This women&#39;s class was presented on Tuesday Parshas Pinchas, 20&nbsp;Tammuz, 5779, July 23, 2019 at the Ohr Chaim Shul, Monsey, NY

7067_depositphotos_36804669_xl_2015.4ca2.jpg

22_sermon_5777_god_needs_you_monsey_class_ac.7611.pdf

21_7067_rabbi_yy_jacobson_womens_pinchas_class_5779.e290.mp4

21_7067_rabbi_yy_jacobson_womens_pinchas_class_5779.e290.mp3

sheep

prayer

mother

lamb offerings

lamb

marriage partner

pinchas

davening

moshe/moses

tefilah

karban tamid

tefila

A Simple Wednesday Mincha Shakes the Heavens

Women's Pinchas Class

G-d Is “Lonely” Without You

Theology, Sociology, Psychology and Sheep. Four Sages Debate What the Most Important Idea of Judaism Is

68_depositphotos_10795400_original.jpg

22_pinchas_ac_final_final.pdf

pinchas.360p.mp4

pinchas.mp3

relationships

love

sheep evening

main verse of torah

main principle of torah

tamid offering

sheep morning

Four Sages Debate What the Most Important Idea of Judaism Is

Theology, Sociology, Psychology and Sheep

The women&#39;s class was&nbsp;presented on Tuesday, Parshas Pinchas, 15&nbsp;Tammuz, 5780, July 7, 2020, streaming live from Rabbi YY Jacobson&#39;s home in Monsey, NY

7585_bias.469d.jpg

21_7585_rabbi_yy_jacobson_women_class_pinchas_5780.bdbb.mp4

21_7585_rabbi_yy_jacobson_women_class_pinchas_5780.bdbb.mp3

daughters of tzelafchad

bias

bribes

cognitive bias

objectivity

How Bias Are We in Our Decisions?

Pinchas Women's Class

The Path to Greatness Leads Through Pettiness

The sages present a fascinating parable on this week&rsquo;s portion. There was a princess who was about to die. So she called in her husband and commanded him to treat her and his children with respect, dignity, and love. She instructed him to ensure that all their needs are met and that they will be able to live in security and peace. Her husband, the future widower, responds: Before you instruct Me to take care of my children, instruct My children that they take care of me!

This is how the Rabbis understand the sequence of events. Moses, the faithful mother of Israel, the Yiddishe Mamme, is about to die. And now, mom is concerned: Who will be there for my kinderlach? In the absence of a mother, who will make sure they are fine?

What is G-d&rsquo;s response? Hey! You are worried about them. But who will worry for Me? I will now be a widower. I will not have you anymore. I will only have my children&mdash;and I am afraid to lose them. 

This seems senseless. The infinite G-d is &ldquo;crying&rdquo; to his &ldquo;wife,&rdquo; Moses, that He is afraid of remaining a lonely widower after her death? The infinite Creator? The all-powerful one? The omnipotent and the omniscient? What exactly is He worried about? Does G-d get lonely?&nbsp; 

Forty-nine years ago, on Shabbos Parshas Pinchas 5731/1971, the Lubavitcher Rebbe presented a most moving insight. It touches on one of the most important question people ask about their lives and one of the most important messages people need to understand about their role in this world.

7595_hashem_needs_you.cd08.jpg

1025_essay_5780_fff.965f.pdf

purpose of creation

god needs you

Your Simple Prayer on an Ordinary Wednesday Shakes the Heavens

Essay Pinchas

G-d's Vulnerability

A debate between the Karaites and traditional Jews focused on the anomaly of the Rabbis calling the document of divorce a &ldquo;get,&rdquo; neglecting the biblical term for the writ of divorce (&ldquo;sefer krisus&rdquo;).

This class presents an explanation why it is specifically the portion discussing the daily lamb sacrifices that conveys the essence of an enduring relationship. From a spiritual and psychological perspective, these two types of offerings represent two types of sacrifice: Self-motivated sacrifice vs. complete sacrifice; conditional sacrifice vs. unconditional sacrifice.

