Jun 28, 2020

Raize Guttman 06-28-20 (6 Tamuz 5780)

Parsha Toldot - Chapter 25 - Verse 23
Halacha of Modei Ani, Al Netilat yadaiyim & we begin the laws of getting dressed

Shem spoke to Rivka with ruach ha kodesh & gave over the words of Hashem, it wasn’t one child inside her womb it is two. Rivka finally understood what is going on, and understood the big picture of the world, that great things were to be coming out of her. One child is going for wickedness and one is heading for perfection.





Laws of waking up in the morning

1. Place Hashem in front of me at all times. Always remember that Hashem is watching.
2. When you wake up in the morning, say Modeh Ani
Lefanecha, Melech Chai V'kayam, shehechezarta bi neshmasi b'chemla, Rabbah Emunasecha. This means-Thank You Hashem, the King who is Living and enduring, that You have given my soul back to me with compassion....How great is Your faithfulness.
3. You should be bold as a leopard -don't be embarrassed if people make fun of you.
You should be light as an eagle to close your eyes from sin, it should be quick and easy for you to move away from evil..
You should run like a deer to do what is good
You should be strong like a lion to do the will of Hashem.
4. You should get out of bed with alacrity.
Don't let the evil inclination make up excuses i.e. it is too cold, I am too tired...Get up the way you would if you heard that your money was at stake or the King was calling you.


Laws of washing hands
1.When you wake up , you are a new creation. You must wash your hands for two reasons.
a. like a kohein who washes his hands before he goes to serve Hashem in the Temple
b. there is an impure spirit that remains on the hands and needs to be removed
2. You must wash your hands 3 times alternately. Take the cup in your right hand, fill it up with water, put it in your left hand and pour once onto the right hand then switch. Do this 3 times. One should not walk more than 4 cubits without washing your hands.
3. You should not touch any openings of your body before washing...i.e. eyes, ears, nose...
4.One should then go to the bathroom and wash their hands again in the same manner. At this point one may say blessings so one can say the first three blessings in the siddur which are... Baruch ata....al netilas yadayim. Baruch Ata... asher yatzar..the blessing after going to the bathroom and Elokai neshama .... If one is planning to daven immediately you can wait to say these brachos when you say all the Shacharis prayers.
5. One must wash their hands after these things:
a.getting up from bed in the morning, even sleeping during the day for more than half an hour
b.using the bathroom
c.cutting one's own nails
d. shaving hair and giving or getting a haircut
e.touching shoes with hands
f.marital relations
g. removing lice
h. scratching head
i. if you touch covered parts of the body
j. leaving a cemetery ,escorting the dead or being in the same room as a dead person
k. letting blood

Laws of getting dressed
1.One should get dressed in a modest way and one's clothing should be modest. not too fancy and not dirty or lowly.
2. When putting on shoes One should put on the right shoe, then the left shoe, then tie the left shoe, then tie the right shoe.

Jun 21, 2020

Raize Guttman 06-21-20 (29 Sivan 5780)

Parsha Toldot - Chapter 25 - Verse 22
Halacha of Modei Ani and Al Netilat yadaiyim

Esav and Yaakov were running and pushing to get out and what she could not understand, one running inside her for Torah and one running inside her for Idol worship. Rivka was so upset, she couldn't understand a child wanting both, she did not know that she had two children inside of her. The pain of her pregnancy was so great that she said, "why me!", "why did I daven for 20 years for this?"

The Midrash says, that the 12 tribes were all supposed to come from Rivka, but she lost it all because she complained and therefore, never had any more children. Our lesson, Never complain. What we think is terrible, is good from Hashem. Never be upset about a situation that Hashem puts us in.

Jun 14, 2020

Raize Guttman 06-14-20 (22 Sivan 5780)

Parsha Toldot - Chapter 25 - Verse 19 - 21
Halacha of Modei Ani and Al Netilat yadaiyim


We now start Parsha Toldot learning about the next generations after Avraham. We would expect to hear up front that these are the children of Yitzchak. But it says Avraham gave birth to Yitzchak. It seems redundant. Rashi comments that this stated this way because the fools of the generation were saying that Avimelech was Yitzhak's father. So, Hashem made a miracle & at age 60 he changed Yitzchak's face making it identical to Avraham's. Hashem did this because the power of mockery is so strong that it can completely and totally destroy so much inspiration of avodas Hashem.

We learn the ages of Yitzhak and Rivka when the married, and that they had to pray to Hashem for 20 years because she was barren.

We start to learn some Jewish code of law from the Shulchan Aruch (the “set table”), written by Joseph Caro (1488-1575). the Shulchan Aruch is divided into four sections: Orah Hayim (laws relating to prayer, Shabbat and holiday observance, and other rituals of everyday life), Yoreh De’ah (laws of kashrut, tzedakah, conversion, and other ritual matters), Even ha’Ezer (laws relating to women and marriage), and Hoshen Mishpat (civil law, including sections on lending money, renting and buying homes, and worker-employer relations).

Within each of these four sections, laws on similar subjects are grouped together. Each section is divided into simanim (paragraphs), and those are further divided into se’ifim (sub-sections).

Today we briefly discuss the halachas of Modei Ani and Al Netilat Yadaiyim. For more information, please go to https://www.aish.com/jl/jewish-law/daily-living/26-Starting-the-Day.html




Todays learning is dedicated ilui neshama for Kate Goodman/Kayla bat Shmuel (Jennifer Goodman's Grandmother). We also dedicate this class to our dear GEM sister Jennifer, upon her receiving an award for her 25 years of honorable federal service. May her dedication, commitment, loyalty & growth take her higher and higher as she follows in the footsteps of her beloved grandmother. We are all schlepping nachas & wish Jennifer continued success in everything she does!

Raize Guttman 06-07-20 (15 Sivan 5780)

Parsha Chayei Sarah - Chapter 25 Verses 7 - 18

Avraham passes away at a ripe old age. Rashi says when Avraham was 100 he was like 70 and when he was 70 he was like a 5-year-old without sin. He was a perfect tzadik tomim. He had 10 tests. He went through so much and he withstood all of those tests.

Avraham is zoche to be buried next to his wife Sarah in the Cave of Machpelah. Yitzak and Yishmael come to bury him and Avraham’s life ends with this beautiful blessing. Hashem blesses Yitzchak and Yishmael did Tehshuvah. Avraham's life was one long Kiddush Hashem and he died with a happy heart.


Today we complete our study of Parsha Chayei Sarah. Chazak chazak v'nitchazek!




We dedicate our entire learning of Parsha Chayei Sarah to Raize's grandfather Avraham Yosef Shmuel Alter ben Tuvia. May his neshma have an aliyah.