Wonders 59- Blessing for Clothing

Why is the blessing for clothing so significant that it follows that of the eyes according to ashkenaz & that of standing upright , according to Sefarad ?
Why do we wear clothing in general , are we ashamed of the magnificent unique body Hashem has provided us with ?
The answer is that clothing are much more meaningful than the appearance they portray. They serve to remind us of who we are. We are not a body that contains a soul , rather , we are a SOUL that has a body as its container.
Your car is not you
Your clothing is not you
Your home is not you.

We need to thank Hashem for our clothing , home , a car etc , but not to lose sight of thanking Him for the ikor , our Soul.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Secret Function of Fingers

Daf 5b of Kesubos teaches the secret function that Hashem intented us to use our fingers.
??
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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W. 58 - Another Level

When we consider the ability to open our eyes , there are limitations & challenges at times such as blind spots or color blind.
There is another level that has been linked to the plague of Darkness in the Torah , Shmos 10:23. It says that it was so dark that the Egyptians could not see each other.
A person could not see his brother. !
This can apply in many ways when we fail at times to see each others needs with sufficent concern.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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W. 57 - Open Eyes

When a person knows who he is he is ready to open his eyes to see with inner vision. Pokeiach , means not only to open , but to be clever with an insightful mind & heart.
The Talmud , Nedarim 64b teaches that a sightless person is considered as dead. Why is that ?
Also, why do we group together a poor person , blind , leper & childless , Hashem should save us from all 4 ?
This has been explained that all 4 are limitations which restrict a persons free will causing him to lose out on Mitzva opportunities.
Thus in the morning we take stock of our good fortune to thank Hashem for the great gifts that He bestows on us daily.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Did You Know ?

* Today is the day you can begin the great study of
Mesechtas Kesubos with thousands of Jews all over , with the Daf Yomi program. ?

* There was a time in History when every first marriage would be on wednesdays , while a second marriage would take place on a thursday. See first Mishna in Kesubos.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Wonders 56 - Double Thanks

A Man says - thanks for who I am.
A Woman says - thanks for making me as He desired.
Obviously , they both need to thank Hashem for making them who they are & for the gift of a spouse.
If we were all the same we would not get the entire message. Baruch Hashem now we realize that a man has more Mitzvos including the one to study more Torah. For that he must be grateful & thank Hashem daily.
She , on the other hand , has more responsibilities to inspire her husband & her children to become great in Hashems service.

For example , Rebbe Akivas wife gets all the credit for motivating him to dedicate himself to becoming so great. And he gets for following through with his persistance to develop his greatness for 24 years in Yeshiva.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Mitzva Count - Haazinu / Zos Habracha

There are no specific Mitzvos , in general
- We have the fourth of the 10 Songs of history, which Moshe Rabeinu taught the last day of his life.
- We must keep the Torah ... It is like Rain.
- We must appreciate & praise Hashem
- His ways are just.
- We have freewill to choose to serve Hashem
- Remember all of Hashems kindnesses to you.
- Hashem has a system of rewards & punishments

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Zos Habracha

* Moshe blesses all the Jews
* He praises them.
* He praises Hashem.
* he passes away on Har Nevo by a kiss of death from Hashem.
* Moshe Rabeinu was the greatest prophet in History
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Mitzva Count - Nitzovim / Vayelech

There are no specific Mitzvos in Nitzovim.
In general we have
- A Covenant with Hashem to keep all of the Mitzvos
- The teaching of Teshuva - when we repent Hashem will help us
- The Torah is accessible to every Jew
- The Torah is the key to all benefits in this world & in the World to come.

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The last two Mitvos are in Vayelech
- To gather all Jews once in 7 years after the Shmita year , on the second day of Sukkos to hear parts of the Torah at a Hakhel program.

- Every Jewish male should write his own Sefer torah.
This applies also to writing & aquiring other Seforim to own & use.
***
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
www.GemsofTorah.com

Wonders 55- Secret of the Nose

Why is a nose called Chotem which is also the same root word for Chet - which refers to a sin ?
The word chut for thread is also of the same root.
The Gemara in Sukah explains that a sin begins as a small thread to tempt a person.
The essence of the word chet means to miss the goal , thus a nose is the center & the most prominent feature of the face. To identify a person , the daf Yevomos 120 a. Explains the nose must be included.
A sin is missing our purpose in life , thus it is like cutting off ones nose. Teshuva is the process of restoring & completing ones perfection.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
www.GemsofTorah.com

