The above is the most recent in a series of brief daily messages I have published to Facebook and Twitter, in a modest effort to use the newest communications media to inspire. If the project works well through Yom Kippur, I might just keep it up throughout the year. Please don’t “join” either service for the sake of these messages, but for those that do, please ‘friend’ or ‘follow’ me as appropriate:

http://www.facebook.com/yaakov.menken
http://www.twitter.com/ymenken

Similarly, please ‘like’ the Facebook page for Torah.org:
http://www.facebook.com/torah.org

Rosh HaShanah is coming soon — please take a look at our Rosh Hashanah articles at Torah.org, and listen to our Rosh Hashanah audio at TorahMedia.com.

Good Shabbos!
Rabbi Yaakov Menken
Director, Project Genesis – Torah.org

The Torah warns us that “bribery blinds the eyes of the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous.” [Deut. 16:19] G-d is not talking about a corrupt person here, He is talking about the “wise” and the “righteous”!

The Talmud tells us that the ‘bribery’ discussed also goes well beyond passing money to the judge and back-room deals. In one case discussed in the Talmud, two litigants are sent to a noted sage for arbitration. One of them recognizes the judge and asks, “didn’t you stay in my hotel?”

The Rabbi answered, “yes I did, and now I can’t judge your case!”

Having previously conducted a commercial transaction, with no ulterior motive or quid pro quo, isn’t something we would understand as ‘bribery’ at all. But the scholarly Rabbi correctly understood that even this was enough to create a small connection, and perhaps was enough to intimidate the other party.

Like most other Orthodox Jews, I am troubled by the judge’s actions in the trial of Shalom Rubashkin. There are all sorts of things that can be said to justify her behavior, or chalk it up to a judge with a long history of apparent favoritism towards the prosecution. But having been so intensely involved with the planning of the immigration raid upon the Postville plant — which, in the end, had no direct relationship to the misreporting of which Rubashkin was guilty — certainly gives the appearance of a previous connection to the prosecution and bias against the defendant. The fact that she failed to disclose this, and it only came to light after suing the government to provide information about the raid, is entirely inexcusable and unseemly. Our Sages knew well that no matter what decision might be arrived at in a truly unbiased fashion, justice must not merely be done cleanly — it has to look and smell clean as well.

When faced with a tragic loss, especially of someone or something that we had grown to depend on, it’s natural to think “What’s going to be? How will life go on?” There’s a loss of security, a deep sense of loneliness. G-d says, “You are my children. I am your Father. The one who is closest to you is still here and He’s not going anywhere.” What a comforting thought! But it doesn’t end there. If you really think about what this means you can live life as a different person. Life with the All Powerful at your side, with you through EVERY challenge, is a life infused with the strength of the Divine; where there are no limits (Based on Nesivos Shalom & Seforno Deut 14:1)

Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Mordechai Dixler
Program Director, Project Genesis/Torah.org

Rabbi Pinchas Winston, author of our weekly Perceptions on the Parsha, has written a booklet called Geulah B’Rachamim, Redemption with Mercy. It contains 60 short yet powerful daily lessons, helping Jewish readers to yearn for redemption. Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of an anonymous supporter, he is offering this work to all Torah.org subscribers and visitors for only the cost of shipping and handling.

Please go to the order page to get your free copy!

May we soon merit to see the final redemption, which Rabbi Winston’s work will help us to keep in our daily thoughts and sincere prayers.

Good Shabbos!
Rabbi Yaakov Menken
Director, Project Genesis – Torah.org

One can never master the wisdom of the the Torah — not even close. Yes, it’s a humbling thought, and it might seem a bit discouraging. Then again, to me at least, it’s actually exciting and empowering. Where else can you be assured that you will constantly uncover greater and greater gems of wisdom? What other investment of time and energy has absolute guaranteed returns — for eternity! Every gem that’s uncovered, reveals another peaking from beneath the surface. Such is the journey into the mind of the A-lmighty, as it were. As the Sages say, “If one says they toiled in the study of Torah and did not find new wisdom, don’t believe them!”

