Triumph Over Pharaoh And The Spiritual Levi By Rabbi Yehuda L Oppenheimer and The Portion of Terumah and The Tabernacle and the Temples (read this week in the synagogue) and The Importance And Meaning Of Jewish Names By Rabbi Moshe Meir Weiss and 22 Kosher Facts Every Jew Should Know By Menachem Posner
Yehuda Lave is an author, journalist, psychologist, rabbi, spiritual teacher, and coach, with degrees in business, psychology and Jewish Law. He works with people from all walks of life and helps them in their search for greater happiness, meaning, business advice on saving money, and spiritual engagement.
The Tabernacle and the Temples (read this week in the synagogue)
Following the revelation at Sinai and the receiving of the laws there is now a need to erect a building which will testify to G-d's presence amidst His people. "And let them make for Me a sanctuary so that I shall amongst them" (Exodus 25;8). G-d's presence amongst the people feels tangible through the erection of the Mishkan (tabernacle).
The process of constructing the Mishkan at this point in time, and the Temple to be built later on, requires exact and detailed instructions as well as the raising of the necessary funds.
An allusion to the construction of the Mishkan and the two Temples may be found in the three crowns which appear atop the final letter "mem" in the word "betocham" (amongst them).
(Sefer Harokeiach on the Torah)
The Three Musketeers at the Kotel
22 Kosher Facts Every Jew Should Know By Menachem Posner
1. Kosher Means "Fit"
The Hebrew word kosher literally means "fit." The laws of kosher define the foods that are fit for consumption for a Jew (as well as the ritual items or procedures that are valid and proper), but the word has come to refer more broadly to anything that is "above board" or "legit." The general rubric of kosher contains several requirements the Torah specifies for the food Jewish people are to eat.
Shortly after the Exodus from Egypt, G‑d communicated the mitzvot, commandments for the Jewish people to follow. Of the 613 mitzvot, approximately 30 are directly related to the laws surrounding the preparation and consumption of kosher food.1
Among land animals, only those that have split hooves and ruminate (chew their cud) may be eaten. These include cows, sheep, deer, and goats.
Among sea creatures, only fish that have fins and scales (which can be easily removed by hand) are kosher. These include salmon, whitefish, and tilapia.
The Torah provides a list of non-kosher birds. All others are kosher. Since we cannot know for certain which birds the Torah's list refers to, however, we only consume birds traditionally known to be kosher, including chicken, goose, duck, turkey, and dove.
All shellfish, amphibians, reptiles, and insects are not kosher. The single exception is a group of four species of locusts singled out by the Torah.2 In practice, since it is difficult to know which species the Torah refers to, the vast majority of Jewish people do not eat locusts of any kind. The exception is certain communities (mostly Yemenite), which have carefully preserved traditions regarding which kinds of locusts may be eaten.
5. Bees Are Not Kosher, But Pure Honey Is
According to halachah, a derivative of a non-kosher animal is considered impure, so the obvious question arises: How can kosher honey be produced by the non-kosher bee?
Well, honey is actually not produced by a bee's body. The bees transfer the floral nectar through their mouths only as temporary "storage"3 until the sugar levels reach 80 percent, and then they store it in the honeycomb. Bees' honey indeed represents a unique kashrut phenomenon!
The Torah tells us that meat must be slaughtered "in the way that I have commanded you."4 What is this way? Tradition, dating back to Moses himself, tells us that the animals must be killed by having their trachea and esophagus slit in a sweeping motion with a perfectly smooth, sharp knife. Performed by a specially trained slaughterer (shochet), this is known as shechitah.
The blood of mammals and fowl is utterly forbidden for consumption according to the Torah.5 Within 72 hours of slaughter, all extractable blood is drained from the meat by a special soaking and salting process, known as koshering. (Today, most kosher meat is sold with the blood already removed.)
The liver, which has an especially high blood content, needs to undergo a special broiling process before it can be eaten.
Coarse salt is used to remove blood from kosher meat (Photo by Jason Tuinstra on Unsplash).
8. Kosher Salt Is No More Kosher Than Table Salt
Blood is removed from kosher meat through soaking it and then coating it with relatively coarse grains of salt, which are then rinsed away (read the full procedure here). Technically called "koshering salt," this salt is commonly labeled as "kosher salt." However, it is essentially no more or less kosher than any other salt on the market. Salt is a mineral and pure salt is therefore always kosher. Some brands of salt have a kosher symbol on the package, and that way you know that a reliable kosher certification agency is checking to make sure that nothing else gets mixed into the salt and that it's 100% kosher.
