shabbat Shalom.

Parasha Mishpatim (Mischpatim)

I started to study the Parasha Mishpatim for the first time this week. It is so gratifying to do so.
Some important commandments are listed right at the beginning. It is not for nothing that the Parasha itself is called legal decrees or, better, legal statutes – the plural of Mishpat, as they regulate social relationships within the Jewish people and also dealings with strangers.

The Torah is always both – instruction and binding law; it has always been taken seriously by Jewish people as a revelation from God and has increased in importance in our times. Bringing all 613 commandments to life in everyday life is not only central, but also unavoidable.

On the coming Shabbat, these legal statutes will be read out publicly. They will thus be proclaimed, remembered and internalized. It is therefore not a process of „entertainment“, but of instruction and reminder that these must be enforced. Hence the name Mishpatim. It deals with rules about servants, rules about physical assault, rules about theft, further rules about seducing a virgin and marrying her with the obligation of dowry, sorcerers, sodomy, serving other gods, insulting a stranger, dealing with widows and orphans, lending money, rules about first fruits, rules about justice, rules about the Shabbat year and Shabbat, rules about the festivals and rules about the Promised Land.

Mishpatim therefore involves a whole range of different laws that must lead to a fair legal system. This is the crucial point – the transfer of the laws into the dealings of a more just Jewish society; or in the Diaspora, the social structure of a community.

It is important that the Torah is introduced very carefully, first in narrative terms – almost tentatively. And it is also important that the laws are not simply passed. Didactically, it is very valuable that the parasha begins with the regulations on servitude. Let us remember that the Jewish people have only just been liberated and are standing in the desert at Mount Sinai. One might think that there are more important things for them than the servitude that someone has to enter into out of necessity. That is precisely the starting point. The text and address make it clear from the outset that dependency relationships are not a thing of the past. Economic emergencies are a reality. But one thing has changed: servitude is an economic factor and is therefore always limited. Servitude is no longer oppression. Nor is it submission to a regime that forces self-sacrifice.

The Israelite servant remains an Israelite and is therefore oriented towards freedom. Rashi therefore says that by the Yovel year at the latest, even those who do not want to be free will be liberated. It is important to recognize that these laws are above our own limited, short-term interests and are therefore the central starting point for our own decisions.

Shabbat Shalom

Why listen to the 10 words – misleaded called „10 commandments“

This Shabbat is Public Reading of Parasha Jitro. The great advantage of hearing the 10 words of Hashem rather than counting them is that they go directly to our hearts, rather than to our minds. The latter is always limited and sometimes lies, while the heart (the Jewish people) is addressed directly by Hashem as a whole, based on all the relationships and knowledge that has been made. I learn from this that Hashem, the people and the land form a unity and that nothing and no one is above G-d or can join „HIM“.

613 Mitzwot and the Aseret haDibrot

All 613 commandments of the Torah are of eternal relevance and cannot be exchanged or replaced with one another. The Aseret haDibrot are ‚Ten Statements‘ that contain all 613 Mitzvot.

It is therefore important to take them seriously as a monotheist and Jew, because that is what they are intended for. Let us never forget that all commandments of the Torah are and remain irreplaceable. This is important to know because it was popes, among others, who introduced a modified version for the Christian public in order to subsequently deviate their interpretations from Hashem’s Eternal Covenant with his people and claim that it had been replaced.

I would therefore like to call on everyone to read and compare the Aseret haDibrot in the original Hebrew or an authorized translation in another language. There are blatant deviations – even today.

This is precisely why the commandments of the Torah are never suitable for harnessing them to the cart of particular interests. It is simply wrong, misleading and forbidden. This is why we Jews, all of us – regardless of whether we are Kohen, Levi or Jew – insist on the original and that is not interchangeable in Hebrew. This year, the Aseret haDibrot will also be read, heard and hopefully understood in public, because only if we Jews and you discuss the essence of all 613 Mitzvot can we ensure that Hashem’s differentiated address to his people is guaranteed for all time.

Parasha Shemot

At the moment I am dealing with the first words of the weekly section Shemot. Not long ago, the sons of Israel were mentioned in the previous week’s section when it was explained that they did not hear Joseph’s lamentation. But now all the sons of Israel who came from the womb of Yaakov are listed. This means that all those listed are listed as sons Yaakov applies and is. This statement makes me extremely happy. Joseph died in the diaspora. Then the Torah reports that the children of Israel were fruitful, swarmed and multiplied. Now comes a very important passage, because afterwards they would become powerful!!! It is this strong external influence that is seen critically, because the Torah further reports that a new king arose in Mizrayim who knew nothing about Joseph. So it was Joseph himself who ensured that the people in power did not have anything evil happened. Now the situation is fundamentally changing – there is a new ruler.

What can we learn from this… The political situation can change and with it the assessment and treatment of the Jewish people. The diaspora is therefore always only a temporary arrangement and only the second best place – after Israel – for a Jew.

(see Shemot 1:1 – 1:7)

Joseph!

I love Joseph, because my own Life is like Joseph’s Life. Its not only to find Back to all His brothers and forgive all those who can’t not see, that He is a Jew like you and me, but became a special role through Hashem. So we should not deny His Mission in this world and take him Home.

„Learning through Torah means to take all words serious and make it a joyous place in our Hearts.“

Shavua Tov!

(Marcus Günther Michael Gundlach)

Ja’akow!

In Parasha Toldot we get to know Ya’akov and with him the first biography in world literature. Even before his conception and birth we are told about our forefather Ya’akov (Bereshit/Gen. 25, 22) and we then follow his life through childhood, youth, adulthood, and into old age. The narrative thread focuses on Ya’akov and provides an overall picture of a human life with all its human struggles, achievements, failures and successes. We learn a lot about his suffering and pain, about jealousy and competition, about property disputes and the difficulties of raising children. We follow Ya’akov on his path with these various challenges that we as average people can easily identify with. Unlike his grandfather Avraham, Ya’akov did not have to pass any divine tests, nor was he exposed to a serious trauma like his father Yitzchak during the Akeda (binding of Yitzchak).

Ya’akov achieved everything through winding paths. His birthright and father’s blessing, his wife, his wealth and his new name came only after tenacious efforts and numerous failures. Yet he was given the privilege of receiving divine visions and G-d appeared to him three times. It is Yeshayahu Leibowitz who points out that it was Ya’akov who struggled with man and G-d and became Israel. We are all named after him and are his responsibility and duty.

Shavua Tov