For Shabbat Vaethanan (Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11), prayers are conducted in Maqam HOSENI (Arabic: beauty) according to most Aleppo sources (Damascus sources: RAST). The highlight of the perasha is the Ten Commandments, and therefore Hoseni is applied; alluding to the Torah’s "beauty." This maqam, named after the Persian sheikh Husseini Biadur, is described as "a high Bayat," and is also applied in association with Shabuot, the festival of receiving the Torah. HAZZANUT: Naqdishakh: Da’at UmZima (page 334).

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This week's perasha is always read on the Shabbat following Tisha B'Ab. This Shabbat is knownas "Shabbat Nachamu" (Shabbat of Consolation), based on the opening words of the Haftorah: "Nachamu, nachamu, ami-Be consoled, my nation (Isaiah 40:1). Shabbat Nachamu is intended to console us after the destruction of our Temple, since our Sages teach that if the Temple is not rebuilt in a given generation, it is as if the Temple were destroyed in that generation (Jerusalem Talmud, Yoma 1:1).

Since Parshat Va'etchanan always coincides with Shabbat Nachamu, it seems logical that some type of "comfort" is found within the perasha itself. What comforting words does it share with us?
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In this week's perarsha, G-d tells the Jewish people (Debarim 4:20), "I have taken you out of an iron furnace" (kur ha-barzel). The expression "kur ha-barzel" refers to the Egyptian exile. We might wonder why the Torah describes Egypt with this particular phrase, when similar words could express the same idea. For example, a prophesy in the Book of Malachi (13:19) states, "Behold a day is coming, burning like an oven." It seems that the word "oven" would be an equally fitting description of Egypt. So why does this week's perasha specifically use the imagery of an iron furnace?
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We can shed light on this issue by examining Rashi's commentary on our verse. Rashi defines the word "kur" (furnace) as "a vessel within which gold is purified." We could suggest that Rashi is not merely translating the word "kur,"but is also explaining why we refer to the Egyptian exile as a"kur" (furnace) and not a "tanur"(oven). An oven is used for the everyday cooking and preparation of food. A furnace, on the other hand, has the specific function of refining gold. We can learn from here that Hashem sent us into the Egyptian exile because He considers the Jewish people to be as precious as gold. No one bothers to refine ordinary rocks, because the result is worthless; however, people will expend great effort to refine gold, because we know that the outcome is valuable.
So too, G-d sent the Jewish people into the hottest of furnaces because He knew how valuable we would be when we emerged. G-d knew that the Jewish people would be molded by the process of exile and that, through that process, we could achieve extraordinary levels. Everyone knows that through adversity, greatness emerges.
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This is how this week's perasha comforts us after the desolation of Tisha B'Ab. As a nation, we have certainly gone through many forms of "kur ha-barzel" during the two millennia since the destruction of the Holy Temple. Yet our experience in this "kur" is the surest indication that we are as precious as gold in God's eyes. Even as we yearn for redemption, we must realize that G-d will do whatever it takes to refine us, so that we can become as pure and as elevated as possible.
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May we each recognize our intrinsic self-worth and utilize every golden opportunity to become allthat we can be. In this way, may we merit the re-building of our Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

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In the early part of the Perasha, Moshe Rabbeinu continues his rebuke ofklal Yisrael, reminding them of their special relationship with G-d and what happens if they stray from the path set forth by the Torah. The verses explain that G-d, in His great love for Am Yisrael, has given them Eress Yisrael and that they must observe His commandments in order to assure a good and long life in it. According to the Ramban (on Debarim 1:1) these verses mark the end of Moshe Rabenu's introduction to his great speech. The second section of the speech commences at the start of chapter five, in which he exhorts them to listen to the Torah and to take care to observe its precepts. This is underscored by a presentation of the revelation at Sinai, the Shema, and a list of many misvot, some repeated, others not yet mentioned.