It is this type of relationship that eliminates the possibility of divorce. Hence, it is from this offering that the Torah omits the two letters representing divorce.

118_pinchash.jpg

22_pinchas_5770-1.pdf

Pinchas5770.360p.mp4

Pinchas5770.mp3

sacrifices

parshas pinchas

divorce

burnt offering

tamid

gitin

gittin

I Love You Because You are Beautiful, vs. You are Beautiful Because I Love You

Letters of Strife and the Mechanism of Love

The Verse that Says It All

A fascinating Midrash credits an isolated verse in this week's Torah portion, Pinchas, encapsulating the quintessence of Judaism<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn1" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref1')">[1]</a>.

The Midrash quotes four opinions as to which biblical verse best sums up the ultimate message of Torah. One sage, by the name of Ben Azzai, believed it was the verse in Genesis<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn2" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref2')">[2]</a>: "This is the book of the chronicles of man; on the day that G-d created man He created him in the image of G-d."

Another sage, by the name of Ben Zoma, holds a different verse to be more central to Jewish thought: "Hear O Israel, the Lord is our G-d, the Lord is One<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn3" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref3')">[3]</a>."

A third Talmudist, Ben Nanas, chooses this verse: "You shall love your fellow man like yourself<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn4" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref4')">[4]</a>." Finally, the fourth sage, Shimon, the son of Pazi, casts his pitch for the epic verse of the Torah. It is culled from the section in this week's portion that deals with the obligation during the time of the Temple to bring each day two lambs as an offering to&nbsp;G-d. "One sheep you shall offer in the morning and the second sheep in the afternoon<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn5" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref5')">[5]</a>."

This verse, according to Shimon, the son of Pazi, is the defining verse of Judaism.

The Midrash concludes: "One of the rabbis stood on his feet and declared, 'The verdict follows the opinion of Shimon the son of Pazi!'"

The Big Question

This is strange. The first three opinions make sense. The notion that all of Judaism can be traced back to the idea that a human being reflects G-d&nbsp;seems right. The same can be said about the concept of a single and universal G-d, or the injunction to love our fellow man like ourselves—these ideas, introduced 3300 years ago by the Hebrew Bible, vividly embody the essential&nbsp;weltanschauung&nbsp;of Judaism and its contribution to civilization.

But how does the verse "One sheep you shall offer in the morning and the second sheep in the afternoon" represent the core essence of Torah? How can one even begin to compare the message about offering two lambs with the global and noble ideas contained in the other three opinions?

What is even more astonishing is that the final verdict in the Midrash selects this verse about the sheep as the "winner." The biblical verses dealing with love, monotheism and human dignity, the foundations of morality and civilization, did not "make it" in the contest; it is precisely this verse enjoining us to offer a lamb in the morning and a lamb in the afternoon -- that was chosen as the ultimate embodiment of Judaism!

The Depth of Perseverance

One of the most seminal Jewish thinkers in the post-medieval period was Rabbi Judah Loew (1525-1609), who was known as the Maharal and served as the Chief Rabbi of Prague. In one of his works<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn6" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref6')">[6]</a> he offers a powerful answer.

What the fourth and last sage, Shimon&nbsp;the son of Pazi, was suggesting is that the verse that ultimately defines what it means to be a Jew is the one that speaks of unwavering consistency, "One sheep you shall offer in the morning and the second sheep in the afternoon." Every single morning and every single afternoon you shall make a sacrifice for your Creator.