The Torah tells us not to cook, eat, or even derive benefit from meat cooked with milk. In practice, this means that kosher food comes in three genres: 1) meat (including fowl), 2) dairy, and 3) parve, things which are neither meat nor dairy and may be enjoyed with either one of them. These include fish, eggs, nuts, and fruits and vegetables.
After eating meat, it is proper to wait six hours (the standard time between one meal and the next) before having dairy. The time to wait after dairy varies by custom and the specific kind of dairy eaten.
A modern kosher kitchen often has separate counters for meat and milk (Photo: Michael Duke for The Jewish Herald Voice).
10. Fish Gets Special Treatment
Technically fish is parve and may be enjoyed with meat or milk. But the Talmud6 warns us not to eat fish with meat, asserting that the combination is unhealthy. This is mentioned in the Code of Jewish Law7 with the admonition that health concerns are to be treated with even greater gravity than ritual laws.8 So the accepted practice is to change dishes and rinse one's mouth between fish and meat courses.
11. The Kosher Kitchen Has Two (or Three) Sets of Dishes
We try to keep even the smallest traces of dairy out of meat, and the smallest bits of meat away from dairy. For this reason, a kosher kitchen has a completely separate sets of dishes, cookware, and other utensils for meat and dairy. Many also have parve dishes, on which they can prepare food that will later be served with either meat or dairy.
In the event of a mix-up, the offending substance can sometimes be purged from the dish by applying extreme heat.
12. Certifying Agencies Do Much of the Work for You
In the controlled environment of your own kitchen, you can ensure that only kosher ingredients are used and that meat and dairy are kept separate. But how do you know what happens in factories or restaurants? Enter the kosher certifying agency, often known as a hashgachah ("supervision").
They comb through ingredient lists, observe factory conditions, and make periodic (or more than periodic) inspections to make sure that the food produced is fit for the kosher consumer.
The agencies then provide a certification known as a hechsher.
All told, there are as many as 1,500 kosher certifying bodies worldwide. Some represent an individual rabbi, and others are international organizations. The five largest agencies account for nearly 80% of the certification in the US. They are the OU, OK, Star-K, Kof-K and cRc. 9
A mashgiach inspects for bugs in leafy greens. Photo: Yaakov Naumi/FLASH90
13. A Mashgiach Does All Kinds of Checking
The representative of a supervising agency who inspects and oversees is known as a mashgiach ("watcher"). Some mashgichim spend their weeks on the road, visiting remote plants and factories. Others may be permanently stationed in a specific restaurant or food establishment. A restaurant or catering mashgiach may spend a lot of time checking lettuce and other vegetables to ensure that they are free of bugs (which are not kosher).
When a product bears the seal (hechsher) of a reputable agency, you are relying on the agency, who attest that the product is kosher according to their standards. The presence of a "K" on a product just means that someone out there believes the product to be kosher. Who is that someone? It may be a reliable Orthodox rabbi, or it may just be the company's marketing department.
The lesson: Do your homework and only purchase food with a reliable kosher seal or guaranteed to be kosher by someone you trust to be in the know.
A symbol like this one is worthless, since it does not represent a reputable rabbi or organization.
15. "Glatt" Kosher Does Not Mean Super Kosher
In common parlance, "glatt kosher" has come to denote something super-kosher, acceptable even to those with the most exacting standards. Its true meaning, however, is much more focused. Literally "smooth," this refers to an animal whose lungs have been found to be superbly healthy and free of adhesions. Since this is a higher standard of kosher, it has come to refer to food that is kosher according to the most exacting of standards.
The unfortunate reality is that the American prison population includes kosher-keeping Jews, as well as non-Jews who have developed an interest in Jewish observance. To accommodate them, some American prisons, notably those with large kosher-keeping populations, provide kosher meals, sometimes cooked in a specially designated prison kitchen. Other prisoners get pre-packaged meals. While these meals may be on par with bad airplane food, they may also consist of primarily peanut butter, matzah, tuna fish, and little else.