It is curious to note that there is a short perasha recorded between these two sections. It describes how Moshe separated three special cities on the east side of the Jordan. These were three of the six cities which were to be designated as arey miklat (cities of refuge), to which an accidental murderer could flee:

Then Moshe separated three cities on the far side of the Jordan, toward the sun rising. (Debarim 4:41)

Why is this perasha recorded here? It seems entirely misplaced, unrelated to the material either before or after it. We could suggest that it is mentioned here to indicate Yisrael's enthusiasm for misvot. The Torah has just discussed the gift of Eress Yisrael to the nation, and this separation of cities shows how dear the land was to them, for they dealt with it immediately. However, this is inadequate, as the conquest of the eastern bank of the Jordan from Sichon and Og had already been described in Perashat Devarim. The separation of the cities should thus have been mentioned there. A deeper explanation is clearly necessary.

While Moshe felt it necessary to rebuke the people before his death, he was aware of a hazard which this entailed. He was concerned that when he described all of their past failings and the dangers which the future held in store for them, they would despair of ever succeeding. A terrible feeling of hopelessness might set into the people, a depression from which they might never recover. Actually, Moshe tried to offset this feeling:

And now, Yisrael - even though you have done all this [i.e., sinned], His mercy and closeness is still upon you. For all that you have sinned, He only asks of you to fear... (Rashi loc. cit.)

Although the feeling of despair is mitigated somewhat by this statement, the concern that Am Yisrael might lose hope was very real.

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"You should love the Lord, your G-d, with all your heart, all your soul and all your me'odecha(wealth)" (Debarim 6:6). One of the misconceptions people have about the Torah is that wealth and spirituality can't coexist. Yet, the Torah teaches us that not only can they co exist, but the more you have, the more you may be able to appreciate the beauty of the Divine.

When we say twice a day in the Shema that we should love the Almighty with all of our "me'odecha," the Talmud understands "me'odecha" as "wealth". Interestingly, the word "me'odecha" literally translates as "a lot." It seems to indicate that the more material wealth apers on has, the more he may be able to fulfill the sublime mitzvah of loving Hashem. We see the connection between spirituality and wealth in the appellation given to Rebbi Yehuda. The Talmud grants the title of "holy" only to Rebbi Yehuda, who wrote the Mishna and was one of the wealthiest people of his generation.

One of the reasons he was given this appellation is because he was able to control his wealth and did not let his wealth control him. Consequentially, he was able to understand the true purpose of the blessings he had been granted. To the extent that we can appreciate all the gifts we've been given, make appropriate use of them, and not be overcome by them, we will be able to increase our love of the Divine and appreciate the Divine and our gift of life to the fullest.

And you shall not covet your fellow's wife, you shall not desire your fellow's house (Debarim5:18)

We understand why G-d commanded us not to steal or to kill; after all, it is physically possible for a person to refrain from performing such crimes. On the other hand, jealousy is an emotion and is an integral part of human nature; when you see something you like-you desire it. How can the Torah forbid something so natural as to desire someone else's possessions?

The Ibn Ezra uses a profound insight into human nature to explain this prohibition. It is quite expected that an ignorant, poverty-stricken peasant might covet his neighbor's daughter, but it would never dawn on him to lust after the queen. She is so far away and inaccessible that such a thought would never enter his mind. Sensible, logical people only yearn for things within their frame of reference; they have no interest in things that are beyond their scope or their imagination. Similarly, man must perceive his neighbor's belongings as unattainable.

A storekeeper once complained to his Rabbi, "Somebody opened a store right next to mine, and he is taking my business away!" The sage replied, "Have you ever seen a horse drink water from a river? He walks into the water and stamps his hooves. He sees another horse also drinking, he's envious and afraid that the 'other' horse will drink up all the water, and therefore he kicks his own mirror image. That is the attitude of the horse, but you know better. Realize that there is enough water in the river for all the horses, and no one can touch what G-d has prepared for you. You have nothing to fear or be jealous of."

Let us focus on being happy and content with all the goodness that G-d has blessed each and everyone of us with, we will not desire what is not meant for us.

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“This is the teaching that Moshe placed before the Children of Israel” (Debarim4:44)

The preceding pesukim discuss Moshe’s setting aside three cities of refuge on the east bank of the Jordan. What is the connection between this pasuk and establishing cities of refuge?

