#Shema Yisroel

[todaysjewishholiday]

13 Menachem Av 5784 (16-17 August 2024)

Shabbat shalom! Gutt shabbes! Sabado bueno!

Shabbat is the most significant and joyful Jewish holiday, and this Shabbat is the most joyful of them all, because it is the consolation after our deepest collective grief. The Hebrew year has a few special shabbatot, associated with specific anniversaries, Torah portions, or haftarah of special significance. This Shabbat, the one which follows Tisha b’Av, our day of mourning for the destruction of both Batei HaMikdash and for all that is broken in the world we inhabit, is called Shabbat Nachamu, the Shabbat of Comfort, and has been celebrated by generations of Jews as the combination of all that is most enjoyable about Shabbat and Yom Tov. Truly, this is a day that we accept in all its splendor as an everlasting reminder of HaShem’s loving promises to us. The contrast with the deep heartwrenching grief of Tisha b’Av can allow us to see in this Shabbat in particular all that Shabbat is meant to be for us each and every week. Contrast can teach us many wonderful things.

The parashat hashavua of Shabbat Nachamu is Vaetchanan, “I Pleaded”, the second portion in Devarim, Moshe’s final address to the Israelite people. This parsha includes three of the most important texts of Judaism: the Shma, our most foundational prayer, the v’Ahavta which we repeat alongside it, and the Asheret haDevarim, or Ten Commandments, the first mitzvot given to the Israelite people at Mount Sinai, which are repeated here by Moshe as a reminder of the vows binding the Israelite people and our God. Taken together these three are a powerful reminder of truths that no catastrophe can alter.

The haftarah is from Sefer Yeshayahu, Chapter 40, and its opening words “Nachamu Nachamu Ammi” (Comfort, o comfort my people) give the Shabbat its special name. It was deliberately chosen to follow Tisha b’Av, and is the first of seven passages of comfort from Yeshayahu read between Tisha b’Av and Rosh HaShana. Please accept the comfort and consolation of this particular Shabbat. We live in a difficult world, and we need the peace and rest and joy and change of perspective that Shabbat offers. As the saying goes “the Jews observe Shabbat and Shabbat preserves the Jews”— this Shabbat is a testament to how true that is, even in the face of all the calamities of our community’s history. We can face the challenges of our times, so long as we willingly accept the comfort HaShem offers us in the way of Torah.

[shalom-iamcominghome]

Thank g-d for jewish punks who make music explicitly about being jewish 🙏🥰

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The 10 Commandments

1 And Moshe called kol Yisroel, and said unto them, Shema, Yisroel, to the chukkim and mishpatim which I speak in your ears today, that ye may learn them, and be shomer to do them.

2 Hashem Eloheinu made a Brit with us in Chorev.

3 Hashem made not this Brit with Avoteinu, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive today.

4 Hashem talked with you panim b’panim in the har out of the midst of the eish,

5 (I stood between Hashem and you at that time, to show you the Devar Hashem; for ye were afraid by reason of the eish, and went not up into the har) saying:

6 I am Hashem Eloheicha, Which brought thee out of Eretz Mitzrayim, from the bais avadim.

7 Thou shalt have no elohim acharim before Me.

8 Thou shalt not make thee any pesel, or any temunah of anything that is in Shomayim above, or that is in Ha’Aretz beneath, or that is in the mayim beneath ha’aretz;

9 Lo tishtachaveh (thou shalt not bow down thyself) unto them, nor serve them; for I Hashem Eloheicha am an El Kannah, visiting the iniquity of the avot upon the banim unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me,

10 And showing chesed unto thousands of them that love Me and are shomer over My mitzvot.

11 Thou shalt not take the Shem of Hashem Eloheicha in vain; for Hashem will not hold him guiltless that taketh Shmo in vain.

12 Keep shomer Shabbos to set Shabbos apart as kodesh as Hashem Eloheicha commanded thee.

13 Sheshet yamim thou shalt labor, and do all thy work:

14 But the Yom HaShevi’i is the Shabbos of Hashem Eloheicha: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy ben, nor thy bat, nor thy eved, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine donkey, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy ger that is within thy she’arim; that thy eved and thy amah may rest as well as thou.

15 And remember that thou wast an eved in Eretz Mitzrayim, and that Hashem Eloheicha brought thee out thence through a yad chazakah and by an outstretched zero’a; therefore Hashem Eloheicha commanded thee to be shomer Shabbos on Yom HaShabbat.

16 Honor thy av and thy em, as Hashem Eloheicha hath commanded thee; that thy yamim may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in ha’adamah which Hashem Eloheicha giveth thee.

17 Lo tirtzah (thou shalt not murder).

18 V’lo tinaf (neither shalt thou commit adultery).

19 V’lo tignov (neither shalt thou steal).

20 V’lo ta’aneh v’reacha ed shav (neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbor).

21 V’lo tachmod (neither shalt thou covet, desiring) thy neighbor’s wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbor’s bais, his sadeh, or his eved, or his amah, his ox, or his donkey, or any thing that is thy neighbor’s.

22 These devarim Hashem spoke unto all your Kahal in the mountain out of the midst of the eish, of the anan, and of the thick darkness, with a kol gadol; and He added no more. And He wrote them in two luchot of even (stone), and delivered them unto me. — Deuteronomy 5:1-22 | Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB) Orthodox Jewish Bible Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. Cross References: Genesis 15:13; Exodus 18:20; Exodus 19:1; Exodus 19:18; Exodus 20:2-3; Exodus 20:5; Exodus 20:21; Exodus 23:1; Exodus 34:17; Leviticus 19:11; Numbers 14:18; Matthew 5:21; Matthew 5:33; Matthew 15:4; Mark 2:27; Luke 13:14; Luke 18:20; Luke 23:56; Romans 7:7; Hebrews 8:9; Hebrews 12:18

Read full chapter

What are the Ten Commandments? What is the Decalogue?

[goldyke]

PSA: If you choose to buy things to show support of Palestine, please know what you are buying. This necklace, listed as a map of Palestine was 100% actually created as a map of Israel based on the fact that the design inside is actually Hebrew lettering spelling out Shema Yisroel (Listen Israel), the beginning of the most important Jewish prayer

There’s nothing Zionist about that prayer, and if you’re Jewish and want a piece of jewelry with the Shema on it, I encourage you to get it as it could be deeply meaningful. But in the context of a map of that piece of land mmmmmmm…….

[0-0baybay0-0]

I remember shortly after October 7th, and right after an antisemitic attack that happened near I lived, I was hanging out with a friend of mine.

She was Jewish and she had stopped wearing her Magen David because she was scared.

I was wearing my name in yiddish, and Israel with the words "shema yisroel (hear oh Israel)" (both necklaces).

We walked into a shop and I was trying on some clothes and we were having fun. The shop assistant came over, she looked like she was in her 40's, and asked what my necklaces said. I was so fucking scared. In the antisemitic attack earlier in the week girls from my school had gotten boxes with swastikas on them thrown at them.

But when I told her what they meant she just smiled and said:

"I wish I learnt how to read Hebrew. Growing up I always thought I was too cool to be Jewish but its always beautiful when someone young is proud of her culture."

I almost started crying then. I still don't know why I was so moved.

