It’s Adar.
Be Happy!
Tonight begins the new Hebrew month which is called Adar.
We are taught that as we enter the month of Adar we are to increase our joy.
There is only one another month where we are given instructions about joy.
That is the Hebrew month called Av which falls in the summer months.
When we enter the month of Av which is the month we suffered national tragedies of the destruction of our Temple in Jerusalem, the direction is to decrease our joy.
It therefore seems that as a people we are always supposed to be joyful.
Sometimes more.
Sometimes less.
It seems to be a counterintuitive direction for us right now.
We are going through such a difficult time.
The war continues.
The hostages are still not home.
Antisemitism abounds.
Yet we are supposed to be happy.
How are we to reconnect to joy?
This week’s Torah portion is called Mishpatim, which means laws.
This portion is chock a block full of laws regarding civil rights and torts.
Let me remind you that just last week we were at Mount Sinai.
There we stood as a nation at the foot of the mountain and experienced a national revelation of Gd.
It was a sound and light show of epic proportions that puts Stone Mountain to shame.
It is curious, perhaps even odd, that this elevated experience would be followed by 53 seemingly mundane laws which govern the daily grind of life.
These commandments which seem picayune, are in fact the rubric which allows us to live Mount Sinai every day.
These laws which instruct us how to be good neighbors, care for those who are vulnerable, and detail how we are to act with others, are the framework of kindness for our society. In this construction there will be a voice for the downtrodden and the mute while we spread light - because as a nation we know what it means to sit in darkness.
These commandments are the pinpoints of light which will disperse darkness.

Day 118!
Lessons from the War.
Hannah, the wife of Uriel Cohen shared about her husband who fell in the war.
She shared that one of her husband’s unique qualities was the light that radiated from his face. He had a big smile, kind eyes, a glowing smile.
Our Sages teach us that one of the highest levels of kindness is to give a smile to another, to share the light of one’s joy with another.
Uriel, whose name contains the Hebrew word for light, truly shone the light of Hashem in this world.
When someone passes away, their characteristics are “ up for grabs”.
Maybe we want to catch this characteristic of being a light in someone’s day, dispelling a little darkness. That will be Uriel’s living legacy.
We can be moved to action by his example.
I read about Ditza Or, whose last name means light.
She is the mother of Avinatan Or, who has been kidnapped in Gaza for 118 days.
She shared how she deals with the pain.
Every morning when she wakens, until 11am, she allows herself to feel all the difficult emotions. She cries, she feels afraid. This is the time when her protective mechanisms are low and she allows herself to feel all the feelings.
But after 11am, she closes that gate. She protects her soul. She functions and does what needs to be done for herself and her family.
She acts.
She is not frozen.
She learned this concept from the Tanya, written by Rabbi Shneur Zelman of Liadi.
He teaches that a person should give space for pain in fixed times, times that are set aside in advance.
This allows one to control the pain instead of allowing the pain to be in control.
This is how she copes.
This is an action that can move us. When we are in our own moments of pain, we can hold onto this life giving point of light from Ditza Or.
This is how she acts and functions.
For 118 days.
The next lesson comes from Oriya Mesh HYD.
Another person whose name is built on the root word of light and who we have lost as he fell in Gaza, protecting us.
Another bright light has been extinguished.
But Oriya ztzl left light filled teachings in his notebooks.
One of his teachings:
“If we do not work on correcting our character traits, if we don’t focus on making our souls shine brightly, we are hopelessly stuck and mired in place.”
Oriya is teaching us that we cannot allow ourselves to remain static. We have to continue to move and grow.
This is the legacy Oriya has bequeathed us.
These snippets of greatness are shared by Sivan Rahav Meir.

Tu B'Shvat, the New Year for the Trees, was today. It is a minor holiday celebrating the "birthday" of the trees, which has significance in the Torah's agricultural laws. It also reminds us of the Sages' comparison of man to a tree.
Why on earth (no pun intended) do we celebrate the birthday of the trees?
Moreover, since it’s over already, what is the point of mentioning it?
There are many lessons we can take from this holiday that go far beyond the day itself.
The first obvious question is why do we celebrate the trees in the dead of winter?
At this time of year the tree almost looks lifeless, the branches are bare and there is no fruit and seemingly no life.
But Rashi, the super commentator explains that on Tu B’Shvat (TU stands for the number 15 in Hebrew, so it literally means the 15th day of the month called Shvat) the sap behind to move deep within the tree. This miraculous action of the sap is an indication that the tree is not dead after all, indeed it is experiencing a rebirth, a rejuvenation. Even though this activity is not visible to the naked eye, it is nonetheless occurring.
What a powerful message to inspire and uplift us during difficult times.
Despite the fact that everything around us seems hopeless and we are deep in the winter of discontent, (what an understatement,)we can rest assured that deep beyond the surface, salvation is stirring.
Truly hope springs eternal.
Another idea suggested by Rabbi Rowe is that unlike other vegetation which grows quickly and obviously, a tree looks like a paltry stick for a long time.
Then, all of a sudden, it blossoms and creates a leafy canopy with its leaves.
The tree awakens within us the voice of wisdom that with time and effort, we too can bloom. It supports the message that we need to tend to ourselves, that growth takes effort, but with time, the greatness within will start to blossom forth.
Which leads us to the third idea which is always alluded to in connection with TuBshvat which is the verse from Deuteronomy 20:19 “man is like the tree of the field”