Many people are reluctant to do things which they do not expect to complete; however, our Sagest each that is a Misva comes to your hand, “al tachmitzenah-do not allow it to become ‘leavened’ by delaying its performance”-i.e. do as much of it as you can though you may not be the one to ultimately complete it. For example, King David knew that it would not be he who would build the Bet Hamikdash, yet he amassed gold in order to facilitate its eventual completion.

In addition to the three cities of refuge that Moshe designated, an additional three were to bee stablished after the Jewish people entered Eress Yisrael. Since the three in Jordan did not serve as refuge until the three in Eress Yisraelwere established, one might suppose that Moshe would be reluctant to prepare the first three cities. Nevertheless, he did whatever part of the Misva he could do, though he would ultimately not be the one that would complete it.

The Torah is telling us that, “This is the teaching that Moshe placed before the Children of Israel”-with the act of separating the three cities, which at the time served no purpose, he conveyed an important message to the Jewish nation regarding Torah and Misvot: Always endeavor to do good deeds and Misvot, even if you will not complete them and receive the full credit.

Alternatively, when the Jews were in Eress Yisrael, the cities of refuge would protect someone who killed his fellow unintentionally. Even the one who committed premeditated murder would run to these cities of refuge and gain protection until he was brought before the bet din for trial.

Once the Jews were exiled, they no longer had cities of refuge. However, our Sages tell us (Makkot10a) “Dibrei Torah koltin–the study of Torah provides refuge.” Hence, one who committed a sin intentionally or unintentionally, thereby causing spiritual damage to his soul, can gain refuge and rectify it by entering into Torah study.

The Torah alludes to this by relating that Moshe built the cities of refuge and concludes with the words, “Vezot haTorah-This is the Torah that Moshe placed before the Children of Israel”-to teach that Torah study provides refuge from the spiritual harm caused by iniquities.

"Six days shall you labor and accomplish all your work, but the seventh day is Shabbat to Hashem, your G-d..." (Debarim, 5:13-14)

G-d commanded that in addition to the Jews resting on the seventh day, they should also have all of their work accomplished at the conclusion of the six preceding days. Resting on the seventh day is a concept we can certainly grasp, but there isn't a person amongst us who feels that he's truly completed all of their work come Friday afternoon. Many of us leave the office with our in-boxes over flowing, having countless emails that still need to be answered, and several projects that are all behind schedule. We even have a mental to-do list to tackle immediately after our commanded day of rest. G-d wired us to be doers, so how is it possible to understand the commandment to have all of our work completed at the end of the week?

The answer-if you let it-might just be one of the most liberating concepts to which you've ever been exposed. When G-d commands us to have all of our work accomplished, we have to understand what "work" G-d means. Our work is our effort-which is the only thing we can control. And it's only G-d-who controls the outcome of this effort. So it's only our effort that G-d says we will have completed.

On one hand, the amount of things we have to do will NEVER end. But that's okay, because the only thing G-d demands of us is the effort we put forth in these endeavors. Therefore, G-d tells us that for six days we need to put in the necessary effort to make a difference and then our "work" is completely accomplished. On the seventh day, G-d wants us to take a breather and stop putting forth any more effort.

When you understand this concept, you will no longer feel over-whelmed, over-burdened, or stressed. If you do feel out of control it only means that you're simply spending too much time being consumed with the outcome-of which you cannot control or dictate. When you focus only on your effort and not the outcome, you're certain to be on the track of a balanced and happy life.

Just do your part for six days by putting in the proper effort, then sit back and remember who's really in control. Understanding and living with this reality is so liberating, and allows you to truly appreciate Shabbat.

For Shabbat Balak (Bemidbar 22:2-25:9), Maqam MAHOUR (ma' hur means 'defeated' in Arabic), is applied, because Balak's efforts are defeated after the curses are switched into blessings. This maqam can be described as "a high Rast." Some say that MAHOUR is applied based on the Hebrew word "maher" (quick) which is appropriate because it reflects Bilaam's quickness to pursue monetary bribes in exchange for the mission. Other opinions: Maqam BAYAT (majority of Aleppo sources), NAHWAND (H Moshe Ashear), SIGAH (Amash Damascus source).