I wear the Magen David for many reasons, but do you know what my proudest reason is? The reason I display it proudly for all to see rather than hide it when antisemitism is skyrocketing across the globe? I wear it because it makes other Jews feel safe. I work in a very popular tourist location, and thus I see people from all over the country (USA) and the world. I wear my Magen David proudly for that older Jewish woman who feels insecure next to my goyish coworkers, so that when she sees me she smiles and shows me her necklace too and says how nice it is to find another member of the tribe way out here. I wear it so that the Jewish couple from out of town can see it and find another Jew in the crowd, someone they know they can trust, someone they can wish a "Good Shabbos" to. I wear it so that the Jewish woman my age can see it and then excitedly show me her Judaica tattoos, thrilled to find another Jew her age who isn't afraid to be openly Jewish.

I am not a Jew with trembling knees. And I want every member of my community to see me and know that they are safe with me, that here is a proud Jew to whom they can go. That is why I wear the Magen David, above all other reasons, so that my fellow Jews feel safe.

[dikleyt]

The word “diaspora” was originally coined for the scattering of Jews from Eretz Yisroel, and later extended to any other group of people living away from some point of origin, without necessarily any connotation of hope for/expectation of return, just a basic acknowledgement of a historical point of origin. We can now speak of other diasporas because the term was made abstract, generalized. On its own, this is good and fine; it’s great when other people are able to take inspiration from the Jews and find the words we use meaningful for themselves as well.

But now we also have a strong tendency for certain leftists to act like this original diaspora was itself a myth or a lie, erasing the original history of the word and the people for whom it was coined. They claim, falsely, that Judaism were just another universalistic religion that spread around the world via conversion. It’s like people think a bunch of Eastern Europeans got together and were like, “I want to be one of those Christ-killers who everyone gets psyched about murdering every Easter and Christmas and whenever something bad happens. Let’s do it, let’s call ourselves Ashkenazi Jews. Aren’t you so excited to be a pariah and flee from country to country and die at the sword of the Christians while saying the Shema? This is gonna be really fun! I was born a good European Christian, but there’s just something about living in constant fear for my life that I really am just ready to give all that up for. So yeah, this is why we’re converting to Judaism. Dunno how that’s going to happen since there is no diaspora and consequently no one to instruct us in Jewish law, no Jews to live among, no Rabbinic court to decide our conversion is proper, nor any mikva for us to immerse ourselves in, but I guess we’ll all just wing it.”

The diaspora was not a myth. Nor is it the whole story of the Jewish people, either. After being scattered from Eretz Yisroel we interacted with the cultures we came into contact with. We learned their languages, often adding a Jewish twist to them, and over time our pronunciation of Hebrew lost sounds that were no longer familiar to us, or changed them to more familiar sounds. Our food changed. We made art and poetry and music and philosophy, as a diaspora people.

Occasionally people made the decision to join our nation, and they did all the things they were required to do to join it, and became naturalized. This is just like how when we were still living in the Levant, lots of people were migrating in and becoming Jews, which is why even to this day we call converts “foreigners” (גרים). This is natural; migration has always been a huge thing in every area. The only strange thing Jews did was to take our identity with us no matter where we were, and consequently continue welcoming “foreigners” into the fold.

I’m not ever going to see eye-to-eye with the sort of “diasporism” that involves the absolute negation of our history in order to play to the views of certain leftist goyim who either don’t know any better, are malicious, or don’t have any opinions of their own. Just because someone believes Ashkenazi Jews are khazars and is going to call me a “Zionist” if I disagree, doesn’t mean I have to accept their false narrative.

[forthesamereasonibreathe]

Shema

SHEMA YISROEL ADONAI ELOHEINU ADONAI ECHAD

Every word in every language is a name for god

Let every inhale let it in and every exhale celebrate

That the knife they used to sever me from myself is also god

The borders racing through the cosmos like a knife champing at my heels like a beast

The snarl and snap of it is also a god

The money they offer me to buy back myself

The way my spirit screams and spits

The lungs aching sprint from here to everywhere

The dirt between my teeth, the weapons I have no target for but my own heart

The agony of forgetting and the agony of remembering

The brutal gods like organs in the body

Hear them, hear their jaws around my ankle, hear

Their howling in the exhale that begins the prayer,

Hear their singing in the inhale that follows the bite,

Adonai, adonai, adonai,

They are one.

[girlactionfigure]

11 Shevat - R’ Noach Weinberg - 2009

On this day in 2009, R’ Noach Weinberg passed away, making today his yartzeit.  R’ Noach as he was affectionately called was born on the Lower East Side of New York.  He was a descendant of the Chief Rabbi of the Slonimer Chasidic Dynasty.  After studying at Yeshivas Chaim Berlin in New York, Yeshivas Ner Yisroel in Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University, and Loyola University, R’ Noach became a salesman in his brother's business.  In his travels around America, he encountered many Jews in small communities who were very distant from their Jewish heritage.  The assimilation bothered him tremendously and motivated him to leave his job, move to Israel, and enter the field of Jewish Outreach. 

In 1966, R’ Noach attempted to open a school to train rabbis to inspire the unaffiliated Jews in the world.  It didn’t work.  He then tried to open a school in Bnei Brak for young men who had not been previously exposed to Torah learning or observant Jewish life. Again the institutions failed.  Then, in 1970, he launched Shema Yisroel which eventually became Ohr Somayach with 3 other Jewish Outreach Giants, R’ Nota Schiller, R’ Mendel Weinbach, and R’ Yaakov Rosenberg. Four years later, R’ Noach split away due to a difference in philosophy.  R’ Noach sought to inspire the assimilated students, teach them the basics, and then send them out to inspire others. 

In 1974, Aish HaTorah started with 5 students in an apartment in the Old City of Jerusalem.  Today, there are 25 branches on 5 continents.  R’ Noach also founded the Discovery Seminar which has been attended by over 100,000 people, The Hasbara Fellowships program to teach Israel advocacy, and Aish.com the most visited Jewish Educational resource online are also his brainchildren. 

Rabbi Pinchas L. Landis

[barzidovigeei]

Putting things back together again feels good! Of course if nothing much ever broke there wouldn't be ado about even nothing! "What a bother!" Winnie the Pooh! Markos 12:29-31 Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach answered, SHEMA YISROEL ADONOI ELOHEINU ADONOI ECHAD is harishonah. VAHAVTA ES ADONOI ELOHECHA BKHOL LVAVCHA UVECHOL NAFSHECHA UVECHOL MODECHA. [DEVARIM 6:4,5] And the shneyah is this, VAHAVTA LREACHA KAMOCHA [VAYIKRA 19:18]. There is not another mitzvah greater than these. https://www.instagram.com/p/CQuW6CDNo19/?utm_medium=tumblr

[mameleh-life]

Winter Shabbos Licht

So theres this song by Macklemore called " Good Old Days" and something about that song gets to me so much. I always have been someone who loved cherishing memories. I would get my best friends photo mugs and photo gifts and actually I still have a photo calendar that my best friends got me for my 14th birthday and it feels as special now as it did then. I think memories are more valuable than things because all the money in the world can't buy memories.

