The popular contemporary work, Nesivos Shalom, by the late Rebbe (Grand Rabbi) of the Slonim Hasidic sect, Rav Shalom Barzovsky ob”m, gives a novel and poignant interpretation of this classic Talmudic directive:

“We must rejoice on Purim till we no longer feel the difference between the Mordechai periods of our lives, when we merit insight and enlightenment, and the Haman periods, in which we find His presence concealed.” (quote from Rabbi Yitzchak Adlerstein’s archives on Nesivos Shalom)

The Almighty only does good, but many times it’s seemingly impossible to see how the abundance of evil and negativity in the world are ultimately good. On Purim though, one can achieve, and should make every effort to achieve, a level of joy where we not only see the silver linings, but the precious clouds themselves – “when you’re smilin’, the whole world smiles with you.”

To learn more about Purim please take a look at our Purim articles at Torah.org, and listen to our Purim audio at TorahMedia.com.

Good Shabbos …and Happy Purim!
Rabbi Mordechai Dixler
Program Director, Project Genesis – Torah.org

Now they help us when you “Shop for the Cause” … and they’ve challenged us to drum up new members.

Here’s how it works: You’ll get an email from us next Wednesday afternoon, with a link to their site. If you sign up for iGive between noon Wednesday, Central Time (that’s 1pm on the East Coast, and 8pm in Israel), and noon Thursday, and visit any of their 700 stores through iGive… they will give Project Genesis a dollar. And it won’t cost you a penny!

Now that may not seem like much, but it’s all about the numbers. This week, we read in the Torah that everyone was able to donate as much as they wanted to the Temple, but everyone donated just a half-shekel for the daily sacrifices. And those half-shekels, added together, provided for the sacrifices for the entire year — with funds left over!

If we raise $10,000 via this upcoming appeal (which will, of course, request your support via check or credit card as well), we’ll be able to finally launch our redesign project, which has been over a year in the planning and will touch every aspect of the entire family of Project Genesis websites.

Please watch your mailbox! We don’t want to send the link now, as sign-ups outside that 24-hour window will not be part of the challenge. And you know someone would just click and go ahead.

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

25 years ago, a 19-year-old man, Martin Grossman, was caught in a park discharging a firearm. This was a violation of his parole on a burglary charge. High on drugs, he shot the park police officer trying to report him.

If we decide that an IQ of 77 reduces a 19-year-old to the maturity of the average 17-year-old, then he wouldn’t be a candidate for the Death Penalty. Indeed, for 25 years he has been a model prisoner and has expressed profound remorse for his thoughtless cruelty. He understands that he will live out his life in jail, one way or the other.

By and large, as I said, I stay away from these cases. But I urge everyone to read the words of Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein, and for more details, an amicus curiae brief filed in pleading for clemency in this case. I think and hope you will agree that even strong supporters of the death penalty see room for profound discomfort in this case.

Please write or call Florida’s governor, Charlie Crist, if you share my feelings. His e-mail address is Charlie.Crist@eog.myflorida.com, his phone number is (850) 488-7146 and he can be faxed at 850-487-0801.

Good Shabbos!

Rabbi Yaakov Menken
Director, Project Genesis – Torah.org

Many commentaries speak about what this means, whether literally or figuratively. The Shearis Menachem, though, has a unique approach to understanding the idea of “seeing” voices. He explains that what the Jewish People heard on Mount Sinai was visible afterwards. You could see it in their way of life, in how they spent their days. What they heard could be seen.

In other places and situations, what people heard was merely heard, and not seen. People saw and learned, but what they had learned was not visible in how they lived their lives afterwards.

In just the past month, we have seen how fragile life really is. Can people see what we have learned?

Good Shabbos!

Rabbi Yaakov Menken
Director, Project Genesis – Torah.org

But when you think about it, there’s no contradiction. We are trained to think that “freedom” means the ability to do whatever you want. But when was the most care-free time of your life? Most of us would answer, our childhood. And who are the happiest children? Those who are confident in both their parents’ love, and their guidance. Both of those are critical: the happiest children are not those with no rules, but those with clearly-defined guidelines, enforced with fairness and love.

Good Shabbos!

Rabbi Yaakov Menken
Director, Project Genesis – Torah.org

The Jewish man is never identified by name. We never hear from him again — we don’t even know if he was one of those who left Egypt (to the best of my limited knowledge).

The Torah does not waste words, but tells us that Moshe saw the Egyptian man beating a Jewish man “from his brothers.” This answers our question, and this was what made Moshe the ideal leader of the Jewish people.

To Moshe, another Jew wasn’t merely another citizen of the same country, or a distant relative — he was immediate family, for whom he was willing to risk his life.

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

One of the most important forms of charity is to help a person smile, to lift him up from being unhappy. It’s a form of charity that doesn’t cost anything and can be found anywhere, even in our own homes. Many people today are lonely, sad, in need of your smile. And considering where any form of improvement must begin, sometimes it starts in the mirror!

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

Good Shabbos and a Happy Holiday!

Rabbi Yaakov Menken
Director, Project Genesis – Torah.org

Instead, I must thank the few people who did so, all the more!

At this point we still don’t know who posts flyers in the shuls in Flatbush, or how much it costs — much less the smaller communities. If you can help us with this effort, please write to genesis -at- torah.org; we will pay all expenses, of course!

In Hebrew, the word “Hodu” has three meanings. One is “turkey,” and another is “give thanks.” The third meaning is “India,” which seemed irrelevant until Rabbi Dixler pointed out that the original pilgrims called the turkey an “Indian chicken.”

Whether or not today was marked by consumption of turkey (which Ben Franklin wanted to have as the US national bird, rather than the eagle), it is appropriate to be thankful in a country which has offered us such complete freedom to practice and live as Jews. For most of our history, Jews have been like our forefather Yaakov. Yaakov left the company of Lavan, who cheated and deceived him, and attempted to oppress him financially, and then went to his brother Esav, who brought an army out to meet him. America remains a beacon of freedom to the world, for which we must be thankful all the more.

Speaking of holidays, our own Chanukah is rapidly approaching. Please check out the many classes in our special Chanukah section, and listen to audio classes on Chanukah hosted at TorahMedia.com.

Notice boards — in shuls, Hillel buildings, dormitory buildings, JCCs, Kosher restaurants and markets — remain a powerful and inexpensive place to advertise services for the Jewish community. We have 8.5×11 glossy sheets, to promote “Jewish Learning @ Internet Speed.” You, we hope, know of places where they will be noticed.

If you can think of five or more places to post them, please tell us. If you think a local poster-hanging would be helpful, just tell us how much it will cost to use the services of the local agency (as there are in many neighborhoods and on many campuses, all inexpensive). If you have less than 5 places, might you consider printing out a copy or two and hanging them somewhere visible?

In this simple way, you can help us to spread the word about Torah.org, and help others to start learning with us. Please email genesis *at* torah.org to help in this campaign.

Also, please take note of our special Chanukah section here at Torah.org, and listen to our Chanukah audio at TorahMedia.com.

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