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Hallel: Rosh Chodesh Tammuz: Paragraph One: The Festival of Tammuz

We sing this Hallel not only for Tammuz as it is, but for Tammuz as it will be: Zechariah Chapter 8: 19 This is what the LORD Almighty says: “The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become joyful and

Tags: Exile, Ezekiel, God, Hallel, Jeremiah, Prayer, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Rosh Chodesh, Tammuz, The Foundation Stone

Hallel: Rosh Chodesh Tammuz: Paragraph One: Ezekiel

The opening paragraph of Hallel is always the invitation to the Hallel that follows. It is the call to sing Hallel, and sets out the parameters of the Hallel to be sung:

Tags: Exile, Ezekiel, God, Hallel, Jeremiah, Prayer, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Rosh Chodesh, Tammuz, The Foundation Stone

Background Text: Ezekiel’s Hallel for R”C Tammuz Pt 5

“Who lifts up the lowly from the dust, raises the destitute from the garbage dumps to be seated with leaders, the leaders of their people. Who makes a home for the childless woman and joy for the mother of children.”

Tags: Exile, Ezekiel, God, Hallel, Jeremiah, Prayer, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Rosh Chodesh, Tammuz, The Foundation Stone

Background Text: Ezekiel’s Hallel for R”C Tammuz Pt 4

“Who is like God, our Lord, Who lives up high, but drops down to see what happens (to us) in the (lower) heaven and earth?” Ezekiel 34: 20 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says to them: See, I myself will judge

Tags: Exile, Ezekiel, God, Hallel, Jeremiah, Prayer, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Rosh Chodesh, Tammuz, The Foundation Stone

Background Text: Ezekiel’s Hallel R”C Tammuz Part 3

“Who lifts up the lowly from the dust, raises the destitute from the garbage dumps to be seated with leaders, the leaders of their people.” Ezekiel 16: God’s Beloved; As Royalty: 1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man,

Tags: Exile, Ezekiel, God, Hallel, Jeremiah, Prayer, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Rosh Chodesh, Tammuz, The Foundation Stone

Background Text: Ezekiel’s Hallel for Rosh Chodesh Tammuz Part Two

“God is above all the nations.” Ezekiel 9: God’s Agents: 1 Then I heard him call out in a loud voice, “Bring near those who are appointed to execute judgment on the city, each with a weapon in his hand.” 2 And I saw

Tags: Exile, Ezekiel, God, Hallel, Jeremiah, Prayer, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Rosh Chodesh, Tammuz, The Foundation Stone

Background Text: Ezekiel’s Hallel R”C Tammuz Pt1

Ezekiel 4: Siege of Jerusalem Symbolized 1 “Now, son of man, take a block of clay, put it in front of you and draw the city of Jerusalem on it. 2 Then lay siege to it: Erect siege works against it, build a ramp up to it, set up

Tags: Exile, Ezekiel, God, Hallel, Jeremiah, Prayer, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Rosh Chodesh, Tammuz, The Foundation Stone

Shabbat Prayer: As A Bride

“Come! Let us sing to God!” (Psalm 95:1 – the opening verse of Kabbalat Shabbat)

Background Text From Jeremiah’s Call To Sing Hallel on Rosh Chodesh Tammuz Part Two

Jeremiah Chapter 10:1-16: 1 Hear what the LORD says to you, people of Israel. 2 This is what the LORD says: “Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by signs in the heavens, though the nations are terrified by them.

Tags: Exile, Ezekiel, God, Hallel, Jeremiah, Prayer, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Rosh Chodesh, Tammuz, The Foundation Stone

Background Text From Jeremiah’s Call To Sing Hallel on Rosh Chodesh Tammuz Part One

Jeremiah 6: Jerusalem Under Siege: 1 “Flee for safety, people of Benjamin! Flee from Jerusalem! Sound the trumpet in Tekoa! Raise the signal over Beth Hakkerem! For disaster looms out of the north, even terrible destruction.

Tags: Exile, Ezekiel, God, Hallel, Jeremiah, Prayer, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Rosh Chodesh, Tammuz, The Foundation Stone

Hallel: Rosh Chodesh Tammuz: Paragraph One: Jeremiah

The opening paragraph of Hallel is always the invitation to the Hallel that follows. It is the call to sing Hallel, and sets out the parameters of the Hallel to be sung:

Tags: Exile, Ezekiel, God, Hallel, Jeremiah, Prayer, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Rosh Chodesh, Tammuz, The Foundation Stone

Hallel: Rosh Chodesh Tammuz: Introduction

This is the second most difficult Hallel to sing. I write this commentary to the Hallel for Rosh Chodesh Tammuz with the assumption that the 17th of Tammuz plays a defining role in Tammuz. There are three perspectives

Tags: Exile, Ezekiel, God, Hallel, Jeremiah, Prayer, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Rosh Chodesh, Tammuz, The Foundation Stone

Responding To Laughter

“This is the decree of the Torah.” Because Satan and the scoffers ridicule Israel for observing the law of the Parah Adumah, which does not seem to make any sense, God declares, “It is a decree from Me. You have no permission to question it!” My father...