If this time is a time for anything I think it's a time for sharing and kindness and just forgetting the past and focusing on the present and sending good vibes out and focusing on the shefa that Hashem does put in this world and how incredible it is that we had so much for so long and we didnt even realize until it becomes scarce because Hashem has a way of showing us exactly what we've been taking for granted. On a personal level I had that happen that lightbulb moment where all of the sudden I realized things mean so little and all that seemed to glitter wasnt gold and that I was being influenced by things that were making me into something I'm not. I was born a yiddishe hippie, a bais yaakov girl with a flower child spirit [just like my layla] who just loved everyone and everything. And I was like that through my marriage too and it was only after my divorce that I experienced things that changed me temporarily I lost my shine I lost my spark because I was mesmerized by shiny things. But shiny things are fake and I lost so many real things in the process so many memories I could have made with real friends who were my life. And I guess this time brings out nostalgia in everyone but it also brings out alot of past and alot of what we could have done differently and I think its human nature to wonder what if we had chose differently, done things differently changed the course of our lives. But then it's also at this moment we realize does it really matter anyways because like that song that I love says

" And I ain't worried about the wrinkles around my smile

I've got some scars, I've been around

I've felt some pain, I've seen some things, but I'm here now

Those good old days"

And I really feel that, I look at my babies who knayna hara are growing and teaching me things and I feel that way I feel like okay I made some bad choices in my life. I am human I was mesmerized by shiny things and got lost in them while I lost myself, my mahus, my essence the Malky who was just lighthearted and carefree and laughed at everything and just wanted to make people happy but Baruch Hashem I got clarity and I'm here now and I have two babies in my arms who say shema with me, and cuddle with me and they are my nachas. And I have the memories of when Layla was just born and the amazing girls in my life who were there for me through all of it through everything and something I learned and can pass on is that no matter how many scars we have no matter what happens to us no matter how far down we fall if we finally decide to change the course of our lives if we finally make that choice to get back to the person we were inside before we fell well we can get back up again and maybe even put some good back into the world in the process.

We cant control what happens in life and times like this prove that but we can control how we react and sometimes we dont handle what happens to us well we let it change us, dim our light and all I can say is dont let anything ever dim your light noone who causes your light to be dimmed is ever worth it and the world needs light now more than ever. Before shabbos when we bentch licht we say yehi ratzon and this week I know so many beautiful women with inner beauty and outer beauty will be asking Hashem for yeshuos and refuos for gantze klal yisroel as my bubby would say. And ladies it's by the hands of women that b'nei yisroel were saved time and time again "al yidei nashim tzidkanyos nigalu avoseinu..." and this time shouldnt be any different biezras Hashem we should hopefully see yeshuos and refuos and mashiach bimheira biyameinu because we need him now more than ever. Stay lit🇮🇱

[shalomelohim]

Leiner Live in Odessa - Full Concert | שמחה ליינר הופעה חיה באודסה

En novembre 2017, Simcha Leiner s'est associé à Tikva Odessa et au réseau Shema Yisroel pour offrir une performance unique dans la vie des communautés juives d'Ukraine.

Douze des chansons les plus populaires de Simcha, ainsi que deux nouvelles compositions incroyables ont été arrang��es pour un orchestre symphonique de 62 musiciens dirigé par ♥Yochi Briskman ♥

Attention.... Perfection musicale !

Soyez bénis Frères et Soeurs Juifs du monde entier.

Tout pour la plus grande gloire et en l’honneur du Ha Maschia Yahshua, Roi des Juifs.

[madamlaydebug]

THE NATIVE AMERICANS ARE ISRAELITES BY BLOODLINE!

HERE IS THE PROOF >>

Here is where the separation of the tribes of Israel all began!!! >> The Kingdom of Israel was split in two by the Most High!

The Most High had prophecied that He would split the kingdom in two as a punishment for Israel for being disobedient to keep The Most High's Laws!

The Lord Raises Adversaries

1Kings 11:9 Read >> And the MOST HIGH was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the MOST HIGH Power of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,

1Ki 11:10 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the MOST HIGH commanded.

1Ki 11:11 Wherefore the MOST HIGH said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

1Ki 11:12 Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.

1Ki 11:13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.

1Ki 11:14 And the MOST HIGH stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom.

1Kings 11:31 And He said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the MOST HIGH, the Power of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:

1Kings 11:35 But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes.

1Ki 11:36 And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.

1Ki 11:37 And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.

1Ki 11:38 And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.

1Ki 11:39 And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever.

When Solomon died, between 926 and 922 BCE, the ten northern tribes refused to submit to his son, Rehoboam, and revolted.

From this point on, there would be two kingdoms of Hebrews: in the north - Israel, and in the south - Judah. The Israelites formed their capital in the city of Samaria, and the Judaeans kept their capital in Jerusalem. These kingdoms remained separate states for over two hundred years.

The lighter skinned 10 Northern tribes and the dark skinned Southern tribes of Judah, Benjamin and Levi who fled in 70AD from Roman persecution as prophecied by the Most High Power AHAYAH and YASHA Christ (the Messiah)!

The Prophecy of Christ of the Punishment of the Most High coming to the Judeans, from the Southern kingdom. YASHA Christ advises the people to flee into the Wilderness Africa! >> Luke 21:20 Read >> (Christ warned the Judeans before he died for our sins saying...) And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies (The Romans), then know that the desolation thereof is nigh (The Romans came to Murder the Israelites and Judeans in 70 AD).

Luk 21:21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains (the Atlas Mountains Africa); and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.

Luk 21:22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

The 10 Lost (Northern) Tribes of Israel are the people who got to the Americas first and the rightful owners of the Americas!

(2 Kings 17:3) Against (THE KING OF ISRAEL) came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria;(2 Kings 17:6) In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria,...

So Israel was carried away out of their own land. 2 Esdras (Bible KJV 1611 in the Apocrypha) 13: 40 Read >> Those are the ten northern tribes, which were carried away prisoners out of their own land in the time of Osea the king, whom Salmanasar the king of Assyria (modern day Syria) led away captive, into another land.

{13:41} But they took this counsel among themselves, that they would leave the multitude of the heathen, and go forth into a further country, where never mankind dwelt,

{13:42} That they might there keep their statutes, which they never kept in their own land.

{13:43} And they entered into Euphrates by the narrow places of the river.

{13:44} For The Most High then shewed signs for them, and held still the flood (of the sea), till they were passed over.

{13:45} For through that country there was a great way to go, namely, of a year and a half (it took the 10 Northern tribes of Israel 1.5 years on sea in boats to reach the new continent, we nowadays call America): and the same region is called Arsareth. (Prophet Esdras is speaking here of modern day America, North, Central and South!)

{13:46} Then dwelt they there until the latter time; and now when they shall begin to come, (later on in history, the Murdering Europeans lead by the Romans, the army of Satan, started with Columbus, the Roman)

Israel is scattered throughout the four corners of the earth! We are the biggest nation on the planet, all 12 tribes together, we are not the minority but the Majority of the nations! But the Most High Punished us for being disobedient to keep His Laws!

Deuteromy 4:27 Read >> And the MOST HIGH shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the MOST HIGH shall lead you.