Interior of a prison (Photo by Matthew Ansley on Unsplash)
17. More than 20% of Americans are Kosher Conscious
Jews make up less than 1.5% of the American population, yet 21% of Americans polled said they regularly or occasionally purchase kosher products because they are kosher. Why? The reasons vary. Most (55%) did so because they believe that the additional layer of kosher certification was likely to mean that the food was healthier or safer to eat. The next largest groups were vegetarians (38%) who knew that food marked parve or dairy could contain no meat. Another bloc were Muslims (16%) who accepted kosher food as being compliant with their halal needs.10
18. Chalav Yisrael Is Available in Many American Cities
Not all kosher dairy was created equal. Halachah states that dairy must be produced under Jewish supervision to ensure that no non-kosher milk is mixed in. This milk is known as chalav Yisrael, "Jewish milk." In the US and other Western countries, when supervision is not possible, some argue that government inspection is sufficient and that additional supervision is not required. This government-inspected milk is popularly known as chalav stam, "ordinary milk." Many are particular to use only chalav Yisrael, especially when it is readily available, as it is in most major Jewish population centers nowadays.
The Hebrew lettering on the top of this carton certifies that the milk is chalav Yisrael, produced under Jewish watch.
19. Kosher for Passover Is Different
During Passover (also known as Pesach), Jewish people avoid anything that contains grain that has risen or fermented—including breads, pastas, beers, liquors and more. In order for something to be kosher for Passover, even the minutest amount of the forbidden substance, chametz, is a problem. Dishes must be scoured and purged from any trace of non-Passover food in a specific manner before food that is kosher for Passover can be produced on them.
Even though wine rarely contains milk, meat, or other sensitive ingredients, it has its own set of guidelines: it may not be handled by non-Jews unless it is in a sealed bottle.
This creates challenges for vintners wishing to produce kosher wine with the help of non-Jewish employees. It is also problematic for one who wishes to serve wine at a meal where non-Jewish guests or wait staff will be present.
21. Fruit and Veggies Are More Complicated in Israel
For the most part, plain, unprocessed produce is kosher. After all, what could possibly be wrong? However, there are some things to beware of. Bug infestations effectively render certain items (such as fresh raspberries) unkosher, and require extensive checking before other groceries (such as many leafy greens, nuts and grains) may be eaten. In addition, fruit from Israel must have been tithed and must be known not to have grown during the tree's first three years of life. For this reason, Israeli produce is best bought only bearing kosher certification.
Whatever you eat becomes one with your body. When you eat kosher food, you can use that energy for good purposes, thus elevating the plant and animal products that you have imbibed. If, however, you have eaten something that is forbidden, it is "tied down," as it were, and even if you eat it with the noblest intentions and then go on to do the most heroic, G‑dly acts, it is still stuck, weighing you down like a spiritual ton of bricks.11
So make sure to eat only kosher. Your soul will thank you!
As we begin recounting the incredible story of Moshe Rabbeinu once again, a question that bothered me for years (and I am sure that I am not alone in this) is, given the hostility of Pharaoh to the Jews, and Moshe in particular, how is it that Moshe seems to be able to waltz in and out of the palace whenever he chooses? We know from many sources the life and death power that the Pharaohs had over everyone and everything in Egypt and the whole Middle East, including Eretz Yisrael. (Not the subject for today, but historical and archaeological sources prove this beyond a doubt) So how is it that Moshe was personally exempt from any control by the Pharaoh?
I know of three approaches to answer this question. The first is the Midrash, which tells fantastic stories of the supernatural assistance that Moshe was given. Lions, rodents and other animals would come with him and frighten the Egyptian guards and Pharaoh himself and gain Moshe entry whenever he wished. The inquiry might end there, but I believe there is more to plumb in this story.
Another approach may disturb some readers, but I think it has much truth to it. When the movie "The Prince of Egypt" came out in 1998, I did not see it, listening to the criticism that it distorted the story as presented in the Torah and having a general aversion to Hollywood. However, a few years ago I saw it on a plane ride. While much of the film is, in fact, objectionable (particularly its portrayal of my Zayde Aharon), the central theme is based on one crucial insight that I had not considered before: Moshe grew up in the house of Pharaoh. Whether or not the Pharaoh at the beginning of Shemos was the same Pharaoh who Yosef had dealt with (see Rashi to Shemos 1:8), the text states that Pharaoh died many years later, towards the end of Moshe's stay in Midian (2:23). Thus, the Pharaoh that Moshe contended with upon his return was surely none other than the stepbrother that Moshe had grown up with!