The fast of the Seventeenth of Tamuz is on Sunday July 27th. This marks the start of the three week period between The Seventeenth of Tamuz and Tisha B’Ab. During this time we refrain from having parties with music

“Praise Hashem all you nations, extol him all you peoples. Because he has bestowed his kindness upon us, and Hashem’s truth is everlasting. Praise Gd” (Psalms 117, 1-2)

This is a short, but powerful song that King David composed, telling everyone to praise Hashem. If one pays attention to the flow of these verses, something seems puzzling. Why should the nations of the world praise Hashem because he did kindness to “us?”

People thank G-D when something good happens to them; not when it happens to someone else. Of course, sadikim, righteous people, are happy when they see others happy. But that is a very high level and cannot be what David Hamelech is expecting of “all the people”

Parashat Balak holds the answer. This was an event, which went unnoticed by the Jewish people. They only knew about this story after it happened. They were not involved in it. This was not a war between Israel and Moab and Midyan. All that took place was a man who hired another man to curse the Jews and G-D almighty prevented it.

So who was it that saw and understood what G-D did for us? Balak and Bilam. While they may have been unhappy with the situation, they saw G-D’s hand protecting the Jews. The same applies to any nation, whose attempt to harm us, fails. Only they know what Hashem just did for us. We must, therefore, always be grateful to our creator because we never know what may have been coming to us, and didn’t. Even if a challenge occurs to us, we must have the understanding that it could have been worse. Let us try to delight in the life that our creator has designed for us, with all the successes as well as challenges

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“I will honor you greatly" (Bamidbar22:17). Sometimes we may think that honor is something we deserve for the things we own, the clothes we wear, and the cars we drive, yet the Torah teaches us that true honor has nothing to do with those things.

In fact, we are told that those who chase that kind of illusory honor are, in actuality, chasing it away. True honor is found in how we relate to others; it is having the inner dignity and self-respect to graciously and willingly give others the respect they deserve. It is the ability to always find the good in others and to respect them for it.

A person should try to cultivate a sense of humility within himself. Doing so opens us up to see others for who they are: a reflection of the Divine. The Ramban teaches us that we should always try to see others in a positive light despite their shortcomings, and to view every individual as if he is better than you. The Ramban, himself, exemplified such characteristics, yet this never detracted from his self-worth and inner strength. In fact, he had such inner strength that he succeeded in defending the Torah against the Catholic Church in a four-part debate before the king of Spain. He earned the respect of the royal court, yet never grew arrogant or detracted from the honor he directed towards others.

The healthier our self-image, the more we will be able to see the good in others, as the mishna says, "Who is the honorable person? One who gives honor to others" (Abot, 4:1)

“I have sinned, for I did not know” (Bemidbar 22:34)

Whenever the Torah tells us a story, it is for practical application into our own lives. It is true that the Torah narratives are extremely interesting on their own, but we must take the time and reflection the story and apply it. This week’s perashah tells about the wicked prophet Bil’am who sets out on a journey to go and curse the Jewish people. The donkey that he is riding stops in its tracks three times because an angel, unseen by Bil’am, is blocking the road. Finally the angel becomes visible to Bil’am and it is now obvious that the angel was trying to stop him on his mission. So Bil’am cries out that he sinned inadvertently because he didn’t know that there was something wrong with his plan at the time. The Shlah Hakadosh asks, if Bil’am really didn’t know at the time that his mission was wrong, but only knows now from the fact that a heavenly angel was trying to stop him, why is it called a sin? The answer is that Bil’am should have known. He should have detected from his donkey’s unusual behavior, stopping three times for no reason, that Hashem was sending him a message. We are held accountable for things that we should know.

When Rabbi Gifter, was a young boy, he had the opportunity of accompanying his Rosh Yeshivah during the vacation weeks. The Rabbi needed some rest to improve his health. A suggestion was made to take a boat ride in a nearby lake. At first the Rabbi agreed, but when he got on the boat something was bothering him, and he got off the boat before it left the dock. When he was asked why he got off he explained himself. There is a law to recite a prayer, te fill at haderech, when traveling on the water. However, since he really wasn’t traveling to a specific destination, may be the prayer doesn’t apply. Since he couldn’t resolve this dilemma, he decided not to take the ride in the boat.