Lieutenant Yaakov Elian fell in Gaza one month ago. Sivan Rahav Meir met with Keren, his sister, at a memorial service for him that was held at the elementary school — Emunim in Givatayim — the he attended as a child. Keren made a request of those who were there as follows:
“This coming Shabbat is the Bar Mitzvah Shabbat of Yaakov when we read the Torah portion of Bo. It would please us if everyone who reads and studies this Torah portion would do so in the merit of Yaakov ben Yoram.”
So here is a verse from the parasha, in memory of Yaakov, that we can learn: “In order that you should tell it in the ears of your son and your son’s son . . . and you shall know that I am the Lord.”
In other words, the Exodus from Egypt has just begun and already Gd proclaims: The day will come when you will tell this story to your children and your children’s children. You must know today that everything is going to be fine. Just remember that you are part of a great story. In the future, there will be a new generation and everything that happens now will become history for them, and you should speak of it to your children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. What you have endured has been difficult, painful, and is seared into your soul, but so is faith and hope . . . This message was pertinent not only to the generation that left Egypt, but is pertinent to us as well.”
This is indeed a very pertinent message as this week’s Torah portion describes the very first Passover Seder.
The 10 plagues culminate in the celebration of the Seder in Egypt and it includes instructions that we are always to remember the lessons of the Exodus and the reason we reenact the Seder annually is so that we will always remember leaving Egypt and all that it encompasses.
One of the laws regarding the Passover sacrifice was the instruction not to break any bones of the animal while consuming the meal. In other words, no breaking the bones to suck out the marrow.

100 is a big number.
If you get 💯 on your test you feel you have accomplished a great feat.
In Judaism 100 is represented by the the letter Kuf which is the first letter of the word Kedusha or holiness.
That too is a word denoting completeness.
January 14, 2024 will equal 100.
But it is not a time of accomplishment or sanctity.
It will mark the passage of 100 days since the hostages have been abducted.
Rachel Goldberg, the mother of Hersh Goldberg Polin has taken to noting each day of her son’s captivity by taking a little piece of masking tape, writing the number in black marker, and wearing it on her shirt over her heart.
Rachel is asking us to do the same on January 14 and post pictures to help raise awareness to bring her son Hersh home.
Where does she find the strength?
Hadas Levinshtern is the mother of six children and a recent widow, whose husband fell in Gaza battling Hamas.
She was recently visited by a group of fellow American Jews who were hoping to bring her some comfort. The indefatigable Shai Graucher brought gifts to the children and he was introducing the visitors to Hadas.
Then an unexpected turn of events occurred. Hadas was giving strength to her visitors. They were expressing their sympathy regarding her situation and she began strengthening them regarding theirs.
She was referencing the state of antisemitism in the US and especially on college campuses. She told her visitors that if anyone they know is scared and wants to take their mezuzah off their door or remove their Magen David necklace they should call her. She is offering to be a source of comfort and support to them to be proud Jews.
Where does she find the strength?
I just heard of two Israeli, only Hebrew speaking mothers, who want to fly to Washington DC in a desperate bid to engage with high ranking officials to plead on behalf of their daughters who are still hostages.
Where do they get their strength?

