PEACE

Dear Family,

I hope everyone is keeping well.

We wish Shmuel Levy and Family long life on the passing of Grandma Levy. We were all very fond of her and she was so much part of all our simchos, even in London! Wishing the Family only simchos in the future.

Mazal Tov to Perry (Pesach Shlomo) on his engagement to Mikayla Koval. Such exciting news! Wishing the wedding to be in a good and auspicious time!

Mazal Tov to Freida who passed her exams to be a new US citizen. Well done Freida!

In the Rambam learning of this week we finished the Third Book called Sefer Zemanim, and the last chapter was to do with Chanukah, and it always leaves an impression on me.

I would like to share it in the form of a quiz, the answers for which is the halachah as prescribed by Torah.

A similar concept also comes up in this weeks Sedra Yisro.

1. If a person has no money for food, (except what he receives from charity), and he also has to purchase oil and lamps for Chanukah, which takes preference?
2. If a person has only one pruta (pennies) and he has the choice on whether to spend this on wine to sanctify Shabbos, or to purchase oil for the Chanukah lamps, which takes preference?
3. If a person has the opportunity to fulfil either the Sabbath candles or make kiddush, which takes preference?
4. If a person has the opportunity to fulfil either the Sabbath candles or lighting the Chanukah lamps, which takes preference?

Answers:

1. Chanukah candles take preference over buying food. He needs to pawn his clothes to buy Chanukah candles. Because Chanukah lamps are very dear and we need to be very careful in its observance, to publicise the miracle, and thus increase our praise of Hashem and demonstrate our gratitude.
2. Again Chanukah takes preference over kiddush.
3. Between Shabbos candles and kiddush, Shabbos candles take presence.
4. And this is the surprise - between Shabbos candles and Chanukah candles, SHABBOS TAKES PREFERENCE!?

Why?

BECAUSE SHABBOS CANDLES GENERATE PEACE WITHIN THE HOME BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIFE.

And Rambam ends the Book saying, 'Peace is great and the entire Torah was given to bring about peace within the world. As it says in Mishle (Shlomo Hamelech) 3:17 'Its ways are pleasant and all its paths are peace.'

And we see the theme of peace also in this week's Sedra, where it says that Yisro was the Priest of Midian.

Midian means contention and strife.

And Yisro was master of all the different idolatrous worships which all promote selfishness and strife.

Whereas serving Hashem promotes selflessness, which enables us to get along with others.

When Yisro accepted the Torah, his name changed from Yeser to Yisro - a vav was added to his name. Which means reaching beyond one' intellect and bringing it down into reality. Because human intellect is limited, and cannot reach the Divine awareness which nullifies the ego - Sefer Maamarim 5647 p72 and Sefer Maamarum Melukat V3 p59

Gut Shabbos to all as we start heading into Adar!