Not knowing something is not really a license to do something if one should know. If one is in doubt of the correctness of one’s action, one should either ask or perhaps temporarily refrain from doing anything until finding out the correct way to go. This is something practical to learn from Bil’am

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Bilaam's great praise for the Jewish people is found in the famous words Ma tovu ohalecha Yaakov-"How goodly are your tents, O Jacob" (Numbers 24:5).

Our Rabbis explain that Bilaam noticed how the tents of the Jews in the desert were carefully aligned so that no one could see into anyone else's home. Bilaam wanted to curse the Jewish people, but because of their modesty, he was unable to do so.

There is an underlying message here. The strength of the Jewish people lies in their homes. Homes, not individuals, are the basic building blocks of a nation. Much more so than individuals create homes, homes nurture individuals. Stable homes, with strong values and focused education, are the most fundamental element in creating a strong nation.

Schools are an important part of an education system, but parents who think that schools can be relied on to create individuals of strong moral character will realize their mistake after the horse has already bolted. Even taking into account the element of free will, parents are majorly responsible for who their children turn out to be. They cannot merely blame the school, society or the child's friends. The most fundamental influence is the home.

Yet, as easy as it is to say, it's equally difficult to do. And bringing up children requires an inordinate amount of Divine assistance. But recognition of the reality is a first step in making it happen. Let's rely on no one but ourselves to create the environment in which our children can prosper and develop into the decent and contributing members of society we would like them to be. For as we know from Bilaam, because of our homes, he could not curse us.

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In this week's Perasha, King Balak wanted to curse the Jewish people. He sought out a prophet named Bilaam to carry out this wish and sent his officers to summon him. Bilaam asked G-d if he could go, but G-d immediately told him not to go and curse the Jewish people because they were a people who were "blessed." But when Bilaam relayed this answer to the king's officers, Bilaam left that part out and only said:

"...G-d refuses to let me go with you." (Bamidbar, 22:13)

Hashem had told Bilaam two distinct and specific points in response to his request to go and curse the Jewish people. First, G-d emphatically told Bilaam not to go and second, to not curse the Jewish people because they are blessed. But when Bilaam relayed this simple and brief response, he left out 50 percent of what G-d said!

G-d made it very clear to Bilaam that it would be completely futile to even attempt to curse the Jews because they are a blessed nation. But to an arrogant and haughty prophet--which Bilaam certainly was--he could never bring himself to admit his own powers lacked any limitations. So instead of telling the king's delegates that Bilaam was simply the wrong man for the job and would be completely ineffective and incapable of doing the king's bidding, he chose to omit all of this and "pass the buck" to G-d by only saying that G-d said he wasn't allowed to go.

It's what Bilaam purposely didn't say that can teach us all a valuable lesson in our own lives. To most people, it's clear that G-d gave each of us certain unique strengths and talents whereby certain things that just seem to "naturally" to us. But it is also equally clear that G-d didn't give us certain skills and strengths. Whether we're not good at math, directions, instruction manuals, drawing, or organization--we all have weaknesses. While some of these weaknesses are things we might continually work on to become better people, there are some things that we are just plain not good at, and that's just how it is!

But those with low self-esteem have a difficult time ever admitting they lack any skill or ability. They wrongly believe that an acknowledgement of a lack of talent in any area would be a direct reflection on their own self-worth.

However, the exact opposite is true. Those who can readily and easily admit that they aren't "good" at something aren't showing weakness or incompetence. Rather, it demonstrates honesty, strength and self-confidence. Others will look at this person and see someone who is comfortable with the strengths and talents that they DO have and need not proclaim to all they meet that they're good at everything.

Bilaam was just too proud to admit he couldn't do what someone had requested of him. Let's learn from this the next time you're asked to do something that you're either not that skilled at or are out right incapable of doing. Contrary to what Bilaam believed, telling people you're not the right person for the job will actually make you shine in their eyes, because it means you have the confidence to say so. It also sends the message that when you do take on a task, you unquestionably believe that you'll deliver great results.