Editors Note! >> After the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade of the Negro's of the Southern kingdom the 12 tribes of Israel were united again on the American continent which is our prison to fulfill the prophecies in Genesis 15:13 and Deuteronomy 28:68 (the curses for being disobedient, for NOT KEEPING the Most High's Laws, Statutes and Commandments)

Here is the Prophecy (Future Prediction) of the Downfall of Israel in Genesis 15:13 Read >> And He (The Most High Power AHAYAH Himself) said unto Abram (a.k.a. Abraham), Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; (Editors Note! Here we have the 400+ Years of Slavery written of in the Bible King James Version (KJV) 1611)

And...

Here is the Prophecy of our Downfall again in Deuteronomy 28:68 Read >> And the MOST HIGH shall bring thee into Egypt again (Egypt in this context means Bondage! The real name of the land we know as Egypt nowadays, is named "Mizrayim" or "Khemet" in ancient times) with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: (this means that this is the 6th and Last Time that Israel will be slave and see slavery, this means that after this period of slavery we are Free At Last! ) and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you. (this means that only The Most High, who has put you in this condition, He is the only One who can Free you... under One Condition, if you Keep His Laws, Statutes and Commandments, that's the Condition!!! You Better Wake Up!)

Israel is our homeland and we will get it back as promised to our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob by The Most High!

More Proof in secular (not connected with religious or spiritual matters) historical documentation in the book of >> "Lost Tribes and Promised Lands" by Ronald Sanders on pages 363

(Page 363) “Upon hearing her words they rose, went over to Montezinos and, to his utter astonishment, said: “Shema, Yisroel, Adonai Elohenu Adonai Ehod” (Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One”). THEY HAD RECITED, IN HEBREW, THE FUNDAMENTAL CREDO OF JEWS AND ISRAELITES.

Deuteronomy 6:4 Read >> Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

“THEY TOLD HIM THAT THEY WERE THEMSELVES OF THE TRIBE OF ***REUBEN,*** AND THAT THE TRIBE OF JOSEPH LIVED ON AN ISLAND NEARBY.”

HERE BELOW MORE ABOUT THE TRIBE OF REUBEN AND THE CONFUSION ABOUT HOW THIS TRIBE RESIDES IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD TODAY?!

HERE A WEBLINK WHICH WILL CLEAR UP THESE MISUNDERSTANDINGS AND CONFUSION! HERE IS THE STORY ABOUT REUBEN, THE FIRST BORN OF ISRAEL!

Many people don't understand how it is possible that the people from the tribe of Reuben, the first born of Jacob, can reside in different parts of the world and still be from one and the same tribe and nation of Israel?!

Tribe of Reuben Who are (what we know at the moment) the Native American Seminole of Florida USA, the Original Australians and the Surrounding Islands, Papua New Guinea, Solomon islands, Vanautu and New Caledonia.

Know the truth, know who you are! We are the sons and daughters of Jacob a.k.a. Israel... we are the children of the Most High God AHAYAH and we 're repenting and re-connecting through prayers and meditation and we're gonna get our blessings back and become the rulers of this planet under our king Yahsa (Jesus) Christ, keeping the Laws, Statutes and Commands of the Most High Power AHAYAH, for ever!

Praise AHAYAH, Praise YASHA, Praise RAWACH QADASH, Praise The POWERHEAD!

In The Name of YASHAYA!

Qam Yasharahla, Rise Israel!

Love Up! <3

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The 10 Commandments

1 And Moshe called kol Yisroel, and said unto them, Shema, Yisroel, to the chukkim and mishpatim which I speak in your ears today, that ye may learn them, and be shomer to do them.

2 Hashem Eloheinu made a Brit with us in Chorev.

3 Hashem made not this Brit with Avoteinu, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive today.

4 Hashem talked with you panim b’panim in the har out of the midst of the eish,

5 (I stood between Hashem and you at that time, to show you the Devar Hashem; for ye were afraid by reason of the eish, and went not up into the har) saying:

6 I am Hashem Eloheicha, Which brought thee out of Eretz Mitzrayim, from the bais avadim.

7 Thou shalt have no elohim acharim before Me.

8 Thou shalt not make thee any pesel, or any temunah of anything that is in Shomayim above, or that is in Ha’Aretz beneath, or that is in the mayim beneath ha’aretz;

9 Lo tishtachaveh (thou shalt not bow down thyself) unto them, nor serve them; for I Hashem Eloheicha am an El Kannah, visiting the iniquity of the avot upon the banim unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me,

10 And showing chesed unto thousands of them that love Me and are shomer over My mitzvot.

11 Thou shalt not take the Shem of Hashem Eloheicha in vain; for Hashem will not hold him guiltless that taketh Shmo in vain.

12 Keep shomer Shabbos to set Shabbos apart as kodesh as Hashem Eloheicha commanded thee.

13 Sheshet yamim thou shalt labor, and do all thy work:

14 But the Yom HaShevi’i is the Shabbos of Hashem Eloheicha: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy ben, nor thy bat, nor thy eved, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine donkey, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy ger that is within thy she’arim; that thy eved and thy amah may rest as well as thou.

15 And remember that thou wast an eved in Eretz Mitzrayim, and that Hashem Eloheicha brought thee out thence through a yad chazakah and by an outstretched zero’a; therefore Hashem Eloheicha commanded thee to be shomer Shabbos on Yom HaShabbat.

16 Honor thy av and thy em, as Hashem Eloheicha hath commanded thee; that thy yamim may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in ha’adamah which Hashem Eloheicha giveth thee.

17 Lo tirtzah (thou shalt not murder).

18 V’lo tinaf (neither shalt thou commit adultery).

19 V’lo tignov (neither shalt thou steal).

20 V’lo ta’aneh v’reacha ed shav (neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbor).

21 V’lo tachmod (neither shalt thou covet, desiring) thy neighbor’s wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbor’s bais, his sadeh, or his eved, or his amah, his ox, or his donkey, or any thing that is thy neighbor’s. — Deuteronomy 5:1-21 | Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB) Orthodox Jewish Bible Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International and the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Cross References: Genesis 15:13; Exodus 18:20; Exodus 19:18; Exodus 20:2-3 and 4; Exodus 20:17; Exodus 34:7; Leviticus 19:11; Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 29:1; Psalm 81:9; Matthew 5:21; Matthew 5:27; Matthew 5:33; Matthew 15:4; Matthew 19:18; Mark 2:27; Luke 13:14; Luke 23:56; Romans 7:7; Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 8:9

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Rav Shach was the leader of the Yeshiva world, and hundreds of thousands of Bnei Torah and Talmidei Chachamim considered a privilege to be able to follow the direction of this giant of Torah, Avodas Hashem, and loving kindness to all Jews. As the Steipler ZT”L once commented about him, “Rav Shach’s instinctive thoughts represent the Torah’s opinion.”

But the mind boggling level that this man has reached, and the merits that he has accumulated in his lifetime, have earned for him far more than just to have over one half a million admirers at his funeral and people the world over revering him as the greatest Jew in the world today.

From the time Rav Shach was a little boy, he was recognized not only as a genius and Torah prodigy, but also as a Tzadik whose humility and love for Torah and for all Jews went far beyond mere greatness. As time progressed, these qualities grew even greater to the point where he was considered by most in the Yeshiva world to be the Godol HaDor – the greatest Jew of our generation.