We’re in the midst of the “Three Weeks” period of mourning leading up to the Ninth of Av. Have a look at our articles and listen to our audio to prepare yourself for this tragic period on the Jewish calendar.

Good Shabbos,

Rabbi Mordechai Dixler
Program Director, Project Genesis / Torah.org

Democracy, he pointed out, is somewhat hypocritical. We select leaders because they think like us, to represent our way of thinking — and then we mock those same leaders when they follow the poll results. We know that they are not leaders, but rather followers.

The Mishnah says that at the end of times, “the face of the generation will be like the face of the dog.” Some explain that the “face” is a reference to our leaders, who will “lead” the same way that a dog runs ahead of his Master. It is not the dog, but the dog’s owner, who determines which way they will go — but to the uninformed observer, it looks like the dog is “leading.”

A true leader, by contrast, is able to be firm in the face of public opinion. Yehoshua, who had always been the quiet follower, listening to Moshe and following his every word, “had the spirit within him” to lead the nation, and not be its follower!

Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Yaakov Menken
Director, Project Genesis – Torah.org

In our case, Korach accuses Moshe and Aharon of elevating themselves over the congregation, although everyone — and we do mean, quite literally, everyone — saw Moshe lead us out of Egypt, engage in a unique dialog with G-d, ascend Mt. Sinai, descend with the two Tablets, and on and on. And various other people, motivated by their own agendas, side with Korach!

It is possible to be a builder, and it is possible to be a destroyer — not with physical action, but simply by sowing division and discord. One can take the most ridiculous and patently false idea under the sun (mercenaries with bulletproof vests and knives as “peace activists” leaps, of course, to mind), and someone will believe it.

None of us consider ourselves capable of creating division like Korach. But when there is an argument affecting ourselves and our communities, we all must shoulder the responsibility to be discerning and thoughtful, before simply concluding that each of the two sides must both be wrong.

Good Shabbos!
Rabbi Yaakov Menken
Director, Project Genesis – Torah.org

The spies returned with evidence of the fantastic bounty provided in the Land that our Nation was destined to inherit. So what was their evil report? They informed the Nation that the inhabitants were giants. They ignored G-d’s promise that, like David versus Goliath, Israel would be successful. G-d even ensured that the Canaanites were so busy burying victims of a sudden plague that they left their homes deserted and paid no attention to the intruding spies.

As we learned so vividly in this week’s news, it is trivial to create an evil report if you only look at half the facts. This applies to many of the “evil reports” that we here in all aspects of our lives — we hear half the story and imagine that we know the entirety. This is why Lashon Hara (gossip) is indeed profoundly evil — it creates a distorted picture. People who tell us Lashon Hara are “friends” in the same way that mercenaries with knives are “peace activists,” and we must avoid them both!

Good Shabbos!
Rabbi Yaakov Menken
Director, Project Genesis – Torah.org

“Ki Ner Mitzvah v’Torah Ohr, the mitzvah is a lamp and Torah is the light” (Proverbs 6:23). We share the obligation to turn on the lights in every soul. Every holy spark, every Jewish soul can become a flame, and all we must do is help to ignite it. This is true in all ways, but in Torah most of all. Not only to ignite the light, but to hold the candle steady until the flame burns on its own.

How we do that is different for every person, but it can be as simple as passing along an interesting Torah thought that you downloaded from Torah.org or elsewhere. Every other Jewish soul must be ignited, inspired, until each one is a dedicated flame carried into our Jewish future.

Good Shabbos!

Rabbi Yaakov Menken
Director, Project Genesis – Torah.org

Please take a look at our Shavuos articles at Torah.org and listen to our Shavuos audio at TorahMedia.com.

May we all be granted abundant blessings on our Torah learning throughout the year, stemming from this great and holy Day!

Good Shabbos, and Good YomTov,

Rabbi Yaakov Menken
Director, Project Genesis – Torah.org