BEGINNINGS

Dear Family,

Hope everyone is well and that those how were travelling are all settled down from the trips.

Mazal Tov to Netanel on his upcoming second birthday. Wishing Pesach and Chanie much nachas from him.

Mazal Tov to Hirshy on passing his Nursing School entrance exams. Hatzlacha Rabbah Hirshy.

Mazal Tov to Chanan, for his 25th year of service to Radiology. Why did I have to find this out from someone who saw it on Facebook!. Wishing you many more years of service to Medicine and Science Chanan - See below

Many BEGINNINGS were evident recently:

Bereshis

We are now starting to read the 5 Books of Chumash from the beginning again, spread out over a year

Rambam's Mishneh Torah

Both cycles have just started again.

Some people are learning 1 chapter a day over 3 years, and some are learning 3 chapters a day over 1 year.

The beauty about Mishneh Torah is that it is completely practical halacha, and covers the entire Oral Law. It is an amazing achievement by the Rambam, to have contracted the whole Torah, in such a concise and organised manner, into such a practical application, which everyone can access. Ie not just the learned.

I have summarised these Chapters in English and have a Comprehensive and a Short Summary, in case anyone would like to use them.

New Year

We have just come out of the highly inspirational month of Tishrei, and landing back down on earth to restart all of our New Year activities.

And we bring all our new treasures into the Year with us, from Tishrei.

Noach (This week's sedra)

The world has been destroyed by the Flood, and Noach and his Family are starting afresh, with a promise from Hashem that He will not destroy the world again.

Baal Shem Tov

Again in relation to this week's Sedra, Noach, The Rebbe points out a quote from the Zohar - 'In the 6th century of the 6th millennium, the portals of wisdom above, and the fountains of wisdom below, will open.

This date works out to be at the time of the Baal Shem Tov, who was born 1698, The Magid, and Alte Rebbe.

Our Sages explain that prior to the era of Mashiach, there will be a FLOOD of knowledge covering the world

1. Scientific knowledge within the world
2. Torah's Divine Wisdom that utterly transcends it.

Eventually the 2 types of knowledge will merge, resulting in a true understanding of Earth, Man, and G-d.

Already the connection between Torah and Science is becoming more and more evident.

Gut Shabbos to all with new resolutions and new beginnings, for a productive year.