Shiurim - Sichos Hischazkus: Shovavim 6 - eSnips
and
Shiurim - Sichos Hischazkus: Shovavim 6.5 -eSnips
Apologies if I sound a little rushed = this was done last week amid final assignments for school...
Showing posts with label Shovavim. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shovavim. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Rav Tzvi Meir on Shovavim, part II
It's a little bit longer; I found myself getting carried away by the content - a common occupational hazard when learning from this tzaddik in particular. Again, any mistakes are my own, due to my improper understanding...
Shiurim - Sichos Hischazkus: Shovavim 2 - eSnips
Shiurim - Sichos Hischazkus: Shovavim 2 - eSnips
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Rav Tzvi Meir on Shovavim.
Audio by me. I'm still trying to figure things out, but I feel like I'm groping blindly. Feedback would be appreciated. It's kind of awkward to speak to "no one", and it gets hard to pace it, too...
Shiurim - Sichos Hischazkus: Shovavim 1 - eSnips
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Shovavim Shiur from Rav Moshe Weinberger (part 3)
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The third and final shiur based on a Shovavim ma'amar from Reb Tzvi Meir Zilberberg:
- People have negative associations with fear. The Torah really views Yirah (Fear) in a positive light.
- Yiras Hashem should be manifested by always feeling Hashem's presence.
- Gentiles also have Yiras Hashem, but they run away when afraid instead of embracing Hashem.
- Yirah is crucial for any healthy relationship.
- Yoseph Hatzadik was the quintessential Yoreh Hashem.
- Yirah is the main pathway for Tikkun Habris (Guarding the Holy Covenant).
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Shovavim Shiur from Rav Moshe Weinberger (part 2)
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Continuation of the ma'amar from Rav Tzvi Meir Zilberberg:
- Shovavim is the time of year where we are not bound by the chains of sin.
- Importance of Ahavas Hashem (Love of G-d) especially when it allows us to recognize Hashem's gifts.
- Similarities between Hashem's love for the Jewish people and a parent's love for a child.
For those of you who feel more comfortable purchasing the shiurim as they are available on the website, click here.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Shovavim Shiur from Rav Moshe Weinberger (part 1)
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- Why Shovavim is not mentioned in the Gemorah and was only reserved for the later generations.
- The importance of feeling G-d's love.
- The difference between the Chassidic and Mussar movements.
- Connection between Chanukah and Shovavim and the importance of the mem-beis (number 42).
Based on a ma'amar from Rav Tzvi Meir Zilberberg. Check in later this week for the next installment. Enjoy!
Monday, January 3, 2011
Shiur from Rabbi Yosef Veiner
Rabbi Veiner is a Rav and posek (halachic arbiter/authority) based in Monsey, New York. He gives many shiurim that blend halacha and hashkafah, and his subject material is always presented in an interesting way.
This shiur is quite appropriate for Shovavim, but is really pertinent for any time of year. The shiur was given a few years ago, and was the main impetus for my own purchasing of a Internet accountability program.
This shiur is quite appropriate for Shovavim, but is really pertinent for any time of year. The shiur was given a few years ago, and was the main impetus for my own purchasing of a Internet accountability program.
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Monday, December 20, 2010
SHeMOS (Shnayim Mikra v'Echad Targum)
This week we begin reading the second of the five Books of Moses, Sefer Shemos (literally the book of Names, but the world knows it as the book of Exodus). The commentaries explain to us that Shemos is actually an acronym for Shnayim Mikra v'Echad Targum, which is a formula prescribed by the Torah for our weekly review of the Torah. Simply put, SHeMOS consists of reading each verse twice, with it's translation once, and proceeding through the entire portion. However, like everything in Judaism, there is much more to this concept than meets the eye.
More than an effective tool for review, the codifications of Jewish law state that this practice is an obligation on every Jewish male. The Shulchan Aruch and the Mishna Berura discuss the various ways that one can fulfill this obligation. While "targum" is classically interpreted as the Aramaic translation provided by Onkelos that accompanies the scripture in nearly every single printing, most authorities agree that this should be supplemented by any of the classic commentaries on the Torah, such as RaSHI, RamBaN, or the Ohr HaChaim. Additionally, there is a time limit to each week's portion: ideally, the portion should be completed before the first Shabbos meal of the week that we read that particular portion. Of course, the deadline can be extended by ever increasing increments, up until the next Simchat Torah, but this is the preferred method.
