Jewish Heritage Connection, 601 Jefferson Avenue, Scranton, PA (2026)

08/20/2026

Dvar Torah: Torah Portion: Ki Seitzai
Rabbi Dovid Saks
Recently while studying the Daf Yomi, a daily study of a page of the Talmud learned worldwide, I came across where the Talmud relates that although G-d in His Torah forbade categories of foods and relations, still, He introduced a taste of what is otherwise forbidden in a permitted way.
For example, if one wishes for the taste of pig, there is a kosher fish called Shibuta that tastes like pig. If one wants to experience what milk and meat tastes like, he can roast the udder of a kosher slaughtered cow.
In terms of relations, the Torah forbids relations with someone else’s wife, yet, it allows one to marry a divorcee.
The Torah forbids one to marry their brother’s wife after a divorce or when widowed, yet, we read in this week’s Parsha that if a brother died leaving over a widow without children, the Torah permits and obligates a brother of the deceased to marry his sister in law. This is called Yibum.
If he opts out (as is the common practice) then they must have the ritual of Chalitza done. Once it is performed the sister in law can then marry someone else, with the exception of a Kohain.
This ritual is not a usual occurrence, and when it is required, an expert in its laws must preside with a Bais Din – Jewish court of three.
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein o.b.m. was the person who people would contact when a situation warranted the ritual of Chalitza.
In the process, the man wears a specially made leather shoe with a strap that he ties on his right foot. The woman unties the strap and removes the shoe. She then spits on the floor and proclaims that this is what is done to a man who does not wish to build the home of his deceased brother.
The Halacha states that the man’s foot has to be free of any dirt or foreign matter before he dons the Chalitza shoe.
Rabbi Feinstein would personally wash the man’s foot with soap and water. Although it would seem to be beneath his dignity, he would explain that it was a privilege for him since it was a Mitzvah.
Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz o.b.m. was once present at a Chalitza that was performed in an elderly man’s apartment. When the old man removed his sock, the stench was too unbearable for him to bear and Rabbi Zlotowitz was compelled to leave. Yet he observed how Rabbi Feinstein stood there with a sponge and pail of soapy water and began washing the man’s foot. Rabbi Zlotowitz would say, “Reb Moshe showed us that it was his honor and duty to do this Mitzvah no matter how repulsive the situation was.”
I recently read that a woman living in Israel went to the famous Chazon Ish o.b.m. and related to him that right before her husband died he told her that he has a brother living in the US and since they were childless, she would need to go there for Chalitza to be performed after he passes. She asked the rabbi, to whom should she contact to take care of the Chalitza in the US?
The Chazon Ish told her to go to Rabbi Moshe Feinstein. She traveled to the US and contacted the brother-in-law who was not interested in going through with the ritual unless she gave him $5000. She agreed.
The brother in law showed up at the set time and went through the procedure. After the procedure, the sister in law went to pay the $5000 dollars they agreed on. He said he wasn’t taking it. He then explained, “Last night my deceased brother came to me in a dream and asked me that I perform the Chalitza without taking any payment, and since Rabbi Moshe Feinstein is presiding over the Chalitza it will be a merit and a catharsis for his Neshama – soul."
The man then asked Rabbi Feinstein for a blessing which he gave warmly.
This experience gave the man such a renewed and appreciative attitude towards religion and its observances that he eventually embraced a Torah inspired lifestyle!

