Weekly Parsha

Refuah Sheimah: Nahum HaLevi ben Bracha, Chaim Moshe ben Esther, Yehuda Baruch ben Sarah, Stephen Waczkiewicz (Shimon ben Sarah), Yossefa (Josie) "bat Sharon", Rafael ben Gladis e Esther Bracha "bat Sarah".

Continue praying for: Teddy Welz, Miriam Hanna (Mariana) "bat Zulay", Adina (Heidi) "bat Sarah" e Yosefa (Josie) "bat Sharon"

Pray for the  "Refuah Shleima"  (rapid recovery) of "  our community" . May G-d deliver us from this crisis quickly and grant a full recovery to those who are sick, Amen!

Metzora

Leviticus 14:1 - 15:33

The Torah continues with the laws of physical and spiritual purity. The focus of this portion is upon tzora'as, a supernatural physical affliction sent to warn someone to refrain from speaking badly about others. The disease progressively afflicted home, clothes and then one's skin -- unless the individual corrected his ways and followed the purification process stated in the Torah.

This week's portion continues with the purification process for the metzora, the person afflicted with tzora'as and then the home afflicted with tzora'as. The portion ends with the purification process for discharges from the flesh.

"This shall be the law of the one stricken with tzora'as on the day of his purification, and he shall be brought to the Cohen" (Leviticus 14:2).

Why does the Torah tell us that he will be brought to the Cohen?

Won't he come of his own accord?

Rabbi Ibn Ezra, a 12th century commentator, explains that after the tzora'as clears up he will not want to bring the offerings that he is responsible to bring.

When a person has tzora'as, he will definitely claim that of course he will bring the necessary offerings when the tzora'as clears up. Once he is cured, he can easily forget his obligations. Now that nothing is pressing him, he will focus on other things and not on meeting his obligations. (It's kind of like not paying pledges after the person gets well...)

Some people find it difficult to meet their responsibilities. When they need favors from someone or want to impress someone, they might make many promises. When the time comes to keep their obligations, they do all they can to avoid meeting them. A person with integrity will derive pleasure from meeting his responsibilities and will not need others to coerce him to keep them. The more pleasure you feel when meeting your obligations, the more motivated you will be to meet them.

It's not doing the things we like that makes life happy; it's learning to like the things we have to do.

If you don't sacrifice for what you want, what you want becomes the sacrifice!

Having something to say is more important than wanting to say something!

Kabbalistc combination to make your dreams come true: Your thoughts, Your speech and Your Actions.

May G-d grant us to use our tongues to acquire life!

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Tank

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Rabbi Tank is a professor at the American Jewish College in New York, where he teaches classes on Talmud, Jewish History, and Contemporary Jewish Law. Rabbi Tank is dedicated to finding modern utility and meaning in ancient wisdom texts and is pleased to provide spiritual, cultural, social and educational programming to communities around the world. 

Rabbi Tank was educated at Yeshivas in New York and Miami. He studied Biblical Archeology at Bar Ilan University and Jewish Studies at Harvard University. Rabbi Tank has a Bachelor degree in Business Administration and he is also graduated in International Economic Development from the University of Oxford. 

Rabbi Tank is actively involved in peace negotiations and relief operations. Rabbi Tank is the director of international affairs at the World Jewish Confederation in the United States and He is member of the White House National Religious Leaders , an Executive Office of the President of the United States in Washington, D.C.