His dedication to Hashem even as a young boy was remarkable. He recalled when he was a venerable Rosh Yeshiva, how when he was a young boy he once missed the Zman Krias Shema of the Magen Avraham. He of course made the Zman of the GRA, but since he didn’t fulfill the Mitzvah even above and beyond the call of duty, he cried that entire day.

Once, when he was a little kid playing and his Yarlmuka accidentally fell off, his mother cried, saying “Elizezer, what will be with your Yiras Shamayim?” (The Gemora states that wearing a Yarlmuka brings Yiras Shamayim). Rav Shach would later say “Since then, whenever my Yarlmuka would accidentally fall off, even in my sleep, I would cry, and think to myself, ‘Eliezer! What will be with your Yiras Shamayim?”

When Eliezer Shach was just 7 years old, his Rebbi advised his parents to send him away to a Yeshiva Gedolah, since he already taught Eliezer all that he possibly could. His parents sent him to Ponovezh, where he became almost an adopted son and student of Rav Yitzchok Blazer ZTL, the talmid muvhak of Rav Yisroel Salanter ZTL. He learned there until his Bar Mitzvah, at which time he went to Slabodka, to learn by the Alter ZTL, and from there, he went to the elite Yeshiva of Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer ZTL.

He was known for his total dedication to learning, to the truth, and for his limitless dedication and mesiras nefesh to serve Hashem. When World War I broke out, the students in the Slutzk Yeshiva all left for home. All except one, that is. Eliezer Shach remained the only student in the Bais Medrash while the world around him was aflame. Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer ZTL, the Rosh yeshiva asked the young boy to come live in his own home. “If you are living in my home,” he said, “I am confident that the merit of your Torah will protect us and no bombs will fall on our home.”

When he was in Yeshiva, he was poverty stricken, and possessed only one shirt. Every Erev Shabbos, he would wash the shirt in honor of Shabbos, letting it drip-dry in the cold Lithuanian wind. In the meantime, he wore no shirt and suffered the terrible, biting cold. When he finally put on his shirt for Shabbos, it was literally frozen. “It was for Kovod Shabbos,” he said. “The shirt felt wonderful.”

About a half-century later, at the funeral of an old friend, Rav Shach was seen standing in the freezing rain, shivering, without a coat or umbrella. His students immediately approached him offering him proper protection from the freezing cold and rain. “Thanks but no thanks,” he said. “The niftar once gave me a coat when I had none when I was in Yeshiva. Now, at his funeral, I want to feel what I felt then so I can have proper gratitude for what he did for me.”

His greatest pleasure in the world, his only pleasure in the world, was serving Hashem and learning Torah. The passion with which he would approach a Torah discussion or a mitzvah was awesome to behold. Once, soldiers came into the Bais Medrash during WWI, and found him there all alone. They proceeded to beat him almost to the point of unconsciousness. The next day, his friends and Rebbeim were horrified at the bruises that covered his body. “Don’t worry,” he said to them. “When they came into the Bais Medrash, I was in the middle of studying a piece in the Ketzos HaChoshen. I was so involved in the Ketzos that I didn’t even feel the pain.”

The Stoliner Rebbe ZT”L went to seek the advice of Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzinski ZT”L regarding hiring a Rosh Yeshiva for the Stoliner Yeshiva. Other Rabbonim were present at the discussion as well. In the middle of the meeting the door opens, and standing there is a young married Torah scholar by the name of Rabbi Eliezer Shach, his face lit up. “I figured it out!” he exclaimed excitedly. “I have the answer to the difficulty in the Gemora that we discussed the other day.”

One of the Rabbonim present expressed annoyance at this sudden interruption of their meeting.

“No,” said the Stoliner Rebbe. “Someone with such enthusiasm and fiery devotion to learning is exactly what I want to head my Yeshiva.” And Rav Shach became the Rosh Yeshiva of the Stoliner Yeshiva.

The great Gaon and Tzadik, Brisker Rav ZTL, used say that when he would have a Torah thought, he would think, “What would Rav Lazer Shach say about this thought?” By thinking in those terms, the Brisker Rav used to say, he would be able to correct, improve, and fine-tune his Torah ideas. “Rav Shach has exceptional sharpness and depth and breadth of knowledge, in all areas of Torah.”

LOVE FOR JEWS

Rav Shach was a paragon of Ahavas Yisroel. AT the yearly Yarchei Kallah of Chinuch Atzmai, he would cry with tears streaming down his cheeks for the non-religious Jews who “don’t know a posuk in chumash”. His efforts on behalf of Kiruv was legendary. He was the head of Chinuch Atzmai, and advisor and mentor to countless organizations and individuals in the Kiruv field.

Often, parents would bring their small children to Rav Shach, who would invariably speak to them about whatever it was they were learning in Yeshiva. If Rav Shach saw that the child was not learning up to par, her personally would go to the Cheder and discuss with the Rebbe what can be done to help the child learn better.

He recognized the greatness of all Torah traditions, shitos, and approaches. Even loved Chasidim, Litvaks, and Sefardim alike, and honored the leaders of all denominations of Torah Jews. Even though he worked hard to attain votes for the parties that he endorsed, when a Chosid would come to him asking him who to vote for, he would invariably respond, “Vote for whoever your rebbe tells you.”

Rav Shach used to collect the Sidurim and other Seforim from the tables in the Ponovesh Yeshiva himself. When students insisted that they take over this burden, Rav Shach replied that taking care of a Bais Medrash is a privilege and he would never give it to anyone else.

Rabbi Eliezer Bloch of Monsey relates that when he once went to visit Rav Shach. When Rav Shach found out that Rabbi Bloch knows a certain family in Cleveland, Rav Shach proceeded to take out candies and allocate a few candies for each child in the family. “He had a child this-and this long ago. That would make the child X years old. Pleas give him these candies. He proceeded to calculate the exact amount of candies needed for the children and sent Rabbi Bloch back to the USA with the package.

When he was still a young man in Russia, one of the great threats looking for Yeshiva students was being drafted into the Russian Army. Rav Shach would repeatedly risk his life to help his peers by posing as them in front of the draft board. His short stature and weak disposition exempted “them” from Army duty.

One of the things Rav Shach was known for all his life was his total and uncompromising dedication to the truth. “I don’t care if only 10 people come to my burial: he remarked. “I will not compromise on the truth.” The Slonimer Rebbe ZTL, after hearing how Rav Shach once interrupted and rebuked a speaker in the middle of a sermon for saying anti-Torah things, remarked, “Rav Shach embodies the Mishnaic command, ‘In a place where there are no men, strive to be a man!’”

Never, ever would Rav Shach give even his own family special consideration over other Jews. For positions in the Yeshiva, for political “pull”, and for other privileges, Rav Shach never let personal interests even come close to affecting his policy. Everyone knew when Rav Shach said something, it was free and clean of any personal reasons.

Rav Shach ZTL was sought after for advice, blessings, and Torah decisions by the simplest to the greatest of all facets of Jewry. Every problem that crossed his table, from the smallest to the largest, was considered by him of soul-wrenching importance. He felt the pain of every Jew in pain, the happiness of every Jew who was happy, and never ever did anything but his utmost to go out of his way for each and every Jew in the world, who he loved dearly.

