Raize Guttman 03-12-23 (19 Adar 5783)

Parsha Parah
Story of Raize's Grandmother  

Today is  the yahrzeit of Raize's beloved grandmother.  She was an amazing Frum woman who lived with complete emunah. Raize tells the story of her grandmother’s miraculous Holocaust survival. Branded in Auschwitz with the numbers 57240, (which adds up to 18), and filled with dreams of her grandmother davening for her, she survived incredible perils to become Raizes support and loving guide.  May she have an  l'iluy neshama - an elevation of her beautiful soul!

Raize Guttman 03-05-23 (12 Adar 5783)

 Purim

Raize Guttman 02-26-23 (05 Adar 5783)

 Unfortunately class was not recorded.

Raize Guttman 02-19-23 (28 Shvat 5783)

 Rosh Chodesh Adar

When you  enter the month of Adar, you increase your level of joy.

Raize Guttman 02-12-23 (21 Shvat 5783)

 Parsha Vayishlach Ch. 34, V 1

Yaakov Avinu had one trial & tribulation after another.  He did not have an easy life.  He had story with Lavan, then Esav, now the story with Dinah.  His name was changed to Yisrael,  because  he is a microcosm of the entire Jewish people  and what we have  gone through,  are going through, and will have to go through as long as we are in galut.  This is all part of our emunah, we have to trust that Hashem knows what he is doing.  What looks  "bad" is not "bad".  Yes, things may be very painful, hurtful, challenging, but it is not bad, because everything Hashem does is good.  We as humans define something we don't like as "bad".  We don't understand, but that does not mean it is "bad".  It is all part of Hashem's plan and picture.

Yaakov made it to Eretz Canaan, and he settled in Shechem.  The governor, Hamor, named his son Shechem.  Hamor held a party for a bunch of women. "Dinah went out", and Shechem seized the moment, violated her, and made her impure.  We learn a tremendous lesson from this.  In tehillim is says, "The honor of the daughter of a King is inside, and that is the way we  hold onto  our honor."  Modesty inside and out.

Raize Guttman 02-05-23 (14 Shvat 5783)

Tu B'Shvat
Parshat Vayishlach Ch 33  V 18-20

Tu B'shvat is on the 15th (tu) of Shvat.  It is the New Year and Yom Din (Day of Judgement) for the trees. As in all other points in the Jewish calendar, Tu B'Shvat offers a opportunity for insight into living and personal growth and getting closer in our relationship to Hashem.  On Tu B'Shvat we make  a Seder with fruit, and before enjoying it, we recite a bracha (a blessing). An apple is not just an apple; an apple is a blessing. Maybe I could believe that apples come from trees, but a blessing could only come from Hashem.   The roots of the tree remind of our tzniut  (modesty) as women.  They are hidden deep in the earth, and are supporting the entire tree and allowing it to grow and thrive.

Parsha Vayishlach - Yaakov arrives "intact" from Padan Aram to the city of Shechem.  Rav  Pam from Torah Ha Das, comments he came "intact" because of the Torah that he learned in the  Yeshiva of Shem  & Ever.  Torah  was part of him, and this is what gave him the strength to stand up.  He did not just learn Torah it was entrenched in his blood; it was him, it was not just a nice story.  He internalized and inculcated it.  He was Torah and so he remained intact. Chapter 33 ends with Yaakov buying part of field where he had pitched his tent 
There is built a mizbeach (an altar). He called it the Gd of Israel, to thank Hashem because he was always with him and created so many miracles for him.
May our clinging to Torah be a shmira (a protection/a guard) for all of us!!

Raize Guttman 01-29-23 (07 Shvat 5783)

 Unfortunately this shiur was not recorded.

Raize Guttman 01-22-23 (29 Teves 5783)

Chodesh Shvat
Parshat Vayishlach Ch 33  V 15-16

Esav returns alone to Sair.  The  Midrash says that his 400 men abandoned him because they saw him try to bite Yaakov on the neck, trying  to kill him.   Hashem saw this and years later, when King David was escaping from the Amalekites, Hashem paid him with 400 men.   Hashem sees past, present and future, and responds to man, “measure-for-measure” (Midda K'negged Midda)(מידה כנגד מידה).

Todays shiur is dedicated to Dovid Benjamin ben Avraham Elyah zt"l (Janet's brother), who would have celebrated his 70th birthday this past week.  May his soul have an elevation in Gan Eden.

Raize Guttman 01-15-23 (22 Teves 5783)

 Parshat Vayishlach Ch 33  V 12-14

Esav is being very magnanimous says, "let us go and I will travel along side of you."   Yaakov replies, "My Master knows,  the children are very tender, and all  my cattle and sheep  depend on me, let my Master pass before me"  In other  words, "you first".

Important message that we can get along with people but this does not mean that we have to be their best friend, if they are not going to be a good influence on us.  Make sure it is good for you and your spirituality.  Yaakov knew who Esav was and  always who he would be.  A nice interaction and that is where it ended.  Don't get into sucked into relationships that are not good for us, even if a family member

Raize Guttman 01-08-23 (15 Teves 5783)

 Parshat Vayishlach Ch 33  V 8 - 11

The meeting  between Yaakov and Esav, and the dialogue between the two. Esav says, "I have  a lot," while Yaakov says "I have everything."  This is the  different philosophy between the Jew and the world  out there.