08/13/2026

Dvar Torah: Torah Portion: Shoftim
Once the Jews settle in the Land of Israel, the Torah gives a Mitzvah to appoint a Jewish King. A king has additional laws to observe to ensure that power, fame and wealth do not get to him, lest he forget his responsibilities toward G-d and the nation.
A king was prohibited to amass excessive wealth, not to have unnecessary horses on hand, and was not allowed to marry many wives. Eighteen was the limit.
A king was commanded to have two Torah scrolls written for him. One was to be kept in his treasury, and another smaller one, was to be with him wherever he went.
These Torahs served the king as a reminder to remain focused on his mission, to serve G-d and the Jewish nation.
While it is understandable that a king is more vulnerable to misuse his power and wealth and was therefore required to have additional reminders to keep him focused, the truth is, G-d gave each of us reminders to help keep each one of us in line and they are called Mitzvos – commandments and observances, and to occupy ourselves with the study of Torah.
The Torah contains 613 Mitzvos that are divided in two categories, 248 positive commandments and 365 prohibitions. Our observances are the vehicle through which we serve the Almighty, help keep us focused on the priorities in life and shield us from straying away from G-d.
The Torah commands us to affix a Mezuzah on the doorposts of our homes. Essentially, a Mezuzah has the markings of a Torah scroll. Its material is made from parchment, the words come from the Torah – the first two portions of the Shema, and it is hand scribed with a quill and black ink by a trustworthy Sofer/scribe with the same Ashuris font as a Torah scroll. Essentially, whenever a Jew walks into his house and into the rooms within, he is surrounded by constant reminders of G-d’s presence.
The spiritual energy that Mezuzahs impart to us and ‘scan’ us when we pass them while we are in our homes, carries with us when we leave our homes.
Today is Rosh Chodesh Elul. Elul is known to us as a reflective month as we prepare for Rosh Hashana and it is also a merciful and gracious time when G-d is seeking our closeness as well.
It is interesting that our Sages found and shared acronyms of first letters of four successive words from various verses that form the word Elul.
Each of the words of the acronyms give meaning to the month. The most notable is the verse from Song of Songs, Ani Ledodi V’dodi Li – I am to my Beloved and My Beloved is to me.
This means that although we are approaching a pensive time of the year, we are to recall that we have a beloved relationship with the Almighty – He seeks the best for us.
In this week’s Parsha the Torah speaks of the laws with regards to an unintentional killer. Whereas he must flee to and take up residency in one of the 48 cities of refuge and has to remain there until the Kohain Godol dies, and then he can leave the city.
The Torah had previously stated laws associated with the cities of refuge, and in those verses great Kabalists find reference to the month of Elul as well. “A person who did not lay ambush and G-d caused a death to come to hand – I shall provide a place to which he shall flee.” The acronym of four consecutive words in the verse also spell Elul.
This requires some explanation as to how it applies to Elul, for most have not committed such an act.
Commentators explain that what is hinted to here is, an unintentional killer is totally besides himself. He had no intent for this to happen and for some reason G-d orchestrated it this way. The Torah tells us, the unintentional killer is provided with a place to run. He has a place of refuge.
So too, as Rosh Hashana approaches and one finds himself reviewing the past year and there are things where he has fallen short from his spiritual responsibilities and he may feel overwhelmed by the daunting task of reconciling, and imagines that he has no place for refuge.
The Torah hints within the verses of the unintentional killer, that just as G-d provides him with a place, likewise, before Rosh Hashana – G-d provides an atmosphere - a place where we all can find refuge and throughout this G-d embracing month of Elul there is a special dose of positive energy, giving each of us the ability and place to come closer to the Almighty.
It is interesting that the Talmud connects the law of a 2000 cubic boundary of the city of refuge to a law of Shabbos that one may not go past 2000 cubics of what Halachically defines the edge of his dwelling. The connection between the two laws is through a common word Makom – place, that is written by both laws.
Our great Chasidic masters develop this idea and point out that our focus on the sanctity of the Holy day of Shabbos is the targeted ‘place’ for us to embrace a closeness to G-d during the month of Elul. Shabbos is the pinnacle of our week. It is when we enter into the space and environment of holiness, and we are closest to G-d. It is during Shabbos when one can experience an elevated spirit and connectedness to G-d which helps boost one’s will and determination to keep its energy through the course of the coming week!