Once a 15 year old girl came banging on his door without an appointment, interrupting an important meeting, but Rav Shach, recognizing that what the girl had to say what obviously important, let her in and asked her what was wrong. “My parents want to take me out of the school I am in and put me in a less religious school, and I don’t want to go,” the girl said. “Can you help me please?” Instead of telling her to speak to her principal or her local rabbi, or some other referral, or giving her some kind of advice, which is common procedure in such a case, Rav Shach told the girl, “Don’t worry. That will not happen.” He proceeded to call her parents personally, arrange a meeting with them and convinced them not to switch the girl’s school.

Rav Shach’s Rebetzen reports that until he fell ill in recent years, he would sleep only 2 hours at night, fall asleep at a sefer, and continue learning when he woke up, until he fell asleep again from exhaustion.

Because of his monumental greatness in Torah learning, his absolute dedication to the truth, his disregard for public opinion and fearlessness of the enemies of Hashem, his devotion and intense love for every single Jew, religious or otherwise, and his indescribable level of Avodas Hashem, he was considered to be the highest authority in Torah and Hashkafa matters in the Yeshiva world today.

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Tefillin Our connection to Hashem

Tefillin are a set of black leather boxes that contain Hebrew parchment scrolls. Jewish men wear it on their arm and head during weekday morning prayer. A set of Tefillin includes the box, the strap, and the scrolls. Tefillin are among the most powerful mitzvahs in the Torah. It reminds the wearer that they should harness their actions, intellect, and emotions to the service of G‑d.

Tefillin are available in different sizes. Prices can vary significantly based on differences in quality. Tefillin are divided into three different categories based on the quality of the leather boxes. The simplest Tefillin are called Tefillin Peshutim. It’s made from two pieces of leather.

Those that are made from a thick piece of leather are known as Tefillin Gassot. This is the most expensive and durable type of Tefillin. You can also find a pair of Tefillin that is made from a thin piece of leather. It is called Tefillin Dakkot.

Male Jews after the age of 13 years have to lay a pair of Tefillin. Although women are usually exempted from the duty, some early codifiers allowed them, women, to do it as well. Some females kept the ceremony in medieval Germany and France. Today, both men and women choose to wear a pair of Tefillin. Wearing of Tefillin remains a male-only responsibility in the Orthodox movement. In egalitarian movements, women may do it as an obligation. For instance, girls in SAR High School are allowed to wrap Tefillin during morning prayers or Shacharit.

There are some exemptions as well. Those suffering from stomach-trouble or in pain and can’t focus their mind is exempt from wrapping Tefillin. A bridegroom on his wedding-day and mourners during the first day of their mourning period are also exempt. Those who are studying Law, as well as dealers and scribes of Tefillin, are exempt too if their work can’t be postponed.

About the mitzvah of Tefillin

This mitzvah is said to be equivalent to the whole Torah and is one of the three mitzvot which constitute an “OT” – a sign. A Sign of the special connection between the Jewish people and God. (The other two mitzvahs that are considered a “sign” are circumcision and Shabbat).

The first encounter with tefillin takes place by the age of 13, the bar mitzvah, unlike other mitzvot which taught to children from an early age. According to Jewish law, this mitzvah takes place during the daytime and not at night, on a weekday and not on Shabbat and holidays, when women are exempt from having to participate in this mitzvah.

What is Tefillin?

Tefillin is made out of two black leather boxes, containing a leather sheet, on which are written four passages from the Torah (also called “the four parshiot”). There are two main methods regarding the order of the parshiot in it – the Rashi method and the Rabbeinu Tam method. Most people buy Rashi ones. Each of the leather boxes containing the four parshiot connected to black leather straps. This mitzvah divided into two parts: The part of the hand (shel yad) and The part of the head (shel Rosh).

How to put on Tefillin?

tefillin shel rosh

First, wear the tefillin of the hand (shel yad) and then the tefillin of the head (shel Rosh). The hand tefillin are placed on the weak hand – usually the left hand. If a person is right-handed, he will put it on his left arm, and if he is left-handed, he will place the tefillin on his right arm. (a left-handed person needs to pay attention when buying a Tefillin that it indeed meant for left-handed people.

It usually is mentioned in the product description). The head tefillin must be placed just ABOVE the natural hairline, precisely in the middle. After you put them on your arm, and before you tie the straps, you should say the blessing of putting on Tefillin. Immediately after placing the part of the hand, the part of the head should be set without interruption between them. When you say the blessing, also aim for the head part (shel Rosh).

Why are they painted black?

The answer can found in the verses of Shema Yisrael, one of the central prayers recited during tefillin. At Shma Yisroel we proclaim that the Creator of the world is the One and Only: The Lord our God is One! The leather sheet inside the tefillin boxes also contains the verses of the Shema. Black color has a unique feature: it is absolute. Other colors cannot overcome it. This unique trait of black color symbolizes the perfect unity of God, a complete and total unity.

From the words of the Lubavitcher Rebbe about the tefillin

“In the midst of every human being there is a constant struggle between reason and emotion, and when the mind becomes powerless, and emotion dominates without straining, the results will be tragic. The tefillin of the head are worn on the head, the seat of the intellect, while those of the hand are placed on the left hand, facing the heart. The message: to harness the mind and emotion together with their main place of residence – the arm and the head – to the work of the Creator. “

How Are Tefillin Made?

There are hundreds of detailed rules that govern the manufacturing processes of the parchment scrolls and the boxes. The Tefillin were either cubical or cylindrical in the earlier Talmudic times, but the cylindrical form became outdated later on. Today, the boxes should be made from one piece of animal hide that is kosher and creates a base with an upper box to contain the scrolls. These boxes are made at different quality levels.

Tefillin Gassot

Peshutim is the most basic form, and it’s crafted from several pieces of parchment to create the head Tefillin’s inner walls. Dakkot is the higher quality Tefillin, and it’s made from a thin piece of leather. The most durable option is called Gassot, and it is made from one piece of hiding. Leather straps that are black in color pass secure the Tefillin onto the wearer’s body. The Hebrew letter shin is molded on both sides of the head Tefillin. The texts should be written with ink that is halachically acceptable. The parchment used should be halachically acceptable as well. The letters should be written in order. Any error invalidates the text.

A sofer, a specially trained scribe, uses a quill pen to inscribe the scrolls in black ink. He needs to purify himself in the ritual bath or mikvah before he starts working on the scrolls. The parchment, straps, and boxes are made from a kosher animal. Each of the Tefillin boxes contains 1594 letters, which are personally written by the scribe. If one letter is incorrectly written or missing or an extra letter was written, the Tefillin are invalid.

Four passages from the Torah are inscribed on the scrolls. These passages include Kadesh, VeHayah Ki Yeviacha, The Shema and VeHayah Im Shamoa. The arm Tefillin has a single chamber, with all the passages written on one scroll. The head Tefillin has 4 chambers, with the passages written on 4 different scrolls. There’s also a raised Hebrew letter shin on each side of the head Tefillin. 

The scrolls are placed in small leather boxes that have been painted black and pressed into seamlessly geometrical shapes and smooth planes. The upper portion of the boxes is a perfect cube. The lower part is flatter and wider than the upper portion. It also has a slit through where the strap is threaded and knotted.  