How are you?
That’s an innocuous question.
People throw it out mindlessly.
They may ask the question and not even wait to hear the answer.
Nowadays, however, it’s a difficult question.
You feel silly asking it.
It’s almost inappropriate.
Many are struggling with so much as we continue to wait and pray for the hostages to come home, wait and pray for our soldiers to come home safe and sound, pray for the safety of the Jewish people worldwide.
But people are still going to ask that question.
It sort of slips out when you least expect it.
So here are two responses that hit a chord with me.
(Because answering “fine” is not going to cut it).
Rebbetzin Tehilla Jaeger of NY responds to the question by answering
“Grateful and Begging”.
I love that answer.
It reminds us that we are indeed blessed on so many levels, while constantly being aware that we are vulnerable and there is so much more we cannot do without.
Sivan Rahav Meir shared that she was recently paying a shiva visit to a family who had lost their son in battle in Gaza. The father mentioned to Sivan when he people ask him how he is he answers
“Learning, Learning”
This is a breathtaking answer on so many levels. Here is a recently bereaved father who does not answer in anger or bitterness. He realizes that he does not understand the ways of Gd, nor may he understand why things are happening, but he is learning so much about his son, others and even himself, during these difficult times.
We may not understand why events are unfolding, but we are given unexpected windows into the minds and thoughts of some people, people we would never had the opportunity to meet under regular circumstances.
It’s sn opportunity to learn and be inspired.
We are introduced to names.
The names we hear are often those of the fallen soldiers.
Every morning I wake up and check the news holding my breath. I almost can’t breath as I look to see the “names that have been cleared for publication.” That means the army has already informed the fallen soldier’s family and now we, his extended family are given the name, which is accompanied by a picture of a beautiful, young person, taken from us too soon.
At the same time we are given an opportunity to celebrate the names. They don’t disappear into obscurity because certain people are making sure we know the person behind the name. We are given a glimpse into the greatness of the person and the impact they have left behind during their short sojourn on earth.
These glimpses may come from family members, mothers, fathers, siblings, or they can come from a comedian.
That is not a joke.
Hanoch Daum is an Israeli writer and journalist who is known for his comic take on society.
Of late, Hanich Daum has become very serious.
On a daily basis he profiles the story of someone we have lost.
He wants to make sure that their memory will not be lost.
We are introduced to the person inside the uniform, as Daum shares some of the dreams and accomplishments of the fallen soldier.
He also highlights the names and struggling businesses of soldiers who are in active duty, reminding all to frequent the place of business which has been neglected because it’s owner has picked up arms to protect us instead of protecting their own interests.
There are names that we are being introduced to that should become household names to us.

There is an old Jewish joke.
An actor was out of work.
He responded to an ad placed by the zoo.
It turned out that the main attraction, a gorilla had died, and they couldn’t afford another.
So they hired the actor, put him in a monkey suit, and solved the problem.
The actor embraced the role. He began swinging from trees and living the part. One day, in his exuberance while swinging from one branch to another, he accidentally overshot his mark and ended up in the lion enclosure. As the lion advanced menacingly, teeth bared, the “gorilla” saw his end was upon him and instinctively, as Jews have done from time immemorial, he cried out
“Shma Yisroel”
He was shocked when the “lion” responded the appropriate liturgical response
“Boruch Shem Malchuso lOlam VaEd”
Without skipping a beat, the “panda” from the next cage called out
“Cut it out you Shlemiels, you want to get us fired?!?”
This week’s Torah portion is VaYechi.
It is the final portion in the Book of Genesis.
Our Patriarch Jacob’s life is coming to a close and he gathers his children together to pass on the traditions from father to son. He wished to reveal to his sons what would occur at the End of Days. But when he wanted to share the prophecy, the Divine presence left him and he was unable to continue.
Jacob feared that perhaps the loss of prophecy had occurred because one of his sons was unworthy. After all, his grandfather Abraham had two sons, Isaac and Yishmael and only Isaac was worthy to carry the tradition. And then Isaac had two sons Jacob and Esau and again only one was worthy, perhaps he too had such a son that was not devoted to Hashem.
Our Sages teach us that this is the moment when the sons said as one, Shma Yisroel Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad, Hear O Israel, we are solely devoted to Hashem.
And that is when Jacob responded and declared
Baruch Shem Kavod Malchuso LOlam VaEd
Let His great Name be blessed forever and ever.
Rabbi Tzvi Sytner expressed it so well when he says
“The Shma expresses our complete devotion to Gd, regardless of life’s circumstances. We are recognizing that everything is part of the Divine orchestration. Every time we cover our eyes and proclaim Gd’s unity, we are essentially stating that regardless of what is in front of my eyes today, regardless of whether life is delivering me celebration or tribulation, I cover my eyes and declare my devotion, no matter what is in front of me”
As the days of this war continue, the tragedy continues to unfold as we lose so many beautiful souls.
The stories that accompany us in our hearts give us inspiration and insight into our brethren as they are on the front lines.

Sivan Rahav-Meir Meir, Israeli correspondent and Torah teacher shared a message she received from a reservist who is fighting in the war.
“Shalom Sivan from a reserve unit in the south. Tomorrow, Friday, is the fast of the 10th of Tevet. Many will not fast because they are serving in the military, and I am among them.
But I already heard about several people who said that they never fasted on this day in the past but they will try to fast tomorrow. In my eyes, this is significant. Where were we during the Yom Kippur fast and where are we today?”

