OUR HOLY NATION

Dear Family,

I hope that everyone is well.

Mazal Tov to Pesach on his birthday next week. Wishing you a successful year in both gashmius and ruchnius Pesach and with much happiness and nachas.

Mazal Tov to Dovi on his birthday on Shabbos. I hope you are doing well in Au Dov. Wishing you much success with Yeshivah and beyond!

Mazal Tov to Yeshayah on his birthday next week. Keep growing up in leaps and bounds Yeshayah. So proud to see how nice you are learning. Michayil el Chayil

Mazal Tov to Shneur Zalman Davidoff Jnr on his birthday. Wishing you a wonderful year of growth and giving nachas to your parents

And last but not least, Mazal Tov to Adam Frankel on his birthday right at the end of next week. Hatzlochah rabbah with everything Adam!

And Mazal Tov to Talya Bassin for passing her driving licence in Au!

Wishing Reuven and Chana Lieba, and Alisa and Juan, a wonderful trip in EY! Thanks for being in touch with Batsheva in the HOLY LAND.

This week's Sedras are Acharei Mos and KEDOSHIM (HOLY) and here the Jewish People, after having been made into a HOLY NATION at the Giving of Torah, are now instructed by Mosheh Rabeinu to be HOLY, ie we must hold ourselves to the standards of the code of conduct given to us.

And in relation to this, we have been learning this week, in the Introduction to Rambam's Mishneh Torah, his selection and listing of the 613 Commandments from the 5 Books of Moses. Everyone agrees that there are 613 Mitzvot as stated in the Gemorra, but Rambam shows us how he used 14 Principles, to select these out etc. And these are still recognized as being the accepted ones today.

In relation to some of the essential Mitzvot that we learn in this Sedra about Ahavas Yisrael - Love of a Fellow Jew, I saw a beautiful lesson from this coming week's Pirkei Avot (3:1)

It says, "Akavya ben Mehalel would say, ' Reflect on 3 things, and you will never come to sin: Know from where you came.., to where you are going.., and before whom you are destined to give a judgment and an accounting.."

The question is, why does the Mishnah put judgement before accounting? Surely it should be the other way around ie one first gives an accounting and then there is judgement!?

The Baal Shem Tov explains that the order of the Mishnah is in fact correct.

Because when we are judgemental on others, the same judgement will be passed on us. And therefore there will first be judgement, and then we will have to give an account.

The Mishnah is therefore telling us that when we reflect on the above 3 matters, that we come from nothing etc, we will then be able to realise that we are truly no better than our fellow. And if we do have some superior qualities, it is because Hashem has been gracious towards us and provided.

But the Rebbe explains even further, that 'nothingness' represents that our souls actually come from this very high source, and when we realize that we and our fellow all come from this vey high source, how can we then hastily make judgements on others.

Wishing everyone a good and Holy Shabbos