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Of the many characteristics that holds our community together, one of the most important is optimism. Staying positive. It keeps us united. The Shabbat songs we sing with our families, the Maqams we brought with us from Syria, Lebanon and Egypt are upbeat, with Pizmonim – lyrics full of hope. Hope for the Final Redemption, the power of repentance, G-d’s Mercy, etc. Even the tunes of Selihot, in the High Holidays of Awe, have magical, positive notes that draw people who are not regular shul-goers, back to our Synagogues.

Why is thinking positive so important? Because negative thinking can destroy. Bilaam, the wicked sorcerer, was hired by the nations of the world to put an end to the Jews. His power was nothing more than the power to curse. Bilaam, the most negative person on earth, could wipe out the Jewish Nation with his Evil Eye. No one, nothing, could stop him. Except G-d. How does a curse or the Evil Eye affect another’s destiny?

Judaism teaches us about the greatness of Man. The power of thought and a person's beliefs are among the greatest powers in the universe.(Taanit 8a) Thinking and thought can change destiny. This is the power behind the Evil Eye. Wondering how someone deserves success puts that person under Heavenly scrutiny. Does he really deserve what he’s got? Maybe, it should be taken away from him. Negative thoughts provide power for curses and the Evil Eye.

But there is something positive we can learn from the Evil Eye. If thinking negatively, pessimistically, can hurt, what can positive thought do? What would happen if I would be optimistic about myself and others, my family and my community? If Bilaam could destroy with his negativity, surely we can build and revive ourselves and others with a positive outlook. Being positive is the magnet that keeps couples together. It is the secret of family bonding and of successful communities. And the only chance a parent has to be appreciated by his children as they grow is staying positive. Needless to say, Bilaam had no wife, no family and no community. All he had was a donkey.

The Evil Eye is mentioned in the Talmud. It does exist. People are not aware though, that it works mostly with negativity and pessimism. A person can bring an Evil Eye on himself and even on his own, beloved children, Heaven forbid, via negative thinking.

Respect, giving the benefit of the doubt, greeting each other with warmth and friendliness are the basic attitudes that keep us united. This is what brings blessing to our community. Positive thinking generates positive power and blessing. I bless you all, with positivity, love, and, don’t forget, keep singing Pizmonim!

The “Maftir” that is read on the Shabbat preceding Purim describes how Amalek attacked the Jewish people as they left Egypt - even though Amalek lived in a distant land and was under no imminent threat.

So why did Amalek attack?

The Torah says that Amalek attacked the Jews "karcha" - which literally means by way of happenstance. Amalek's entire philosophy is that there is no design or providence in the world. Everything is haphazard, dictated by chance, luck and fate. That's why Haman, a direct descendent of Amalek, decided to kill the Jews based on a lottery, from which the name "Purim" is derived.

Amalek and the Jewish people stand at opposite ends of the spectrum. The Torah teaches that the world has purpose and meaning, and that G - d is intimately involved in our lives. Indeed, that is the very lesson of Purim: Even when things seems bleak, G - d is there, guiding events. With Haman's decree, it seemed that the Jews were doomed. But then there was a complete turnabout.

The numerical value of Amalek -- 240 -- is the same as safek, meaning "doubt." The energy of Amalek is to create doubts about what is true and real in this world, and of G - d's role in directing events in the best possible way.

This concept is so important that one of 613 misvot is to remember what Amalek did. And that's what we do, every year, on the Shabbat before Purim. So let's take this message to heart, and do our part - to fight Amalek's idea of a random world.

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In this week’s Perasha the Torah teaches us that what would seem like the most selfless gift of all time--the giving of our assets to build G-d's home-is not really giving at all.It is an opportunity to open ourselves to a relationship with Hashem. "Build for Me a temple and I will dwell amongst you." Perhaps that is why the giving of our resources to build the Mishkan is referred to as "taking"-"Speak to the Children of Israel and let them take for Me a portion..."(Shemot 25:2).

Every time we do a misvah, we create an eternal connection between ourselves and theG-d. Doing something for G-d is really doing something for ourselves. We can become a little bit kinder and a little more understanding. The attitude we need to nurture is that everything in life is one big opportunity to connect with Hashem. He is the ultimate giver in the world, and we can choose to be His conduit or partner--the medium of connection between this world and the Divine.For this reason the Torah is called a "tree of life:" it teaches us how to plant seeds that can blossom for eternity.