08/06/2026

Davr Torah: Re'eh
Rabbi Dovid Saks

The Torah states, “You are the children of Hashem your G-d,” and immediately afterwards it states, “you shall not cut or mutilate yourselves and not rip out hair from between your eyes over the death of a person, (which was an Amorite custom). For you are a holy people to Hashem your G-d, and Hashem has chosen you for Himself to be a treasured people, from among all people on the face of the earth.”
Rashi explains; Since the Jewish people are G-d’s children, we are supposed to act respectably, be presentable and not deface ourselves.
A Jew is to have self-dignity, for we are G-d’s children.
The Torah goes on to state the laws of Kashruth and delineates which animals, fish, and fowl are permitted and which are not, and also mentions the prohibition of cooking milk with meat.
Here too, the Torah tells us that G-d instructs us in these Kosher dietary laws because, “You are a holy people to Hashem your G-d.”
The menu and foods prepared and served for royalty and nobility is on a higher level than for other members of society. So too, G-d set parameters for the foods that His children eat.
This Shabbos before Mussaf, we will bless the introspective month of Elul.
The verse, “You are the children of Hashem your G-d,” benefits us immensely in reconciling our misdeeds and achieving forgiveness from G-d.
The Talmud tells us that a father can forgo the honor that his son is commanded to have for him. However, a king cannot forgo the honor that is to be afforded to him.
Based on this, after a Jew sins, how can he asks G-d for forgiveness so that He forgoes the dishonor that he did through his misdeeds, for the King of Kings cannot waive and pardon the dishonor that was done through sin? After all, a king cannot forgo his honor.
An answer offered is, since G-d calls us Bonim – children – that makes G-d our father as well; as we familiarly say and chant, Avinu Malkainu – Our Father, Our King. Thus, we can ask Hashem our King for forgiveness in the capacity of a loving Father, who can forgo His honor.
The Baal Haturim, points out that there are 12 words in the verse in which G-d calls us His children. This is to signify that all 12 tribes of Israel are the children of G-d.
Clearly, a father is most honored, pleased and gratified when his children get along with each other.
The Torah exhorts us to give a tithe to the poor, and even rewards us with prosperity when we give Tzadaka.
It seems unrealistic to say that when one shares their earnings with the poor, they will not lack and they will even prosper as well. The only way this works is because we believe that all that one earns comes directly from the One who provides and has set our earnings for the year.
A hint to this idea is in the word the Torah uses for money, Kesef. This word is spelled כסף. The letters in the Aleph Bet that precede the letters that make up כסף are עני – poor.
This suggests when you give to an עני – a poor preson – it will lead to the letters that follow which spell ,כסף and it will bring you additional Kesef – money in your pocket.
Moshe tells the Jews that after they enter, conquer and allocate the Land of Israel they will finally establish a Temple in a permanent location in Jerusalem.
The word Yivchar – that G-d will choose – is the word used by the Torah to describe the Temple in Jerusalem. Rabbi Dovid Feinstein o.b.m. shuffles the four letters that spell יבחר - will choose – to spell ירחב / Yerachev which means - will widen. This is a reference to the Talmudic teaching, that although the Jews stood shoulder to shoulder in the Temple, when the Jews prostrated themselves, a miracle occurred and there was plenty of room, for the area of the Temple widened.
Another word that emerges from shuffling the word יבחר – will cho0se – is יחבר / Yichaber – will connect. For the holy Temple allowed people to deeply and awesomely connect themselves with G-d.
Unfortunately, while the Temple was in existence there were unscrupulous leaders such as King Menashe who erected an idol in the Temple, so that instead of connecting to G-d, they connected to idols. What will occur is also hinted in the word יבחר / Yivchar, because it also forms the word, יחרב / Yecherav – will destroy. G-d would destroy His Temple when this would occur.
Whether it will be through the manifestations of G-d’s pleasure with our service to G-d, or through His anger which will destroy the Temple, the place that G-d יבחר - will choose - will always be obvious.
May we merit to see the rebuilt Temple in all its grandeur!

