THE HINTING OF TORAH

Dear Family,

I hope everyone is well, and we still need to have in mind Renee (Rivka bas Sarah Zlata) who is having difficult treatments at the moment. She should have a refuah shleimah.

Mazal Tov to Devorah Leah on her upcoming birthday next week. Wishing you much success in the chinuch of your Family with much nachas and happiness Devorah Leah.

Matos Masei was your Barmitzvah Sedra Hirshy. And so we wish you Mazal Tov again. As described below, there are beautiful lessons to be learnt from this Sedra, and you have been zocheh to be connected to it BH!

We are now moving into Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av this evening, and entering into the 9 Days of Mourning for the destruction of both the First and Second Temple on Tisha Beav (the 9th of Av)

Our Sages teach us that the destruction of the Holy Temple came about because of baseless hatred that Jews harbored to one another.

And therefore it follows that the correction of this problem, and the rebuilding of the Third and Final Temple, will come about through baseless love for our fellow Jews.

It is therefore so interesting to see how sensitive is Torah to our needs.

The Sedra Matos (or Matos Masai) always comes near to Rosh Chodesh Av. In Matos 33:38 (which we read yesterday as divided into daily portions), Torah states very clearly that the date that Aharon HaKohen passed away, was Rosh Chodesh Av in the 40th year after leaving Mitzraim, and that he was 123 years old.

This is the only place in Torah where a persons birthday is so clearly stated!

The hallmark of Aharon Ha Kohen was that he loved peace, pursued peace AND HE LOVED PEOPLE.

The Sage Hillel urged us to be disciples of Aharon Hakohen who was "a lover of peace and a pursuer of peace, he loved people, and he brought them close to Torah". (Pirkei Avot 1:12) - which was also the Chapter that we read last Shabbos.

And therefore it is so interesting that Torah highlights Aharon, always near Rosh Chodesh Av, when we are entering the 9 Days of Mourning for the destruction of the Bet HaMikdash, to teach us to be disciples of Aharon HaKohen, which will be the needed antidote to bring about the rebuilding of the Third and Final Temple.

May this be speedily in our days, and that Tisha BeAv will be converted to a Yom Tov! May it be this year!

Gut Shabbos and Gut Chodesh to all