W. 54 - Freedom

How much free time do we actually have to serve Hashem every day ?
We thank Hashem for not having been created as a slave in the days when that was prevalent. Every person has unique opportunities that we need to appreciate & utilize fully.
We are not avodim to people because we were granted the distinct privilege to being servants of Hashem which is true greatness.
Every morning we to remind ourselves of this greatest of goals to strive to devote our time , at least part of it , to serving Hashem with total devotion.
As we study Hashems wonders all around us & realize how Hashem is always doing everything for us , we need to reciprocate to go all out or in to serve Him !
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
www.GemsofTorah.com

W. 53- blessing 2 -A Chosen Person

After we notice the magnificent daytime & thank Hashem for it , we start thinking about who we are & how fortunate it is to be chosen.
Now again we realize that Hashem created two types of people those who are obligated to keep the 7 Mitzvos & those who have 613.
Those who have 613 are compared to one who won a unique lotterry to receive 613 glorious mansions all over the world , expenses included. We are priviledged & entitiled to enjoy each Mitzva opportunity to enhance our lives with benefits galore.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
www.GemsofTorah.com

Marriage Secret - daf 118b - Benefit of togetherness

It is better to be together , rather than being alone.
- Even if he is small as an ant.
- Even if he does not have a great job & cannot provide much.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Secret of Daf 117a -Yevomos- the Heart Mirror

How can you get someone to like you ?
By generating love for them in your heart , their heart will reciprocate. Based on Mishlei 27:19
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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W. 52 - Counting our Blessings - 1 - Notice the Difference

Our Sages have taught us the system of saying 100 blessings daily in order to train us to learn to appreciate the Wonders of Hashem that envelope us on all sides.
Let us study the 15 morning blessings to dive into this program.
- 1 *
Day & night
If it was always daytime we would take it for granted & fail to appreciate it. Thus Hashem does us a favor by making it dark every 12 hours so that we wake up in the morning & exclaim - thanks for the gift of Daylight !
***
The same applies to summer & winter & many other such blessings in life.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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W. 51 - The Thumb Lesson

Why does the thumb seem to be shorter than the other fingers yet it is thicker & to the side ?
When you lift something with one hand we see that the thumbs place is to oppose the other 4 fingers thus it is thicker. It also becomes longer to match the size of all of the other fingers.
One of the lessons this arrangement serves to highlight is how Hashem provides people with compensation. When they may be handlcapped in one area , Hashem provides other areas of qualities to compensate. Baruch Hashem
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Wonders 50 - Open & Close

Why did Hashem design our hands with an open & close feature , but it is not that way with our feet ?
The fingers were designed to serve open like a fork or closed as a spoon , or cupped as a cup or bowl. The feet however are for walking or standing thus they don't need such a feature.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
www.GemsofTorah.com

W. 49 - At your Fingertips

Why did Hashem design each persons fingerprints with a unique personal pattern ?
- is it so that we should be able to identify ourselves to know who we are ?¥
- maybe so that we can check the records of criminals to determine whether or not we are on the wanted lists ?€

The basic reason for the texture of fingerprints is to enable a person to have a better grip & traction.
The profound reason is that our Sages teach
Fortunate is the person who comes to the World to Come with his Torah Study in his hands.
Pesochim 50a. Rabeinu Chananel explains the word - in his hands, that every Torah lesson has to be developed & translated into Action.
Thus Hashem gave us each unique fingers to symbolize our mission to develop our unique potential for our way of doing things with our Neshamas hallmark on it.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.

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Mitzva Count - Ki Sovoi

There are 6 Mitzvos

- To recite 6 verses of Thanks when bringing the first fruits donation of Bikurim.

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4 on how to declare , at the end of the 4th & 7th year , that we took care of our contributions.

- The declaration
- I did not eat any Maaser Sheini when in mourning
- & not while Tomay
- & not to use it for caring for a deceased

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* Follow in Hashems ways. To be kind , generous , humble , etc.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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W. 48 - Why 10 ?

Why did Hashem provide us with 10 fingers ?
There is a musician who instead of advertising that he is a one man band, he claims that he is a ten finger band !
One primary purpose is to remind us of our objectives in life to fulfill the 10 commandments. We know that they are divided onto two tablets , five on each , thus they correspond to our two hands of 5 fingers on each.
What a great gift. Baruch Hashem.
Now may be a good time for a gem of Torah study.
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Chalitza

A one-hour clip of a rare chalitza ceremony, in Bnei Brak

conducted by Rav Mordechai Gross.



http://www.tsofar.com/zofar/mashtap/show.asp?id=10366

<http://www.tsofar.com/zofar/mashtap/show.asp?id=10366>