07/29/2026

Dvar Torah: Aikev
Rabbi Dovid Saks

Before the death of our leader Moshe, the Torah tells us that he reviewed with the nation all that had transpired during his 40 years of leadership. Moshe also gave a charge to the nation encouraging them to follow the ways that G-d had set forth in the Torah. “For if you will observe this entire commandment that I command you, to perform it, to love Hashem your G-d, to walk in His ways and to cleave to Him,” Hashem will wipe out all the mighty nations who would stand in your way.
Cleaving to Hashem means praying and relying on Him.
The famous Chofetz Chaim – Rabbi Yisroel Meir Kagan o.b.m. would say: being alive affords us the greatest opportunity to attach ourselves to G-d. For King David in the Ashrai Psalm that we recite three times a day states, “G-d is close to anyone who calls out to Him.” Isaiah proclaims, “Seek G-d when He is found, call to Him when He is near.”
This means that when we are alive in this beautiful world, G-d is close to all of us. G-d says, “Any place where you mention My Name, I will come and bless you.”
While we are alive, we can speak to G-d at any time and this is an awesome and unique opportunity!
Once one passes away and his soul continues on its way to the metaphysical sphere, the Heavenly world, this free pass to speak to G-d at any time, can come to a halt.
Once a person completes his journey of life in this world, and enters into the next realm, he no longer has his freedom of choice that he had when he was alive. In the Heavenly world of truth, it is not an automatic that one can speak to G-d at any point. Yes, there is a heavenly tribunal that one faces, but even then, one is petrified by this awesome experience and may feel limited to speak up.
This is because when we enter the next world, our merits are based on the choices we made in this world. In this world is where we can accomplish in both the material and spiritual realms. When our focus is on the spiritual, such as Torah and Mitzvos, and blend it with the material, and keep our distance from sin, we merit a pass to the higher realms of spiritual levels in Heaven.
But the opportunities for anyone to speak to the Almighty at any given time is only when we are alive!
The following is an illustration that captures what the Chofetz Chaim shared with us.
There was a reputable and very hospitable man, and bad people fabricated allegations against him and reported him to the authorities. It cost him time and resources to defend himself in court, and unfortunately, the bad guys had an in with the court system and things looked really bleak for him. He was in real trouble with the law.
The plaintiff’s friends advised him that the only recourse he had was if he gets an audience with the king himself and speaks to him, for the King was known to be merciful, and would straighten his situation out and get him out of his troubles.
It was the custom during those days that kings would go incognito into the towns of their kingdom to mingle with the common folk to get a sense of what they are going through and what their needs are.
One day the king came to town disguised as a regular visitor, and was actually hosted as the guest of the plaintiff, who had no idea that the king was in his house as a guest, and to whom he could have asked for whatever he needed!
A few days after the king departed town, word got out that it was the king who was the plaintiff’s visitor. When the plaintiff heard that it was the king who was in his house and that the opportunity to beseech him passed right under his nose, the man burst into uncontrollable cries and said, “Woe to my terrible Mazal. Had I known that the king was in my house I would have pleaded with him to clean my slate and he would surely have forgiven me.
“However, now, what can I do? To travel the far distance to his palace is not something that I can do, and even if I travel there, the security is so tight chances are, they wouldn’t let me in.”
The message of the story is that while we are alive, the king is with us; it is like he is visiting us in our own homes. We can ask Him for anything and thank Him for all that He gives us. He listens to everything that we express to Him and wish from Him.
But once we are no longer living, access to the king is predicated upon the connectivity we had with Him when we lived our lives.
We are all unsettled by the rise of anti-Semitism, wars, turmoil in the world, and in the land of Israel. At times we feel helpless and frustrated.
It is at these times when it is most opportune to call out to G-d in prayer for His help. Calling out to Him, is our demonstration that only He can help us out and we believe and depend upon Him.
So, when are driving, walking in the street, at the office or at home and we feel overwhelmed by a dismal situation, we can discuss it and commiserate with others, or… we can turn to G-d in personal prayer – in any language that we choose – and seek His assistance and help. We who are alive have this advantage because He is always there to listen to us!