As such, the system is set up in a way that the portion can be broken down into daily sections, paralleling the seven aliyot of the Shabbos reading. Moreover, there are various methods to how one may go about accomplishing the act of Shnayim Mikra: some sources suggest going through the portion reading each individual verse twice, followed by it's translation and commentary, and continuing in this fashion. Others maintain that one may read through the entire portion once in the verse, followed by a read-through of the targum and commentary, and then yet a fourth read-though of the verses again.
It should be noted that there is a method which consists of reading through the verses only once, and then relying on the Torah reading to complete the "double" verse obligation. This only works if one continuously reads along with the Reader; listening to the Reader does not count towards fulfilling the obligation.
Of course, there are several other methods but these are the most common. For more information, see Mishna Berura 285 (see, I even supplied a link - you have no excuse!).
It cannot be stated forcefully enough how important this particular mitzva is. Aside from the fact that this is a way of fulfilling the directive to learn the entire Torah, this is a valuable source for major foundations of faith. To my mind, there is a direct correlation between crises of faith and the laxity in observance of this practice. If a person never continues past his childish, elementray school level of understanding the Torah, how can he ever have a firm gounding in the face of the powerful elements of heresy in the world?
In yeshiva, I see an astounding display of ignorance in basic knowledge that people would have if they went throught the Torah portion every week. They're not rebelling, of course - they simply aren't aware of the value of Shnayim Mikra, or the fact that it's an obligation. Truth be told, I myself was negligent in this for a very long time, and to this day I regret it.
This week also marks the beginning of a very special time, the period of the year known as Shovavim (in an earlier post I provide a brief explanation to what Shovavim is). This is no coincidence; this time of year is a very potent time, full of opportunities to make innovations in our personal service of God, as well as fix and uproot negative traits. Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk writes in the Tzetel Kattan (#17) that if a person wants to develop and strengthen a trait, or change an aspect of his nature, he must strive consistently for forty days, with great effort and single mindedness. Through this practice, he will receive Divine assistance and continue to elevate himself to the greatest heights, successfully altering his spiritual makeup. To that end, Reb Shalom Noach Berzovsky of Slonim (author of Nesivos Shalom) writes that this is why Shovavim is longer than forty days, to provide a greater opportunity to take on new "projects" that work toward the goal of reaching shleimut (literally completion or wholeness) in serving God.
May we all merit that our innovations take root, and that we continue to grow and find new ways of coming closer to God!
More than an effective tool for review, the codifications of Jewish law state that this practice is an obligation on every Jewish male. The Shulchan Aruch and the Mishna Berura discuss the various ways that one can fulfill this obligation. While "targum" is classically interpreted as the Aramaic translation provided by Onkelos that accompanies the scripture in nearly every single printing, most authorities agree that this should be supplemented by any of the classic commentaries on the Torah, such as RaSHI, RamBaN, or the Ohr HaChaim. Additionally, there is a time limit to each week's portion: ideally, the portion should be completed before the first Shabbos meal of the week that we read that particular portion. Of course, the deadline can be extended by ever increasing increments, up until the next Simchat Torah, but this is the preferred method.
As such, the system is set up in a way that the portion can be broken down into daily sections, paralleling the seven aliyot of the Shabbos reading. Moreover, there are various methods to how one may go about accomplishing the act of Shnayim Mikra: some sources suggest going through the portion reading each individual verse twice, followed by it's translation and commentary, and continuing in this fashion. Others maintain that one may read through the entire portion once in the verse, followed by a read-through of the targum and commentary, and then yet a fourth read-though of the verses again.
It should be noted that there is a method which consists of reading through the verses only once, and then relying on the Torah reading to complete the "double" verse obligation. This only works if one continuously reads along with the Reader; listening to the Reader does not count towards fulfilling the obligation.
Of course, there are several other methods but these are the most common. For more information, see Mishna Berura 285 (see, I even supplied a link - you have no excuse!).
It cannot be stated forcefully enough how important this particular mitzva is. Aside from the fact that this is a way of fulfilling the directive to learn the entire Torah, this is a valuable source for major foundations of faith. To my mind, there is a direct correlation between crises of faith and the laxity in observance of this practice. If a person never continues past his childish, elementray school level of understanding the Torah, how can he ever have a firm gounding in the face of the powerful elements of heresy in the world?
