BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY

Dear Family,

I hope everyone is well.

Mazal Tov to Netanel on his birthday next week. Wishing you a happy year Netanel and much success with all your school work and activities.

Mazal Tov to Yosef who also has a birthday next week. Wishing you a year of much growth and achievement in all areas Yosef.

I got an interesting picture today of our Family, from Sid Davidoff, from his the Barmitzvah in 1959.

Even in these early years, soon after the war, I was surprised to see how the Family was already growing, and it reminded me of one of the themes in this week's Sedra, Noach, of PRU UREVU - BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY.

So I thought I would share this picture, and share an interesting Rashi that I saw this week on this theme.

Thanks for the picture Sid, and everyone can have fun trying to recognize who is who!

The words of Torah are very precise, and one also gets glimpses of how sharp is Rashi.

In the beginning of the Sedra, when Noach and his Family are entering the Ark (7:7) it says 'And Noach and his sons, his wife and his son's wives, entered the Ark..'

Here Rashi notes that the order of the text indicates that the men were grouped separately and the women were grouped separately. He then concludes that this indicates that marital relations were forbidden in the Ark, since the world was in a state of distress.

In yesterday's portion of the Sedra (8:15)), Noach and his Family are now leaving the Ark at the end of the flood, and what does the text say? 'Hashem spoke to Noach saying, 'Leave the Ark, you and your wife, and your sons and their wives... AND BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY ON THE EARTH.'

And Rashi points out the change in order of listing of the men and women in the verse. Here the order is husband and wife!

BH, there has been much further multiplication for all of our Families since 1959, and for our Jewish Nation in general.

Wishing all those who still need to find their partners, to find them soon, and fulfil the very first Mitzvah of Torah - PRU UREVU.

Gut Shabbos to all