The straps are painted black on one side. The arm Tefillin has a small loop that can be adjusted. The head Tefillin’s loop is large and fixed. The arm Tefillin’s knot is in the shape of the Hebrew letter “yud,” while the head strap is knotted in the shape of “daled.”

Jewish males over 13 years old should fulfill the mitzvah of Tefillin by wearing it anytime during the day. They recite a blessing and read the Shema prayer. Tefillin are traditionally worn during weekday morning prayers. It’s not worn on major Jewish holidays and Shabbat.

The head Tefillin are worn on the head like a crown. The box rests above the hairline in the center of the wearer’s forehead. The arm Tefillin are strapped either onto the right or left arm, with the box resting against the heart. The rest of the strap is wound around the arm 7 times.

Why Jewish Men Wear Tefillin

Mitzvah comes from the root word tzavta, which translates to the connection. A mitzvah establishes a bond between man and G-d. Tefillin can be considered as the ultimate mitzvah. One of the boxes is placed on the head, teaching a man to dedicate themselves to the service of G‑d in everything that they do, think and feel. The other box rests against the heart, the base of emotions.

How to Purchase Tefillin

Tallit and Tefillin together

A lot of effort and effort goes into making Tefillin, so expect the prices to be quite high. The raw materials are also expensive. Tefillin usually cost between $300 and $1,000. If you find one below this price range, you should be wary because it is most likely not authentic.

It’s also important to know which pair is right for you. Tefillin Gassot is the most expensive, but it is exceptionally durable and easier to repair than the other types. While Tefillin Peshutim is the most affordable option, it’s also the lowest quality. Consider your budget when buying a pair of Tefillin. Get the best one that you can afford. You can still accomplish the mitzvah of Tefillin with even the cheapest pair, but make sure that they are kosher.

After identifying the right pair for you, it is time to find a reputable source of Tefillin. If you don’t have any idea where to look, you can contact your local rabbi for some advice. Before you buy a pair of Tefillin, you have to discuss some matters with the source. Ask which nusach or custom they follow. Chabad, Ashkenaz, and Sefard are the standard customs. Different customs will affect the style of the Hebrew letters inscribed on the scroll and the way the straps are knotted. You should also consider your dominant arm when choosing a pair of Tefillin. Since the arm Tefillin’s box is placed on the less dominant arm, your choice will affect where the knot will be secured in the strap.

You should also know how to take care of your Tefillin. The ink on the scroll can fade or crack due to changes in weather or temperature. The leather of the straps and boxes can become damaged or warped over time. Avoiding hard knocks can help prevent most damage to the straps and boxes. Don’t rub the leather unnecessarily. You can also store your Tefillin in wood or plastic outer covers to protect it when it’s not being used. The cover should fit the box because if they don’t, they won’t be able to protect your Tefillin.

Don’t leave your Tefillin in the car for long periods. It should be stored at room temperature. You should also minimize its exposure to moisture to prevent discoloration. Have your Tefillin checked at least twice every seven years by a skilled scribe to make sure that the scrolls are still kosher. If the Tefillin hit something or fell, you should have it checked by a scribe immediately. Tefillin that are not used daily or lower quality ones should be checked often.

Purchasing Q & A

Tefillin Sephardic

If you have small old Tefillin at home from your grandfather or father, should you check it before use?

Tefillin that haven’t been used regularly should be examined. Even if the Tefillin were kosher before, their kashrut had expired a long time ago. This is why it is essential to check them because there’s a high possibility that the moment the Tefillin are opened, they won’t be in the best shape.  

Why are the benefits of housings crafted from behaima gassa?

Housings crafted from behaima gassa are more durable and superior halachically. The housing’s thickness is about 0.2 inches, and due to this thickness, any damage or dent can be fixed. Housings crafted of behaima daka have to be changed even if they only have a slight damage. No matter how small damage is, it is irreparable. Housings made from leather of behaima daka are also halachically inferior.

Why should your computer check a new parshiyot and how can you make ensure that this process has been done?

A computer check ensures that there’s no missing, invalid or extra letter on the scroll. Each computer test provides a photo and printout of a portion of the handwriting. If the source did not provide proof of this process, you should be wary because the source may not have conducted a computer check.

There are several “brands” in Israel, but is it better to buy from them?

Not all “brands” provide a high-quality product. Sometimes, a “brand name” serves an excuse for them to set higher prices for their products due to expensive advertising costs. The “brand name” is usually on the housing or boxes. These “brands” buy the parshiyot or portions from different sofrim or scribes. However, they don’t know all of these scribes personally. You have to purchase from a source that provides reliable professional and personal attention for their products. They should be able to tell you which scribe wrote the parshiyot. Reliable established manufacturers should produce the housings that they buy.

Why is a pair of Tefillin costly?

The cost of the Tefillin is affected by two factors – the written parshiyot and the housing. The parashiyot is the most significant part of the Tefillin. It can take 2 days or longer to write the parshiyot. Writing also requires great proficiency. The housings of the Tefillin are made from leather sourced from the hide of a special kosher animal. The hide is softened, folded or bended to create the housings. This is a lengthy process that can take months. Thicker leather or Behaima Gassa improves the Tefillin and increases its price. Tefillin made from thinner leather, or behaima daka is cheap, but its quality is poor.

What does parshiyot mehudarot mean? What level is considered superior?

You have to know the difference between the artistic writing at the “printing” level and superior writing on the halachic level. It is also important to consider the sofer’s unique attributes and devotion. This is where the costs of Tefillin increase. You should think carefully and decide if it is worth investing in it. There are mitzvah halachic rulings that can’t be seen by the public. You can look at the costs of parshiyot and rate them from 1 to 10. The lower levels might be barely kosher. When identifying the Tefillin’s level of superiority, you should consider the halachic aspect or write according to religious laws or halachot. Never compromise on the quality of your Tefillin.

Can Tefillin be delivered through the mail?

Tefillin can be sent through the mail, but it should be labeled as fragile and wrapped in protective layers. Since the Tefillin are a sacred object, they should get special attention.

Is it better to purchase Tefillin boxes crafted from behaima daka at first and then upgrade to superior boxes once he grows up?

Yes, it is. Some parents think that their child will forget his pair of Tefillin somewhere, so they buy a cheaper one at first. They believe that it is a waste of money to purchase the expensive ones because their child will lose it. You should write your phone number and your child’s name on the boxes that contain the Tefillin or on the Tefillin container or bag. This way, the Tefillin can be returned if your child loses it. Your child can learn to improve the good deeds or mitzvoth when he turns 13. In Israel, man can learn to enhance the mitzvoth during their army service. Never compromise on the cost of the parshiyot.

Is a computer test enough?

What you need to realize is that a computer test is not enough. While the computer is an excellent tool for identifying what is extra or missing, other defects need personal examination by a certified proofreader. In other words, the parshiyot should undergo proofreading by a qualified proofreader. A computer test is not needed during subsequently scheduled checkups because it is unlikely that the letters have vanished with time.

What’s the difference between housings made from behaima daka and housings crafted from a behaima daka?

Housings crafted from behaima daka are called superior plain, while housings made of behaima daka are called plain or simple. The housings or boxes called superior plain are not of genuinely superior quality, except when being compared to the usual “plain.” The plain options are not recommended as they are extremely inferior. This is because they are made of raw materials, which are composed of many extremely thin pieces of leather glued together. These options are borderline kosher.