07/24/2026

The other day I noticed a news headline that read, “Archaeologists claim to have found charred wood beams from the First Temple’s destruction.” The article explains how large charred wooden beams were uncovered while excavating the Givati parking lot in Jerusalem’s City of David. The charred beams that were discovered date back to 589 BCE which is the time when our first Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians.
This find coincidently comes right before we commemorate the destruction of the first and second Temple which were both set ablaze on the ninth day of Av – Tisha B’Av.
It’s interesting, our prophets forewarned the Jews of the Jews’ exile and the fate of the Temple if they do not mend their wayward ways. The fast of Tisha B’Av was instituted by our prophets and we’ve been marking Tisha B’Av as a day of mourning and fasting since the first Temple was destroyed - for over 2500 years. For a Jew, the destruction of our Temple is a reality.
On Tisha B’Av, we sit as mourners on a low bench, we listen to the Book of Lamentations which was authored by Jeremiah the Prophet who describes the destruction of the Temple and how Israel languished and was exiled.
We mention the rebuilding of the third Temple in our Amidah prayers each day. We break a glass under the Chupah at the conclusions of a couple’s marriage to remember the destruction of the Temple. When a house is built, an area the size of two-foot square is left unpainted across from the doorway as a remembrance of the destruction of our Temples.
When we visit Jerusalem and see the Temple mount where the Temple once stood, we are to rend our garment over its destruction.
When we approach the Western wall and pour our hearts in prayer and some feel a jolt of spiritual inspiration; this is because our tradition is that G-d’s presence – Shechina, never left that area, and it always hovers over the lone remaining wall of the Temple.
With all this, when we hear of the discovery of a remnant, a charred beam of the Temple, some physical evidence of the actual destruction, I (we) kind of feel like, how can our naysayer enemies now refute this reality that the Land of Israel is ours from way back?
The truth is, no matter what we come up with to prove our claim to the land it will not satisfy our enemies due to their insatiable quest to disregard, harm and destroy us.
Our resiliency is another point of contention that our enemies have with us.
Just a short eighty years ago, the N***s tried desperately to annihilate us. They murdered 6 million of ours, and with the indomitable spirit of our dear survivors they miraculously forged ahead and rebuilt and recreated life and we are the results of their devotion and dedication to keep Judaism alive and thriving.
The Prophets capture this reality as, Ud Mutzal M’eish – a vibrant ember that was saved from being consumed by fire. The beaten survivors were an ember which was saved from the inferno of the Holocaust.
Earlier this week, my sister Tzippora arranged a family gathering and dinner at her home, which consisted of grandchildren of our maternal grandparents Reb Shia Ahron and Faiga Herzberg o.b.m. Our uncle Reb Asher Herzberg spoke eloquently, poignantly and reflectively on the lives of his parents; their travails and the legacy they left through their family, and we chimed in with our personal memories.
One point my uncle made is that our grandfather was the youngest of nine children, and in 1937 at the age of 17 he left his hometown, Lodz to attend a great assembly of Sages in Marienbad Czechoslovakia and he didn’t return to Poland. It was in France where he married our grandmother and they had three children. During the war they escaped to Switzerland and in 1949 my widowed grandfather and his children Shoshana (Lefkowitz), Malka (Saks) and Asher emigrated to the US.
My uncle made the following observation. “I can only imagine the thoughts that were going through my grandparents’ minds when their youngest child left home. "What is going to be with Shia Ahron as he is leaving the Shtetel into contemporary society?” Little did they know that because of his decision to leave before the war, he was going to be the lone survivor of his family! After the war he did not have a known relative left.
He, like many survivors, were the lone ember of their families that were saved from being consumed by fire.
With the many challenges our grandfather was faced with over the course of his lifetime, he remained loyal and devoted to his Yidishkeit, his Rebbe, the Bais Yisroel of Ger and with his vision and great sense of humor he forged ahead to ensure that his future generations will follow in their loyalty to G-d and His Torah.
The Mishna teaches us that G-d created man, Adam, a single human being rather than many – such as with the animals. This is to give each person a boost and drive that just as the vast world was created for the purpose of one-person, Adam, and through him populated the entire world. So too, each person should feel that the world was created just for him/her. This energizing drive serves to prod us to perform and produce to the best of our personal abilities, for the world depends on each of us!
Our amazing ancestors have to have felt this way to survive and we are fortunate that they paved the way for us!
Our Sages teach us that one who mourns over the loss of our Temple will eventually see it in its rebuilt state. This reality is up to each of us!