Tags: Chukat, Parah, Red Cow

Singing Despite

A palm tree stands in the middle of Rusafa, Born in the West, far from the land of palms. I said to it: How like me you are, far away and in exile, In long separation from family and friends. You have sprung from soil in which you are...

Tags: Chukat

Cutting Up An Ox: The Artistry of Walking

Cook Ting is cutting an ox into pieces as Lord Wen-hui stands looking on. He carries out a virtuoso performance – as rhythmic and flowing as a dance. The lord, filled with awe and admiration, cannot suppress his delight. “Ah, your method is superb!” he...

Tags: Chukat, Halachah, Portion of the Week

The Red Heifer: Loving Others

The Holy Rebbe was stingy with his words. He would speak in cryptic sentences and his Chassidim would sit for hours after he spoke to figure out what he meant. The secret of the Parah Adumah – the Red Cow – is Loving Others. The Chassidim pondered...

Tags: Chukat, Parah, Parah Adumah, The Red Heifer

What Would Moshe Have Done? Part One

In the year 427 B.C.E., a ship sailed from Athens for the Greek island of Mytilene, a region that had revolted against Athenian rule and lost. They had colluded with Athens’s greatest rival, Sparta. The soldiers on the warship were instructed to kill every Mytilenian...

Tags: Chukat, Portion of the Week, Torah

The Attached Cover

I was surprised to find another hint toward the etymology of Tefillah in this past week’s portion. “Any open vessel that has no attached cover – Tzamid Patil – is contaminated.” (Numbers 19:16) Patil shares the same root as Tefillah: P-T-L. We are familiar with the...

Tags: Chukat, Vayeitzei

Interview With Moses: Part Two – The "Chok" of The Staff

We wondered why Moshe granted our interview request, his first in almost 40 years. We now understand that he intended to use this “interview” to teach us. He left us with a tantalizing, “and there’s more...

Tags: BNN, Chukat, Haggadah, Korach, Shemot

Contradictions

There are contradictions in the Parah Adumah. The Cohen who purifies others becomes impure as he purifies. There are contradictions in the Parah Adumah just as there are contradictions in life. Judaism, torah, nurture our independence. They use our drive to become something to attach us to...

Tags: Chukat, Parah, The Red Heifer

Interview With Moses – Part One – Emunah Water

This is a BNN Special Report: We are standing outside Moshe’s tent waiting to begin our exclusive interview with the great leader. The interview was originally scheduled for last month, but, as you know, Miriam, Moshe’s sister, passed way, and we rescheduled for after Shivah. Little...

Tags: BNN, Chukat, General Providence, Shemot

The Struggle

The Mitzvah of Parah Adumah can be quite confusing and demanding. The more we learn the more demanding it becomes. Children had to be raised from birth in a secluded environment specially designed to protect them from any possible impurity in order to have people with...

Tags: Chukat, Parah, Red heifer

Categories

Hallel: Rosh Chodesh Tammuz: Paragraph One: The Festival of Tammuz

Hallel: Rosh Chodesh Tammuz: Paragraph One: Ezekiel

Background Text: Ezekiel’s Hallel for R”C Tammuz Pt 5

Background Text: Ezekiel’s Hallel for R”C Tammuz Pt 4

Background Text: Ezekiel’s Hallel R”C Tammuz Part 3

Background Text: Ezekiel’s Hallel for Rosh Chodesh Tammuz Part Two

Background Text: Ezekiel’s Hallel R”C Tammuz Pt1

Shabbat Prayer: As A Bride

Background Text From Jeremiah’s Call To Sing Hallel on Rosh Chodesh Tammuz Part Two

Background Text From Jeremiah’s Call To Sing Hallel on Rosh Chodesh Tammuz Part One

Hallel: Rosh Chodesh Tammuz: Paragraph One: Jeremiah

Hallel: Rosh Chodesh Tammuz: Introduction

Responding To Laughter

Singing Despite

Cutting Up An Ox: The Artistry of Walking

The Red Heifer: Loving Others

What Would Moshe Have Done? Part One

The Attached Cover

Interview With Moses: Part Two – The "Chok" of The Staff

Contradictions

Interview With Moses – Part One – Emunah Water

The Struggle

The Mouth as an Instrument

Haftarah: Shabbat Rosh Chodesh: Trembling With Excitement

Rosh Chodesh: Psalm 104

Preparing For Rosh Chodesh

Rosh Chodesh Tammuz Kavanot

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