Friday is the 10th of Tevet which the day on which the siege of Jerusalem began in 425 BCE. The Babylonian enemy surrounded the walls of the city on the 10th of Tevet, broke through the walls on the 17th of Tammuz and, ultimately, on the 9th of Av, the Holy Temple was destroyed.
This fast is unique among fasts as it is observed even when it falls on a Friday and may interfere with Shabbat preparations.
It is viewed as a highly significant day as it is the beginning of the chain of events that culminated in the destruction of the first Temple. Even though there was a second Temple subsequently, it never matched the glory of the first, and all the suffering and exile that have come are also a consequence of that tragic beginning.
Fasting may seem to be counterintuitive.
Usually Jewish fast says memorialize bad things that have happened to us and we are supposed to use the fast day as an opportunity to understand the loss we experienced and correct the mistakes which caused them.
I personally am not a good faster.
By the end of the day I am often feeling more like a wet noodle than a person who has undergone the serious work of introspection.
I am more worried about making it through the fast.
So what is the point?
Our Sages teach us that by abstaining from food and drink we strip away the distractions and focus on what is truly important to us.
What are we really living for?
What really brings us happiness?
Is the fabulous food I was planning to consume for my next meal what defines me? Is that what brings me true joy?

It’s the eighth night.
Chanukah is almost over.
It always slips by so quickly.
Not for the hostages.
They are desperately waiting to see the light of day.
What are we doing to help them?
Have we called the President today?
Have we called the Red Cross?
Have we engaged in good deeds in their merit.
Have we prayed?
Tonight, the last night of Chanuka, and tomorrow, the last day of Chanuka, has a special designation.
It’s called Zos Chanuka.
Literally translated as
THIS is Chanuka.
If Chanuka has slipped through our fingers, don’t worry, this is the most important part.
There is a Chasidic parable about a Rabbi who came very late to an appointment as the day was waning.
A cynical bystander asked if the appointment was of little consequence and therefore the Rabbi had just pushed it off and waited til the last minute to make his meeting.
Quite the contrary, answered the Rabbi, we know when we go to the market place all the best deals are available just before closing, so I am showing up now to get the most for my money, in this case arriving late will provide the most impact.
So too the last day of Chanuka.
There is still so much spirituality to be gained.
There is still a chance to change and connect.
The Rabbi of Ruzhin compares Zos Chanuka to Yom Kippur and says that on THIS day, a regular person can achieve the same heights that a holy person can achieve on Yom Kippur.
What do we do?

Tonight we lit the first candle of Chanukah.
It feels like the days of yesteryear.
The miracle of Chanukah was twofold.
Yes when the Cohanim, the priests in the Temple wanted to light the Menorah they were only able to find one cruse of pure oil which would only burn for one day. It would take eight days to get more oil.
The oil ended up lasting for a full eight days.
And that is why we celebrate.
But there was another miracle.
It was the battle that was won despite the overwhelming odds against us.
It was the might of the Greek empire, using their tanks (ie elephants) against a small band of brothers.
And yet, despite the ridiculousness of the situation, the Jewish people prevailed.
We need another miracle.
The times seem so dark now, we need the lights of our people to lead the way.
And there are so many lights.
Story upon story of courage on the battlefront and the home front, as we band together like brothers and sisters to engage in the battle for our lives.
How will we do it?
Once again it is uncanny how the Torah Portion is speaking to us.
This week’s Torah Portion is Vayeshev, and it tells the story of Joseph, the beloved son of Jacob, and the travails he encounters.
Rabbanit Yemima Mizrachi, beloved and inspirational Torah teacher from Israel shared the following incredible thoughts and I want to share her insights with you.
Rabbanit Yemima was just in Munich, she addressed a conference of European Rebbetzins who are seeking guidance on how to lead their sisters in these very challenging times.
When the Rabbanit was in the airport to return home, she suddenly heard terrible screaming. She saw the screams were coming from an Israeli young woman whose fiancée had just been killed in the fighting in Gaza.
It was such a deep and bitter cry, a cry of darkness overcoming the light.
It made the Rabbanit think of how our Patriarch Jacob cried when he was told that his son Joseph was dead. Jacob blamed himself, he had sent Joseph to inquire after his brothers and he felt he had failed to protect him.
That is what the parents of our fallen brave soldiers are grappling with right now.
They feel they failed to protect their kids and they are grief stricken.
Joseph is actually not dead, but he has been put in a pit, underground. He has been abducted.
He has no idea what has happened to his Father, is his Father alive?
He doesn’t know if his family knows where he is and where he has been taken.
It’s an eerie foreshadowing of the exact circumstances today.
Hostages abducted, being held underground, we not knowing their fate, they not knowing the fate of their loved ones.
The parallels continue.
The story continues as well.