Week's Roundup - Still crying over something that happened 2000 years ago?
Highlights from this week's learning and events; An eternal message from the Torah about how G-d Al-mighty wants the Torah message of His Divine Wisdom to reach every single man, woman and child.
Did you know that the Torah has an eternal Divine Message that applies to every single human being? Authentic Torah learning grounds us in reality, both what we can observe and what is beyond our observation, grasp and even understanding, and leads to practical positive action. Positive for us and positive for those around us. Torah reveals our Divine Innate Spiritual Compass and brings our Spiritual Backbone to the forefront of life.
If you have adopted some or all of Enlightenment thinking, learning Torah will challenge everything you believe and hold dear.
In each Week’s Roundup, you will find a special topic, links to this week’s learning, the Torah perspective on current events, upcoming learning and action suggestions. This week we embrace mourning and turning it into action. Learn, take hope and take action, and share.
If you are not a Torah observant Jew, you might be surprised to learn that on Wednesday night and Thursday night this week I was sitting on the floor, reading Eicha (Lamentations) and other elegies mourning the destruction of the Holy Temple in the Holy City in the Holy Land, first by the Babylonians and then by the Romans. And, fasting from food and drink for 25 hours.
Especially surprising since the Holy Temple was destroyed 2,000 years ago.
We are mourning a loss, not only for the Jewish People, but for every human being.
After all, G-d Al-mighty declares, כִּ֣י בֵיתִ֔י בֵּית־תְּפִלָּ֥ה יִקָּרֵ֖א לְכָל־הָֽעַמִּֽים, “for My House will be called “House of Prayer” for all the people of the world.” (Isaiah 56:7)
But it was not just a one time destruction that should be rebuilt.
Rather, the destruction is an ongoing event.
Everyone in whose generation the Holy Temple is not rebuilt, it is being destroyed in his time.
The mourning is meant to propel us into action.
To realize that the fundamental cause of the destruction is a lapse in awareness of the Oneness of G-d Al-mighty and the resulting disruption in relationships between men.
The solution is to turn the world over — not G-d forbid as in a Marxist Revolution, not to demolish — but as in leaving no stone unturned to propel each man, women and child into their own awareness that there is nothing other than G-d Al-mighty and the Infinite Value of every human being.
Below there are links to videos that explain Tisha B’Av for every human being, why it is relevant to every human being and what G-d Al-mighty’s House of Prayer means to every human being.
Speaking of prayer, we recently learned about the Torah Prayer Book and why structured prayer has benefits over unstructured (and vice versa) and what prayers are relevant to every human being which you can watch over here:
And, please share your comments and questions below!
Shabbos is coming, a reminder for every human being that they are an intentional creation of G-d Al-mighty right now and a continuing beneficiary of His Love, His Joy and His Abundance! What an incredible moment to increase even more in joy!
Action: Use the link above to check Yom Tov and Shabbos Candellighting times in your city around the world. Yom Tov and Shabbos Candlelighting time in New York City this week (7/28/23) is 7:59 pm and Shabbos ends at 9:02 pm.
Here is some of the learning we did this week:
These videos are available in the content library at RabbiSmith.org (in parentheses) and also on YouTube by clicking the name of the learning. When you watch on YouTube please like, share and subscribe so the message of hope reaches more and more people. See below at the end of this article a list of upcoming classes both in person and on Zoom.
Sunday Learning
👉 2023-07-16 Mitzvos Hashem Rabbi Steif #69: Response to burning of Torah scrolls - increase Torah
Wednesday Learning
👉 Zecharia 8:23: Prayer - why a prayer book with organized prayer; First prayer of the day
Thursday Learning
👉 Emunah (Faith) in Action - Cancelled
(Emunah (Faith) in Action Playlist)
🌟🌟🌟Tisha B’Av & the Three Weeks
👉 The link to bring theory to practice! Gate of Oneness - Chapter 2 continued
Additional Learning
🌟🌟🌟2022-08-07 - Mitzvos Hashem - Rabbi Steif #26 - Special Tisha B'Av Learning for Jews and non-Jews
🌟🌟🌟Tisha B'Av - Decay, Disarray and Destruction - One Cause, One Cure
👉 Zecharia 8:23 - Parshas Vaeschanan - Stay on track with G-d's Oneness - correct, and brings respect
On Substack this week:
On Substack, I write about the practical implications of Torah learning, and how to keep our thinking clear, grounded in honesty and common sense. Here’s The Rabbi Smith Bulletin for this week: A lot of great activity on Notes. Check them out on my Substack Profile1 or at the The Rabbi Smith Bulletin.