The biblical declarations that reveal the philosophical depth of Torah and its grand vision for humanity—monotheism, love, human dignity—are powerful, splendid, and revolutionary. They have redefined theology, sociology, and psychology. But what makes Judaism and Jewish life unique is the unswerving commitment to live and breathe these truths day in, day out, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

I can be moved to tears by the notion of&nbsp;tikkun olam, of healing the world; I can preach about the ideals of human dignity, love, and peace. But the ideas and inspiration are fleeting.&nbsp;The real and ultimate power of Judaism is that it managed to translate the profound visionary ideals in daily routines and behaviors. Judaism always inspired its people to cultivate their relationship with G-d on a continuous basis, every day of their lives. Torah asks the human being to make daily sacrifices for truth, for love, for peace, for G-d, for family, for marriage. "One sheep you shall offer in the morning and the second sheep in the afternoon."

During exciting days and monotonous days, on bright days and bleak days—“One sheep you shall offer in the morning and the second sheep in the afternoon." In the morning, when you awake, you are called to make a sacrifice to G-d. In the afternoon, when your day is winding down, you are called, once again, to sacrifice something of your ego and insecurity for G-d.

Judaism is not only about a moving Yom Kippur experience or an emotional memorial ceremony; it is something the Jew lives every moment of his life. It is the dedication of ordinary people to construct, through daily ordinary acts, a fragment of heaven on planet earth.

It is a truth the great artists grasp well:&nbsp;Consistency is the soil in which creativity blossoms.&nbsp;The mission statement of Judaism is that you are&nbsp;always&nbsp;an ambassador of the Divine, an ambassador for&nbsp;love, light, and hope. When your sun rises and when your sun sets, you are G-d's agent here on earth to infuse it with meaning, purpose, and harmony, creating unity out of chaos, oneness out of fragmentation, light weaved from the stuff of&nbsp;darkness. You may be having a good day or a bad day, you may be at peace or in the midst of a struggle, but you are, in the words of the Maharal, an "Eved Hashem," a servant, a messenger of G-d. You are a ray of infinity, working for G-d, and reflecting His oneness in the world you inhabit.

(Please make even a small and secure contribution to help us continue our work.&nbsp;<a href="https://secure.theyeshiva.net/Donate">Click here</a>. To watch a more elaborate video presentation of this class by Rabbi YY Jacobson, please&nbsp;<a href="http://theyeshiva.net/Video/View/30">click here.)</a>&nbsp;

________________

<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref1" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn1')">[1]</a> The Midrash is quoted in the introduction to Ein Yakov, compiled by Rabbi Yaakov Ben Chaviv. He writes there that he found this information recorded in the name of the Midrash, but could not discover the original source. He proceeds to present his own explanation to the Midrash. 
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref2" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn2')">[2]</a> Genesis 5:1. 
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref3" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn3')">[3]</a> Deuteronomy 6:4. 
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref4" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn4')">[4]</a> Leviticus 19:18. 
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref5" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn5')">[5]</a> Numbers 28:4. 
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref6" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn6')">[6]</a>&nbsp;Nesivos Olam vol. 2 Nesiv Ahavas Ria chapter one.&nbsp; (My gratitude to Rabbi Nir Gurevitch, spiritual leader of the Australian Gold Coast community. I first heard this Midrash and Maharal from Rabbi Gurevitch, when I visited his community years ago.)

What Is the Mission Statement of Judaism? &quot;One sheep you shall offer in the morning and the second sheep in the afternoon.&quot;

898_be-consistent.jpg

22_shavous_class_1-0.pdf

commitement

mission statement of judaism

daily sacrifice

consistency

"One sheep you shall offer in the morning and the second sheep in the afternoon"

The Mission Statement of Judaism

The women&#39;s class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Chukas-Balak, 8&nbsp;Tammuz, 5780, June 30, 2020, streaming live from Rabbi Jacobson&#39;s home in Monsey, NY

7575_women_class_chukas.f0c2.jpg

22_chukas_balak_monsey_5780___english_source_sheet.3358.pdf

21_7575_rabbi_yy_jacobson_womens_chukas_balak_5780.9fa3.mp4

21_7575_rabbi_yy_jacobson_womens_chukas_balak_5780.9fa3.mp3

yiftach's daughter

child sacrifice

yiftach

When Religion Becomes Dangerous: The Story of Yiftach's Daughter

Chukas Women's Class

Did Yiftach Suffer from PTSD?

