ETERNAL GENERATIONS

Dear Family,

I hope everyone is well.

Mazal Tov again to Penina on her birthday today. Wishing you and all your Family a wonderful year in both gashmius and ruchnius!

Mazal Tov to Hirshy and Mariasha on the purchase and renovation of their new home in North Hollywood. Meshaneh makom meshaneh mazal letovah! So happy and excited for you all BH!

We wish long life to Renee, Sid and Brian for the yohrtzeit of Uncle Dave this coming week. It brings back such good memories thinking of Uncle Dave. His neshamah should have an aliyah.

We also wish long life to Froma, Kerry-Lee and Gareth for the yohrtzeit of Alden, also next week. Alden and I were good friends (and cousin) and I think about him often. His neshamah should have an aliyah.

In this weeks Sedra Chayei Sarah, we read about the FIRST MARRIAGE in our Jewish History ie that of Yitzchak and Rivkah. Avraham and Sarah were our first forefather and mother, but Avraham was not yet circumcised at their marriage.

Ever since their marriage Judaism has survived and thrived through the centuries PRESERVED BY TORAH, and passed on from generation to generation.

The reason this stood out for me this week, is because SALT came up in the Rambam learning, in connection with the Laws about the Temple Services.

And Rabbi Gordon related an interesting story from the Gemorra, which was spoken in riddles, about SALT as follows:

A Greek Philosopher came to one of the Tanaim of his time and asked him 'What does one do if salt loses its preservative powers?'

And the Tanna answered him, 'Take the afterbirth of a mule and add it to the salt.'

So the philosopher said, 'But a mule does not have children!'

And the Tanna replied 'AND SALT CANNOT LOSE ITS PRESERVATIVE QUALITY!'

Behind the riddles, they were debating as follows - A mule does not have children, and only lasts one generation.

Similarly, all the .isms in the world come for a short time, and then disappear (eg communism, fascism, fashions, empires etc)

But Torah preserves the Jewish Nation forever, like salt, and it can never lose it's preservative powers!

That is why salt is placed on all the Sacrifices. They all need the eternity of Torah.

Also we dip the challah 3 times in salt on Shabbat.

The gematria (numerical value) of salt (melech) is 78.

And the numerical value of Hashems Name is 26.

3x26=78!

Wishing everyone a wonderful Shabbos, and we should hear much news of new weddings for all who need!