Exodus 20:2 reads "I am God your Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, from the place of slavery."

  Q. The Jews knew that G-d brought them out of Egypt where they were slaves. Why was it necessary for G-d to introduce himself for the first time at Mount Sinai, saying that it was HE who brought them out of slavery?

A. The redemption from Egyptian bondage is something that every Jew experienced personally and it was fresh in their minds and it had a personal meaning to every Jew. It was necessary for G-d to identify Himself as the miracle worker in the freedom the Jews got, because G-d is an abstract G-d who you cannot see. The human being's concept of G-d depends on the circumstances in which G-d manifests Himself.

Why did the Israelites wander in the desert for forty years ?

The answer to that question is found in the 4th book of Moses, The book of Numbers, chapter 14 verse 34, in 'Parasha Shlach.' Please read the complete chapter that details the account of the Israelites spying out the land of Canaan.

Verse 34, ‘[The punishment] shall parallel the number of days you spent exploring the land. There were forty days, and there shall be one year for each day, a total of forty years until your sin is forgiven. You will then know how I act.'

This is simply because of their disbelief in the remarkable power of G-d, considering all that G-d had done for them to that point. The period of forty years was for the unbelieving generation to die off, so that a new generation could rise up and enter the Holy Land of Israel.

Jewish Breathing Meditation – Chedvah (Joy) Breathing Technique

This is one of the very best video on Jewish Meditation as taught by Harav Yitzchak Ginsburgh of www.inner.org.  Take 8 minutes out of your busy schedule and watch this video. Its practice is as easy as breathing.

To summarize it in four steps it goes like this

1. Breathe in for a count of 8 (Shema Israel)
2. Hold for a count of 4 (Adho-nai)
3. Breathe out for a count of 6 (El-loh-hay-noo)
4. Rest for a count of 5 (Adho-nai Echad)

Repeat steps 1 to 4.

For details on how to do it watch the video below.

Yom Kippur Parasha

Yom Kippur Parasha Morning Reading
Leviticus 16:1-34 found in Parasha Acharey Mot

Rosh Hashanah 2nd Day Parasha

Rosh Hashanah - Day Two Parasha
(The binding of Isaac) Genesis Parasha VaYera 22: 1 to 24.

 

Law relating to the Mezuzah

This is referenced in Kitzur Schulchan Aruch Volume I Chapter 11.

Upon leaving the house and putting one's hand on the Mezuzah, one should say Psalm 121 verses 4, 5, 8.

Transliteration:
4. Hinneh Lo Yanoom Welo Yeeshan, Shomer Yisrael.
5. Adho-nai Shomrekha, Adho-nai Sillekha ‘Al Yad Yemeenekha.
8. Adho-nai Yishmor Sethkha Ubo-ekha, Me’attha We’ad ‘Olam.

English Translation:
"Hashem is my keeper, Hashem is the shade upon my right hand; Hashem will guard my departure and my arrival from this time until eternity."

Jews Of Mumbai (Bombay)