Given this fact, it may simply be that Moshe could come and go in the palace as he reclaimed his previous royal privileges of access. In fact, as some Midrashim note, the reason that Moshe had to go through the adoption by Batya and was brought up as an Egyptian was to prepare him for the confrontations that he would face as the Jewish savior and to give him the confidence and ability to speak effectively in that forum. Thinking of Moshe and Pharaoh in this way and analyzing the love/hate relationship that they must have had as long-lost brothers who were now adversaries is fascinating on many levels. It may be the key to understanding the incredible ego and obstinacy of Pharaoh in continuing his futile resistance while bringing himself and his nation to ruin.
However, I heard a third approach this week, which might be the most fascinating of all. Rashi raises the question regarding Moshe's access:
Pharaoh said to Moshe and Aharon: "Go to your work that you have to do in your own houses." But [he could not have been referring to the Egyptian bondage, because Moses and Aaron were from the tribe of Levi, and] the labor of the Egyptian bondage was not incumbent upon the tribe of Levi. You should know [that this is true] for behold, Moses and Aaron were coming and going without permission (Shemos 5:4).
Apparently, it was not only Moshe but the entire tribe of Levi who were, astoundingly, not subject to Pharaoh's persecution. Why was that?
Rav Avrohom Chaim Shor, one of the leading rabbonim in Poland (d. 1632), attributes this to the foresight and wisdom of Yosef. In Bereishis chapter 47 we read how Yosef arranged things so that all the wealth and people of Egypt belonged to Pharaoh, except the priests:
And Yosef made it into a land law in Egypt, which is still valid, that a fifth should be Pharaoh's; only the land of the priests did not become Pharaoh's. (47:26)
In his genius, Yosef established the law in Egypt, which Pharaoh could not revoke (without revoking his claim to all his power) that the priests were not subject to him. He did so to ensure that the tribe of Levi, who were the keepers of the spiritual tradition passed from Avraham to Yitzchak to Yaakov to Levi, would remain the heart and core of the Jewish people (see Rambam Hilchos Avoda Zara 1:3).
From the beginning, Avraham had been told in the Bris Bein Habesarim (Covenant between the Pieces) that before becoming the Holy Nation, they would have to go through a kiln of fire and persecution:
"And He said to Avram, 'Know well that your offspring shall be strangers in a land not theirs, and they shall be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years'" (Bereishis 15:13).
In this short essay, I cannot go into the many commentaries that delve into the purpose of that terrible period that they went through. But one thing is clear; only by going through this very difficult challenge would Am Yisrael achieve its destiny. The road to Sinai had to go through Egypt. At first a very pleasant Egypt, but then one that became worse and worse, until Hashem saved us from there with great miracles. Am Yisrael suffered greatly in Egypt – not only physically, but perhaps even more so, spiritually. They reached extremely debased levels, and the great majority were unfortunately irredeemable and perished during the plague of Darkness. But the core stayed strong due to the indomitable spirit of Levi, courtesy of Yosef.
What does this mean for us? Besides the historical lesson about our origins, we can take much to heart in our own lives. First, to know that we, too, must personally go through many challenges before we reach our destiny. There are no shortcuts when it comes to spiritual achievements. We must embrace our challenges, remind ourselves that the Almighty gave them to us that we might grow thereby, and look forward to his grace coming upon us in His due time.
Second, we need to remember that the tribe of Levi is the spiritual battery that will help us get through whatever He has in store for us, and to thrive with it. We must seek spiritual guides and teachers who will open our hearts and help us uncover our eyes, so that we see our tasks clearly in front of us. Moreover, if we but will it, we too can be Levites. The well-known Rambam (Shemitta V'yovel 13:13) states:
"Not only the tribe of Levi, but any one of the inhabitants of the world whose spirit motivates him and he understands with his wisdom to set himself aside and stand before G-d to serve Him and minister to Him and to know G-d . . . is sanctified as holy of holies. G-d will be His portion and heritage forever."
I am not among those who claim that this passage shows the Rambam's support for a kollel lifestyle; too many other writings of the Rambam contradict that. What it does mean, however, is that every person can choose to be a spiritual Levi and a source of inspiration and blessing to all those who interact with him. To be like Moshe and Aharon, who cared for, inspired, taught, and loved their fellow Jews and helped them live lives full of meaning and purpose. They – and if we merit it, we – will be able to walk through the minefields of the world, to deal with the Pharaohs and other obstacles, and continue on the road that will lead to greeting the Mashiach, speedily in our days.