When you read the Notes, please be sure to like, comment, restack and share.
A Torah perspective on the world around us…
Ask in the comments below about topics and news you would like the Torah perspective on.
A thought in concluding for now…
Thank G-d, we live in the most inspiring and incredible times in the history of the world. We have a great and beautiful mission before us. The need in the people is great, time is of the essence and the undertaking is massive, but eminently doable with the help of G-d Al-mighty. Please consider a generous gift to bring this message of hope to thousands more people, by clicking here.
May G-d Al-mighty bless you and Gut Shabbos!
See more actions further down. Torah learning and positive actions are the key to our future.
Upcoming Learning:
All learning uses the following Zoom link: https://bit.ly/BeisMedrash. Sponsor learning in honor or memory of a loved one.
👉Yeshiva Shem V'Ever
Shabbos Afternoon (Saturday) 4 pm Eastern
We will be learning Torah relevant to non-Jews with Jews and non-Jews.
Tanya: Sha'ar Hayichud v'HaEmunah - the Gate of Oneness and Faith
In person only.
👉Rabbi Steif Mitzvos Hashem
SUNDAY 7 am Eastern (1 pm Germany time)
Rabbi Steif wrote this holy book to avert the Holocaust by making sure that both Jews and non-Jews should know clearly G-d Al-mighty's rules for non-Jews.
👉Zecharia 8:23 - Weekly Torah Portion, Prayer and Talmud
WEDNESDAY 8:00 pm Eastern
Learn the week's Torah Portion (parsha) as it is relevant to every man, Prayer for every man and portions of the Talmud that are relevant to non-Jews
👉Emunah (Faith) in Action
THURSDAY 10 am Eastern
Only with tranquility of the soul can we hear G-d Al-Mighty's voice clearly, know what to do and have the strength to do it effectively
👉Gate of Oneness
Words on the Torah Portion
The Torah Experience - Life Fully Lived
THURSDAY 8:00 pm Eastern - Not this coming week due to Shavuous
Study the Gate of Oneness (Sha'ar HaYichud) by the Mittler Rebbe which teaches us how to think clearly. Delivered by Rabbi Shimon Chyrek. Rabbi Smith speaks on the weekly Torah portion at the end of the class.
Actions:
What inside of you needs to be rebuilt? Perhaps for the first time? Or the 100th time, but this time correctly?
This message of Hope can and must reach even more people, with you help. Please gift generously to propel this message to more people. Time is of the essence. The mission is monumental, but with G-d Al-mighty’s help it eminently possible. May G-d Al-mighty bless you for your generosity.
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👉Dedicate a future edition of the Week’s Roundup by clicking here.
Click on the ‘Notes’ tab in the Latest Section next to ‘Posts.’
Hi Rabbi
Many Jews think they are superior.
They think they have the right to kill us because we are not worth it or (In their opinion) we “worship” false Idols.
Many Jews use this as an excuse to kill.
Would you like to explain this?
It interests me.
Additionally… who is to say that your God is the real God?
Who is to say that your God is not a false God?
Personally every God is a false God and no god deserves to be worshiped… but hey I am just a Gentile Genius.
Deuteronomy 17:3-7
The Lord your God is giving you towns to live in. But later, a man or a woman in your town may start worshiping other gods, or even the sun, moon, or stars.
I have warned you not to worship other gods, because whoever worships them is disobeying the Lord and breaking the agreement he made with you. 4 So when you hear that someone in your town is committing this disgusting sin, you must carefully find out if that person really is guilty. 5-7 But you will need two or three witnesses—one witness isn't enough to prove a person guilty.
Get rid of those who are guilty of such evil. Take them outside your town gates and everyone must stone them to death. But the witnesses must be the first to throw stones.
Excellent thought and sentiments. God bless you.