It is a puzzling story&mdash;the tale of the five daughters of Tzelafchad, recorded in the portion of Pinchas. They asked a simple question. The answer seemed obvious. Yet Moses immediately refused to give his view of the law. Instead, &ldquo;Moses brought their case before G-d.&rdquo; Why? Ask the commentators. The details of Torah law are based on logic deduced from the laws articulated in the Torah. Why did Moses not even give it thought, but went running to G-d?

The 13th-century Spanish commentator of the Torah, Rabbanu Bachaye, offers a daring insight.&nbsp;Is there such a thing in our world as objectivity? Are humans capable of objectivity? Is objectivity real, or just another idealistic principle like justice or truth, nice in principle but imperfectly operated in human hands? Do our past experiences and encounters influence/taint everything that comes after them? It is fascinating that literally thousands of years ago, the Torah and the Talmud understood this truth about humanity. A fascinating law in the Talmud about the king and High Priest plus four stories about bribery teaches us the depth of human bias.

This is the level of self-awareness Judaism asks of us. Don&rsquo;t be perfect, but be accountable. Don&rsquo;t be flawless, but be honest with yourself. Realize how subjective and bio you may be on any given issue, perhaps beyond realizing it. Thus, always retain your humility, allow yourself to be challenged, listen to another perspective, and be open to the truth that you may really be wrong. How do we make decisions in life unmarred by our prejudice and hidden agendas? The Mishnah states it clearly: Every person needs a mentor, a confidant.

2877_!edit_blind_spot.jpg

Even the Greatest Prophet Understood the Pitfalls of Bias

Essay Parshas Pinchas

Blindspot

In Search for a Successor 
&nbsp; 
Miriam has died. So has Aaron. G-d tells Moses that his turn is about to come. "Go up this mountain in the&nbsp;Abarim&nbsp;range and see the land I have given the Israelites. After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was. . .&nbsp;<a id="_edn1" href="javascript: void(0);" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref1')">[1]</a>."&nbsp;&nbsp;

At this dramatic moment, captured in this week's portion&nbsp;(Pinchas), Moses speaks to G-d. "May the Lord, the G-d of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a man over this community to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so G-d's&nbsp;people will not be like sheep without a shepherd<a id="_edn2" href="javascript: void(0);" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref2')">[2]</a>."&nbsp;&nbsp;

One can only imagine the emotions that engulfed Moses at the time. For more than four decades he had faithfully shepherded the people; with astonishing self-sacrifice he had committed himself completely to the creation and development of&nbsp;the nation of&nbsp;Israel. Now, as he is about to leave the world, he beseeches G-d not to leave the people orphaned. We can be quite certain that Moses' brief words contained far more than what is explicitly reported.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Indeed, this is the "job" of the&nbsp;Midrash, to attune us to the nuanced expressions and intricate intimations within biblical narrative. The&nbsp;Midrash&nbsp;on this passage<a id="_edn3" href="javascript: void(0);" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref3')">[3]</a>&nbsp;focuses our attention to the peculiar way in which Moses addresses G-d at this particular encounter: "G-d of the spirits"? What is the significance of this title?&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Just as no two faces are identical," states the&nbsp;Midrash, "no two personalities are identical. Every human being possesses an individual identity… During the time of his death, Moses requested from G-d, saying, 'Master of the universe! You are aware of the distinct personality of every single individual and that no two of your children are alike. When I pass away from them, I beg&nbsp;you,&nbsp;please designate for them a leader who will contain every single one of them according to his individuality… G-d of the spirits! You recognize the individual spirit of each of your creatures, so appoint someone who will know how to walk with each individual according to his spirit.'"&nbsp;&nbsp;