In the beginning of parshasShemos, the verse says, "… Shemos Bnei Yisroel habonim – The names of the Jewish people who came." The Baal Haturim revealed that the first letters of these four words spells shevi'ah, which means captivity. This conveys the lesson that the Jews kept their Jewish names throughout their captivity, one of the three merits which allowed us to be redeemed from Egypt.
The Maharam Schick, zt"l, states in strong terms that it is of biblical importance to maintain Jewish names. He says it is the fulfillment of the Torah directive, "I will separate you from the nations to be Mine." The great Maharsham, zt"l, was asked about a beautiful embroidered cover for the shul amud dedicated by a certain woman. At the bottom, she embroidered her name in Hungarian. The Maharsham poskened that if it was a Jewish name just written in Hungarian, that's fine. But if it was a gentile name, he wrote that it shouldn't be displayed for it could be a stumbling block to impede the redemption, since in Egypt we were redeemed because we didn't change our Jewish names.
The Otzar Hapla'os wonders, "If so, why were there so many sages in the Talmud who bore secular names?" He proposes that it was because we were persecuted by the gentiles and many times it was necessary not to have Jewish names that were recognizable as such. My name on my birth certificate is an example of this. My father, Reb Aharon Tzvi ben Meir Weiss, zt"l, was a survivor of Auschwitz who also lived through the terrors of the death march after Auschwitz was disbanded. When he arrived in America in the early 50s, the fear of the Gestapo was still very real, so much so that when I was born, he put on the birth certificate the name Mark M. instead of Moshe Meir. Similarly, three years later my brother got the name Arthur J. instead of Yosef Asher. It was only eleven years later that he felt sufficiently safe to give my next brother the name Yisroel Dov.
But if all things are equal, we should certainly pick for our children purely Jewish names. Even the surnames should be distinctly Jewish. When in Austria they insisted on people having last names, the Maharam Schick adopted the name "Schick" for it is an abbreviation of sheim Yisroel kodesh, the name of a Jew is holy. So too, for example, names like Goodfriend point to the importance of being a chaver tov; Weiss means white –a stamp of purity; and Klein, meaning small, hints to the shining virtue of humility.
Names in the Jewish belief are not simply a label to differentiate people. The gematria of sheim is equal to tzinor, pipeline, for one's name is a conduit to bring down good or bad from heaven, depending on a person's behavior.
The Gemara teaches us that a name foretells a person's destiny. Noach was an ish naicha, a gentle person; the letters of Noach – nun ches – spell chein, charm, for Noach found favor in the eyes of Hashem. Hevel means vanity, for Hevel he died in vain, killed cold-bloodedly by his brother Kayin. Hagar has the same letters as hageir, the ultimate convert, for she was a royal princess who gave up everything to become Sarah's handmaid. Moshe has the same letters as Hashem, for no one saw Hashem face to face as did Moshe. Basya, or more precisely Bisya, has the same letters as teiva, for she retrieved the ark that contained Moshe Rabbeinu from the water. Basya is also the same letters as bas Kah, the daughter of G-d, for Hashem said to her, "You treated Moshe like your own child even though he wasn't your own; I will treat you like my daughter." She would never die, and entered alive into Gan Eden.
I mentioned that a name has an option to be both positive and negative in the true spirit of bechira. Thus, Tziporah, the very great wife of Moshe Rabbeinu, can be anagrammed to read prutzah, an immodest and abrasive woman. In truth, the Midrash says, she was wholly pure like the pure bird variety known as tziporah. The Rabbeinu Efraim says that the gematria of Tziporah equals the gematria of l'Moshe, showing that even though she was in faraway Midian, she was Moshe's basherta. Tziporah is also the numerical values of tzor milah, for Tziporah took a flint stone and circumcised her son, saving Moshe's life. Tziporah is also the gematria of ratz milah because she ran to do the circumcision. It was her alacrity that saved Moshe Rabbeinu from being swallowed by the snake.
All Jewish names carry these harbingers and messages and I just wanted to give you a little taste to impress upon you the importance of always picking and using our wonderful Jewish names. May we merit to mine the beautiful forecasting encoded in our names and may Hashem bless us with long life, good health, and everything wonderful