In yeshiva, I see an astounding display of ignorance in basic knowledge that people would have if they went throught the Torah portion every week. They're not rebelling, of course - they simply aren't aware of the value of Shnayim Mikra, or the fact that it's an obligation. Truth be told, I myself was negligent in this for a very long time, and to this day I regret it.
This week also marks the beginning of a very special time, the period of the year known as Shovavim (in an earlier post I provide a brief explanation to what Shovavim is). This is no coincidence; this time of year is a very potent time, full of opportunities to make innovations in our personal service of God, as well as fix and uproot negative traits. Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk writes in the Tzetel Kattan (#17) that if a person wants to develop and strengthen a trait, or change an aspect of his nature, he must strive consistently for forty days, with great effort and single mindedness. Through this practice, he will receive Divine assistance and continue to elevate himself to the greatest heights, successfully altering his spiritual makeup. To that end, Reb Shalom Noach Berzovsky of Slonim (author of Nesivos Shalom) writes that this is why Shovavim is longer than forty days, to provide a greater opportunity to take on new "projects" that work toward the goal of reaching shleimut (literally completion or wholeness) in serving God.
May we all merit that our innovations take root, and that we continue to grow and find new ways of coming closer to God!
Friday, April 20, 2007
Shovavim.
Hey guys.
I'm going out of town tomorrow, so I don't know if I'll have time to post later this week, so I'm posting now.
This past Motzei Shabbos marked the beginning of this years' period of Shovavim. Shovavim is the six weeks or so in which we read the first portions of the second book in the Torah, the book of Exodus ( what we call Shemos ). The word Shovavim is an acronym for the first portions: Shemos, Vaera, Bo, Beshalach, Yisro, and Mishpatim. In Hebrew, the first letters are Shin, Vav, Yud, Beis, Beis, and Mem. On jewish leap years, the next two portions ( Teruma and Tetzaveh ) are added to the period ( making it Shovavim-Tat ).
Shovavim is known as a special time for us, a time when we can really make strides to fix ouseleves and achieve a higher level of tikkun and teshuvah. There are certain specific sins for which this period is an especially potent time for making amends, but I believe that it goes for anythin that you are trying to fix up. There are many different suggestions that are given for this period of time in order to take full advantage of the special segula that these weeks hold for us. Those include fasting and prayer, of course ( note: the sefer Yesod V'Shoresh HaAvoda warns people to use discretion and to keep their individual physiologies in mind in regard to fasting and other aesthetics that affect people's health. Be smart about it, people...). Many say that to take upon yourself a certain goal, one in which you try to correct something in which you may be lacking ( even if it's a small thing ) is a good way to make tikkun.
I'd like to bless everybody that they should utilize this special time to really help fix things, and that their endeavors should bear fruit. With the merit of this time, and, hopefully, the success of our individual tikkunim, may we bring some light to the world and bring Moshiach even closer...
Originally posted Wednesday, 10 January 2007
I'm going out of town tomorrow, so I don't know if I'll have time to post later this week, so I'm posting now.
This past Motzei Shabbos marked the beginning of this years' period of Shovavim. Shovavim is the six weeks or so in which we read the first portions of the second book in the Torah, the book of Exodus ( what we call Shemos ). The word Shovavim is an acronym for the first portions: Shemos, Vaera, Bo, Beshalach, Yisro, and Mishpatim. In Hebrew, the first letters are Shin, Vav, Yud, Beis, Beis, and Mem. On jewish leap years, the next two portions ( Teruma and Tetzaveh ) are added to the period ( making it Shovavim-Tat ).
Shovavim is known as a special time for us, a time when we can really make strides to fix ouseleves and achieve a higher level of tikkun and teshuvah. There are certain specific sins for which this period is an especially potent time for making amends, but I believe that it goes for anythin that you are trying to fix up. There are many different suggestions that are given for this period of time in order to take full advantage of the special segula that these weeks hold for us. Those include fasting and prayer, of course ( note: the sefer Yesod V'Shoresh HaAvoda warns people to use discretion and to keep their individual physiologies in mind in regard to fasting and other aesthetics that affect people's health. Be smart about it, people...). Many say that to take upon yourself a certain goal, one in which you try to correct something in which you may be lacking ( even if it's a small thing ) is a good way to make tikkun.
I'd like to bless everybody that they should utilize this special time to really help fix things, and that their endeavors should bear fruit. With the merit of this time, and, hopefully, the success of our individual tikkunim, may we bring some light to the world and bring Moshiach even closer...
Originally posted Wednesday, 10 January 2007
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