Two Forms of Leadership 
&nbsp; 
This is a remarkable interpretation. Perhaps more than anything else, it captures Judaism's view on the meaning of genuine leadership. Leadership, in all its forms — in the family, in the work place, in schools, organizations, spiritual communes and societies — is not about cloning people to fit the image and disposition of the leader. An authentic leader must embrace, rather than shun, human diversity. To a&nbsp;true leader, the&nbsp;distinctions&nbsp;between people&nbsp;are&nbsp;a&nbsp;positive phenomenon, not a threat. It is rooted in the leader's appreciation of the creator of humanity as "G-d of the spirits," one G-d who created many distinct faces, spirits and hearts, each of them called upon to experience life in a unique and individual fashion.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

One of the great challenges facing many marriages, communities and societies today is the notion of "My way or no way." Or as a person once remarked: "I am easy to get along with, once you learn to worship me." It's a feeling that the landscape of my emotions and of my religious experience is the only terrain worth&nbsp;treading&nbsp;on. If you think differently, if you have a different path, you must be on the wrong team.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Judaism, on the other hand, declares the oneness of G-d and the plurality of man. The idea that all of us must be the same is foreign to the Judaic ethos. John Lennon's "Imagine," notwithstanding its powerfully luring message, is merely that: a figment of imagination, an abstract fantasy not rooted in reality.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Diversity is sown into the very fabric of existence. No two flakes of snow are alike; no two people are alike<a id="_edn4" href="javascript: void(0);" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref4')">[4]</a>. A leader's goal is not to have all of his or her followers look alike, but rather to contain within himself or herself the unique disposition and soul-energy of each individual, guiding them to maximize their own potential, just as the brain guides individual limbs and organs to function according to their particular nature within a larger organism.&nbsp;&nbsp;

This applies to all leadership positions, including, of course, the respective leadership roles of spouses in marriage. The goal in marriage is not to think alike, but to think together. No two individuals think alike, nor should they. A successful marriage is about learning how to contain within your own space the presence of a distinct individual without feeling the need to suppress the spouse's otherness, so that your identity reigns exclusively in the relationship.&nbsp;Like notes in a ballad, each of us represents a unique and distinct note, and together we recreate the symphony, not by singing the same note, but by expressing our individual note as an indispensible part of the song.&nbsp;

Absolutes&nbsp;Vs. Individuality&nbsp;

Yet we have to be committed to the same song. If not, our individual notes can create chaos rather than a melody.&nbsp;The&nbsp;importance of individuality&nbsp;does not mean that every whim and instinct of an individual ought to be sanctioned in the name of individual self-expression. If we wish this world not to be a jungle, we must recognize that G-d, the "G-d of the spirits," created absolute universal standards of morality and ethics that bind all of humanity. To the Jewish people, G-d presented an absolute system of Torah and&nbsp;mitzvos.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Yet this does not compromise the focus of Judaism on individual expression. Within the framework of the moral life and the Torah life, the paths to truth are endless<a id="_edn5" href="javascript: void(0);" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref5')">[5]</a>, not unlike the same 88 keys of the piano which lend themselves to endless musical combinations. Mozart, Handel, Beethoven, Schubert, Bach and Tchaikovsky did not&nbsp;need to&nbsp;create new keys in order to display their creative genius and musical brilliance.&nbsp;&nbsp;

We, too, need not create or change the moral and Torah law in order to express our individuality. External individualism relies on external and visible changes in order to assert itself. Internal individualism, being in tune to your own inner rhythm, allows you to transform the same old notes into beacons of pulsating creativity.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Moses' plea to G-d to appoint a leader who can contain and embrace diversity constitutes a lesson to us about the quality of leadership we ought to cultivate in our relationships with each of our children, students, employees, and people we have influence on, allowing them to shine in their own beautiful way. We must be leaders to whom people can look to as a source of inspiration through which they can embrace life with their own individuated hug.

