Venahafoch Hu- March 26, 2008 By Rabbi Pinchos LipschutzAdar, month of happinessJoyous celebrationFor Jews the world overTime of salvationAdar turned to ashesTragedy griefWailing, mourning Beyond beliefYoung and oldPulled from our midstGone without warningSo painfully missedShabbos we will laynVayehi bayom Hashemini,G-ds happiest daySince creation.ShatteredDestroyedDeath and confusionIn the holy MishkonDivine retributionThe shechinah finally foundA place to restBetachtonim,The light of sheishes yemei BereishisFound a...http://rabbipinchoslipschutz.blogspot.com/2008/03/venahafoch-hu.html Smile, Its Purim- March 19, 2008 By Rabbi Pinchos LipschutzThis year, Purim falls on Friday. As if that isnt bad enough, Uncle Sam did his best to put a further damper on Purim by instituting Daylight Savings Time early enough to cause Purim to begin later than usual.But no matter how hard anyone tries, Purim is Purim and the simcha of the day is something no one will ever be able to take away from us.Purim speaks to us on so many different levels that everyone, from the youngest children to the most seasoned citizens, has an..http://rabbipinchoslipschutz.blogspot.com/2008/03/smile-its-purim.html Tziduk Hadin- March 12, 2008 By Rabbi Pinchos LipschutzYerushalayim in shockNumb with griefFrozen heartsDisbeliefIn the heart of YerushalayimA yeshiva under attackUnarmed studentsShot in the backRifle blazingNo escapeVicious death trapSavage hateGunfire roaringYoung men fallingMassacredNo escapeOn Rosh ChodeshAdar Sheini.Yeshiva bochurimClose to eightyThe murderer soughtTo kill them all600 bulletsBlasted forth.Innocent soulsPure young menWill never speakLearnOr laugh againVictims so youngLeave us behindTo ponder the...http://rabbipinchoslipschutz.blogspot.com/2008/03/tziduk-hadin.html Unity and Shekalim- March 5, 2008 By Rabbi Pinchos LipschutzInvested in the ritual of the machatzis hashekel, which we will read about this Shabbos in Parshas Shekalim, are cogent lessons in how to combat jealousy and divisiveness and attain unity between Jews. In so doing, we are made worthy of Hashems great salvation. Such epic goals do not, at first glance, seem connected to the mitzvah of taking a national census through the counting of the shekalim. But that is only until we take a closer look at the rich symbolism and...http://rabbipinchoslipschutz.blogspot.com/2008/03/unity-and-shekalim.html |