Rabbi Steve Haber
Jesse Dweck Learning Center
09/28/2006
Parasha Haazinu
 |
|
| Sign Our Guestbook |
List in the Search Engine |
Classifieds View Post |
View Articles |
Calendar of Events |
Contact Us |
| Letter to the Editor | Suggestion Box | Today's Birthdays |
Purchase a SyMall T-Shirt |
Religion & Education
Rabbi Steve Haber
Jesse Dweck Learning Center
09/28/2006
Parasha Haazinu
This weeks Parasha is Parasha Haazinu
Haazinu is mainly a song in which Moshe tells the Jews many different messages that are useful for all generations. This Devar Torah was taken from Love Your Neighbor by
rabbi Zelig Plisken- used with permission.
" My teachings should come down to you as rain" [ Dvorim 32:2]
Rabbi Chayim Shmuelevitz used to site the Vilna Gaon on this verse that rain helps things grow. But what grows? Only what is there from before. If someone has vegetables and fruits that are healthy and delicious, rain will help them develop[e. But if there are poisonous mushrooms, rain will help them grow too. Similarly,Torah study makes one grow. But it depends on one`s character traits what one will become. A person who has elevated traits will become a greatly elevated person. But if a person has faulty traits the more Torah he studies the greater menace he will become.
An arrogant person is likely to become more arrogant when he becomes more knowledge. Such a person is likely to use his Torah knowledge for ones-upmanship. He will try to show others that they are inferior to him. If a person is cruel, the more he knows the more pain he will try to inflict on others. When a person who is power-hungry gains more knowledge, he will feel more justified in manipulating others. A selfish person will utilize his knowledge to become even more selfish. On the other hand .a person with positive character traits will use his Torah knowledge to help as many people as he can. He will readily share his knowledge with others. The more Torah he studies the more elevated he will become. His entire behavior towards others will be a Kiddush Hashem, a sanctification of the Almighty`s name.
Of course character traits can be fixed, but its not easy. Only dedicated, determined people are successful in changing a faulty trait. With Hashems help , we can use the 10 days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur for introspection, and in that merit may Hashem grant us all a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Sabbath Shalom
Rabbi Steve Haber |