<a id="_ednref1" href="javascript: void(0);" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn1')">[1]</a>Numbers 27:11-12.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a id="_ednref2" href="javascript: void(0);" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn2')">[2]</a> Ibid. 15-16.&nbsp;

<a id="_ednref3" href="javascript: void(0);" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn3')">[3]</a> Midrash&nbsp;Rabah&nbsp;Bamidbar&nbsp;21:2; 15.&nbsp;

<a id="_ednref4" href="javascript: void(0);" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn4')">[4]</a>Cf.&nbsp;Mishnah&nbsp;Sanhedrin 37a.&nbsp;

<a id="_ednref5" href="javascript: void(0);" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn5')">[5]</a> See Tanya: introduction to the book and beginning of&nbsp;ch.&nbsp;44.&nbsp;&nbsp;

My thanks to&nbsp;Shmuel&nbsp;Levin, a writer and editor in Pittsburgh, for his editorial help.&nbsp;

An Ode to Diversity:&nbsp;The Art of Leadership

851_conductor.1d70.jpg

22_shelach_ac-0.pdf

leadership

moses

diversity

individuality

The Art of Leadership

An Ode to Diversity

This women&#39;s class was presented on Tuesday Parshas Behaaloscha, 12 Sivan 5777, June 6, 2017, at Ohr Chaim, Monsey, NY

4273_influence.e38e.jpg

19_womens_class_06_6_17_behaloscha.2c5f.mp3

rebbe

korach

joshua

eldad

education

power

moshe

yehoshua

influence

meidad

behaaloscha

parenting

 Rashi and Rambam Have No Power Over Me; But What Influence!

Behaaloscha/Korach/Pinchas

Who Influenced You Most In your Life?

This class was&nbsp;presented on Tuesday, Parshas Pinchas, 15&nbsp;Tamuz, 5783, June 26, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

9039_angry.2ad3.jpeg

22_women_pinchas_5783.2660.docx

21_9039_women_class_pinchas_5783.d342.mp4

21_9039_women_class_pinchas_5783.d342.mp3

zealotry

zimri

When Should I Trust My Intuition? How Should I Respond When Triggered by Your Fakeness?

Women's Class Parshas Pinchas

Am I Using Religion to Cover Up My Issues? The Story of Pinchas the Zealot

When the Daughters of Tzelafchad come to Moshe and ask for their inheritance, it says that Moshe forgot the halacha. Rashi explains that there were two reasons for this 1) He forgot. 2) Hashem wanted that the halacha should come through the Daughters of Tzelofchod. The Rebbe has 5 questions on this Rashi.

A)&nbsp; his isn&rsquo;t the first time that moshe forgot a halach, all the other times we assume Moshe wasn&rsquo;t taught yet. Why here do we have to say he knew it and then forgot it?

B)&nbsp; Here is the only place that Rashi brings down the reason why Moshe wasn&rsquo;t taught the halacha yet (he wanted that the halacha should come through the Daughters of Tzelafchad)?

C)&nbsp; &nbsp;Why does Rashi feel the need to quote the words &ldquo;Es Mishpotom&rdquo; &nbsp;

D)&nbsp; &nbsp;By the story of Pesach Sheini we only bring the second answer in Rashi, why here does Rashi feel the need to bring both?

E)&nbsp; &nbsp;Why does Rashi feel that one of the answers isn&rsquo;t good enough to answer this question why the need for both answers?

This text based class explores the nature of circumstances surrounding this event. This clarifies the reasoning behind this story.

Moshe Pleads the Fifth

Did the Daughters of Tzelafchad Use Their Fathers Position on Korach as Clout

Class Summary:

Categories

Related Classes

Please help us continue our work

Sign up to receive latest content by Rabbi YY

Ways to get content by Rabbi YY Jacobson