07/09/2026

Dvar Torah: Torah Portions: Matos /Massai
Rabbi Dovid Saks
When the two portions of Matos and Massai are read together, as we do this Shabbos, we read a total of 244 verses!
The Torah relates that the Jews defeated the major countries of Sichon, Og, and Midyan, and finally made it to the banks of the Jordan river.
Bilaam, the non-Jewish prophet who wished to curse the Jews, stated that he desired to die a peaceful death. During the war with Midyan, the Torah points out that he was killed by the sword.
Why does the Torah point this out?
The Jews are known as the people with the power of expressing words; our words of prayer, our words Torah, and our soft way of speaking. We are also the only nation which has laws of Lashon Harah that govern what we are, and are not, allowed to say about our brethren. When we exercise the Kedusha – sanctity – of our words and speech towards others, it empowers and delivers a boost to the effectiveness of our prayers to G-d.
Bilaam, like his evil partners, lived by the power of their sword. When faced with dealing with the Jews as they concluded their travels to the Land of Israel, Bilaam instead of dealing with them in the conventional ways of warfare, changed his strategy and decided to counter the Jews’ power of the tongue by using his tongue to curse the Jews.
As the Torah recently related, Bilaam was unsuccessful in cursing the Jews and even blessed them. Bilaam’s switch to using the power of the word in order to curse us, didn’t work.
That did not stop Bilaam from harming the Jews. He recommended that the women of Midyan manipulate and seduce the Jews to licentiousness and idol worship. Midyan followed Bilaam’s suggestion and 24,000 Jews died through a plague. That plague stopped due to a heroic act of Pinchos.
G-d instructed Moshe to take revenge on Midyan. Moshe sent 1000 warriors from each tribe and their leader was Pinchos’ father, Elozar the Kohain.
During the war, through the powers of the occult, Bilaam and his cronies were able to fly in order to evade being killed. Elozar the Kohain recited a special name of G-d and was able to fly and chase Bilaam. He caught up with him and Bilaam was killed specifically by the sword. Although the power of the Jews is generally through prayer, since he used their weapon against the Jews, they used his weapon against him!
After the Jews defeated their enemies in Transjordan, two tribes, Reuven and Gad (and half of the tribe of Menashe), who were laden with lots of cattle asked Moshe if they could settle in, and inherit, that land instead of the Land of Israel.
Moshe took offense to this. Firstly, he thought they were following the ideology of the wicked spies who 39 years ago, had terrified the Jews not to enter the Land. As a result, they were punished and had to tarry for 40 years in the desert. Secondly, when they requested to settle in Transjordan, they put emphasis on their cattle, rather than their children.
After a discussion and clarification of their wishes, the two tribes agreed that the males of their tribes, who were 20 years old and older, would enter Israel with the rest of the nation and only after they conquer the land would they return home for good.
I want to focus on the name of the tribe of Gad. The Hebrew letters that make up Gad is Gimel and Daled. The Talmud explains the format of the letters of our Hebrew Alef Bais. It explains that the letter Gimel stands for Gemilas Chasadim – acts of loving kindness. In fact, the shape of the letter Gimel, has an outstretched foot that is towards the next letter Daled. The root of the letter Daled is Dal – which means a poor person. In a sense the Gimel is running to help the Daled. The form of the letter Daled has most of the arm away from the Gimel, only a short stub is directed towards the Gimel. Thus showing how the Dal - poor person - is embarrassed and would rather not take, but has no choice.
There are two ways of giving Tzadaka; one is in a quiet and unassuming way and the other way is to receive recognition for the contribution. Each way has its drawbacks. If one gives quietly, people might assume he doesn’t give at all and they may not be motivated to give themselves. On the other hand, when one gives and receives accolades, he risks becoming arrogant.
So which way should a person choose?
The Bobover Rebbe, Rabbi Shlomo Halberstam o.b.m. quotes a commentator who directs us to look at the Torah’s list of the descendants of the tribe of Gad, whose two letters represent giving to the poor.
The first family listed is Tzafoni. Tzafon means hidden. The second name listed is Chagi. Chag means holiday, which implies celebration and pomp.
These two names in the tribe of Gad represent the two approaches to Tzadaka, since they are both necessary for Tzadaka to be given. One is quietly and one is openly.
The Torah does mention Tzafoni – hidden, first, implying that giving quietly is definitely the way to go so that the receiver will not be embarrassed.
If we are taught that there are implications to the mere setup of the letters of our Alef Bais, surely we can’t fathom how much meaning, strength and power lies behind the prayers we recite!