Is there a commandment to own a pair of Tefillin? Is it okay to use borrowed Tefillin to fulfill the mitzvah?

You can still fulfill the mitzvah using a pair of borrowed Tefillin. There’s nothing wrong with using borrowed Tefillin, provided that they properly fit on your head. You can use borrowed Tefillin even regularly. The Tefillin used can belong to any person, but the placement of the boxes and the fit should be correct. Through mitzvah, you are signing or indicating your connection with the more in-depth contents of the text in the Tefillin.

Do you need to settle for carelessly written parshiyot when buying housing made of behaima daka?

Since the “market” wishes for a cheaper package, they provide a complete package that contains inferior parshiyot. Remember that the parshiyot is the important component of the Tefillin. If it’s economically feasible, try to invest in superior parshiyot.

When should you check the pair of Tefilin?

Most halachic authorities or poskim say that if a pair of Tefillin has been checked correctly, there’s no need to check again provided that it comes with a kashrut certification. If the Tefillin are used often and the paint shows no external signs of swelling, which could be a sign of the harsh effects of humidity or the sun, you can depend on the earlier examination. The test itself can damage the ink and the housings.

If the corners of the boxes or straps are showing signs of damage or the external paint has peeled, you should get the Tefillin fixed. However, repairing the outside of the Tefillin doesn’t involve any form of interference with the inside of the boxes. This is applicable after the Tefillin have gone through proper preliminary tests. Boxes with noticeable damage on the corners should be fixed as well. The perfect square shape of the boxes will be affected if the corners are worn out.

How do large families handle the expenses involved in bar mitzvah?

Bar mitzvah involves a catered meal in an extravagant hall, an impressive ceremony and the Tefillin. Some families spend a significant amount of money on the child’s bar mitzvah. There’s no halachic ruling which requires a person to have an expensive ceremony. They are not even obligated to purchase a pair of Tefillin. They only need to “lay” Tefillin. A simple celebration of bar mitzvah includes a family gathering, some light refreshment, and Torah reading.  The primary concern of families is getting a set of Tefillin. The bar mitzvah will wear the Tefillin for the rest of his life.

When should you replace the leather straps?

It’s important to know when to replace the leather straps. The width of the straps should be at least 0.4 inches. Even a small tear will make the straps invalid. If the damage is at the tip of the straps on an extra length on the arm Tefillin, there’s no problem. However, the entire strap should be changed if the tear is found at other places. If the whole strap of the head Tefillin is intact, you can relax because it is kosher.  If some of the ink has rubbed off, the damaged parts should be re-colored. You can buy a suitable felt marker to fix this damage. A new set of straps is not expensive.

If you purchase kosher for your house, should you get the super kosher tefillin?

Wearing Tefillin is a critical mitzvah. It’s observed every day on most days of the year. The boxes of the Tefillin are made of a thin kosher animal skin that is non-repairable. You will be obliged to purchase newer boxes or housings even if only a short period has passed. The parshiyot inside the boxes are the heart of the Tefillin. Cheap parshiyot are written hastily and carelessly that sometimes, it is hard to recognize the shape of the letters.

If you have the opportunity and enough money, it is best that you purchase higher quality parshiyot and cheaper housings. Although there are several levels of superior kosher or kashrut mehuderet, it is best that you get no less than the basic mehuderet level. Some people buy Tefillin after considering the splendor of the writing or the character of the sofer. The Tefillin should be halachically sound at the beginning. The Tefillin’s long life and durability will be enough to compensate for the cost.

Can you move parshiyot from old boxes to new ones?

You can move parshiyot from old boxes to new ones. If you have a pair of Tefillin, there’s a good chance that the parshiyot have appropriately been preserved and can use again when transferred to new boxes.

Do you need to get the parshiyot from the head and arm from the same sofer?

You don’t need to get the parshiyot from the head and arm from the same sofer. If you want to buy the parshiyot from a different scribe, you are free to do so.

Why is it common to lay Tefillin during morning prayers or Shacharit?

The time allotment of Tefillin is all day, but most people lay Tefillin during morning prayers or Shacharit. If you don’t have a pair of Tefillin during morning prayers, you can pray or daven without them. You can lay Tefillin at another point during the day.

When should you start laying the Tefillin?

The responsibility to lay Tefillin starts at the age of 13 and 1 day. Different customs are observed in the community. Some boys wait for the Torah obligation and the big day, while others lay Tefillin 2 or 3 months before becoming bar mitzvah.

What if the sewing thread has torn in some parts? Can you continue to lay Tefillin with a blessing or bracha?

If the sewing thread is torn in 3 places, you can’t make a bracha. You can still make a bracha if the sewing thread is ripped in fewer places.

Where should you place the arm Tefillin?

You should put the arm Tefillin on your non-dominant hand. The box is placed at the height of your heart.

Where should you place the head Tefillin?

You should not place the head Tefillin between the eyes or on the forehead. Don’t rest the Tefillin anywhere else. It should be placed above the front hairline above your eyes.

What if there’s a kosher sticker at the bottom of the box for the head Tefillin?

The kosher sticker is placed during the production of the boxes. It confirms that the box for the head is superior quality kosher. However, you should keep in mind that this sticker doesn’t have anything to do with the parashiyot quality. You have to remove the sticker before using the box.

Why is there no sticker on the box of the arm Tefillin?

The arm Tefillin doesn’t have a sticker because it is quite simple to produce and there’s no chance of fraud.

When you wear the Tefillin, you will be connecting to and fulfilling the will of G‑d. You have to remind yourself to become a better person and that you are doing something that your ancestors did. Moreover, you are improving the chances that your descendants will want to do it as well. The straps connect you to past, present, and future and G-d.

Different Types:

TEFILLIN DAKKOT – FROM GOAT/SHEEP’S SKIN:

Those are considered good Tefillin and are less pricey, but aren’t considered as preferable as the next kind.

TEFILLIN GASSOT – FROM CATTLE SKIN:

Those are more expensive and are considered superior to Tefillin Dakot, according to Halacha.

TEFILLIN GASSOT – FROM CATTLE SKIN – MEHUDAR:

These Tefillin are made from cattle skin as well but created with more “hidoorim” than the regular Tefillin Gassot. Considered to be the best of the best, they are also the most sturdy and expensive ones.

[kevindurkiin]

Stanley Black – Israel 20 (1968)

Playlist

A1– Orchestra* & Choir* Overture – Shema A2– Orchestra* & Choir* Am Yisroel Chai A3– Diana Coupland Kinneret A4– Avigal Ikin Yemenite Song (Chus Elohai) A5– Libby Morris & Company* Heat Of The Desert (El Midbari) A6– Gerry Marsden & The Emmanuel Fisher Choir Massada B1– Company* Reunion Of The Reserves (Pgisha Bemiluim) B2– Monty Norman & Choir* Sharm Al Sheikh (Sharm A Sheik) B3– Bernard Bresslaw, Davy Kaye & Company* Nasser V. Rubin B4– Daliah Lavi & Choir* Yerushala’im Shel Zahav B5– Choir* Hatikvah

This LP is donated by denyspr

Stanley Black – Israel 20 (1968) published first on https://soundwizreview.tumblr.com/