07/02/2026

Dvar Torah: Torah Portion Pinchos
Rabbi Dovid Saks

Recognizing and remembering the good that one has done for you, is called in Hebrew, Hakoras Hatov.
This innate feeling is something that runs through the veins of every Jew.
For example, we continually thank G-d in our prayers. We also say statements, such as Boruch Hashem, which means “Thank G-d.” We also have inner feelings throughout our day, thanking G-d for our lives, for every breath we take, and for all the good that we have and encounter. We even thank G-d for the challenges that we face, because we believe that everything comes from Hashem – our G-d – and it is ultimately for the good.
The name that we go by, Jew – Yehudi – means “thankful” and is indicative of our innate grateful spirit.
Although the Egyptians brutally enslaved the Jews for 210 years, the Torah states that, if an Egyptian wishes to convert to Judaism, he or she is accepted, with one caveat, they cannot fully join the Jewish nation until the third generation is born after their conversion. This means that an Egyptian convert can only marry a a full-fledged Jew after four generations.
However, the Torah rules that male converts from the countries of Amon and Moav and their descendants may never marry full-fledged Jews. The Torah tell us we may eventually accept Egyptian converts as complete converts because we cannot forget that the Egyptians were our hosts in their land for many years.
This is an example of the lesson of gratefulness, that for any kindness we receive, however small and no matter what the motives are, we are to always remember it.
Another example: The Torah tells us that if an animal of a Jew became Treif – non-kosher – due a defect in its viability or it was killed without correct slaughter, “To the dog you should cast it.” Why to the dogs? Because during the last plague G-d sent against the Egyptians, the slaying of the first born, the vicious dogs of the Egyptians did not bark. G-d says, “Because the dogs showed restraint during the Exodus, give them this as a treat.”
The first three plagues G-d inflicted on the Egyptians, blood, frogs and lice, were brought on by Moshe’s staff hitting the sand or the water. The Torah tells us that Aaron, not Moshe brought on these plagues. Why not Moshe? Rashi explains, through the Medrash, that since the water saved the infant Moshe when he was placed in a basket in the Nile, to display gratitude to the water, it was not appropriate for Moshe to hit the waters to bring upon the plague, rather it was done through Aaron. In another instance sand protected Moshe’s life, therefore he did not hit the sand to bring upon the plague.
Our Sages point out, if Moshe was concerned about hitting inanimate objects such as water and sand due to a debt of gratitude towards them, certainly, we are to refrain from hurting or stinging those from whom we have benefitted.
The Talmud has an expression, “Do not cast stones into the well that you drank from.”
This is all to teach us, and to inculcate and retain within ourselves, feelings of Hakaras Hatov.
We as Jews have been fortunate to live in the USA with freedom of religion, expression, independence and equal opportunity. Are things perfect? No. But as Jews we are ever so grateful that G-d, who is All Powerful and apolitical, has given us, as American citizens, the gift of freedom.
Think of it, every form of our currency is emblazoned with the words, “In G-d we trust,” and every President’s major address ends with, “May G-d bless America.”
1976 was our Bi-centennial year; it was the year that I became a bar-Mitzvah, and I recall the patriotic feeling in the country was palpable. This year we are celebrating the 250th year of America’s Independence, and the nation’s spirit is not as it once was. But that does not weaken the personal gratefulness that we have to our blessed and kind country.
Many years ago, while my father o.b.m. was in his accountant’s waiting room to review his taxes, he overheard a conversation through the thinly partitioned walls. An older couple was discussing the million-dollar lottery winnings they had received. The accountant began presenting them with the various options to shelter them from taxes. The man then spoke up and said to the accountant in a heavily accented English, “We escaped the horrors and persecution in Europe and were accepted here in the United States with open arms. For this we are ever so grateful; we don’t mind paying our fair share of taxes to this wonderful and free country.”
We can blame this and that why we are not too happy in our country, but grateful we are always to be!
May G-d continue to Bless America!

Today is the Seventeenth of Tamuz and it is a public fast. It marks the time when the Roman army, led by Titus, breached the walls of Jerusalem and advanced their bloody onslaught to infiltrate the Temple in Jerusalem. They set it ablaze three weeks later on the 9th day of the month of Av.
We begin this three-week period with a fast and end it with a fast.
Since the three-week period between these two events were extremely tragic for the Jews, rejoicing is curtailed during this time. Marriages are not held; we refrain from listening to enjoyable music and from hair cutting. The fast concludes @ 9:22 p.m. (For the Scranton area)

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