The first time that the Ten Commandments appear in the Torah
is in Parshat Yitro.
The Third Commandment is found in Shmot 20:7: “Do not take
the Name of Hashem, your God in vain. For God will not acquit the one who takes
His Name in vain.”
The Talmud in Brachot 33b states: He who pronounces an
unnecessary benediction violates the
prohibition of “Do not take the Name of Hashem, your God in vain.”
Rabbi Kasher in the Torah Shlemah explains this commandment:
“Whoever pronounces an unnecessary benediction or says his prayers without
devotion or at the wrong time takes the name of Heaven in vain. Regarding him
the text states: He will not acquit him.”
What Rabbi Kasher is saying is that if someone prays without
kavana, without being focused, without paying attention to what he is saying,
without understanding the meaning of the words, without being aware that he is
standing before God- then he is actually taking God’s name in vain.
How many people would take prayer more seriously if they
thought about this concept?
There are many observant Jews who would not dare to utter
God’s name outside of the recitation of prayers and blessings yet while praying
their minds may wander, they may involve themselves in conversations with
people in the room (instead of with God) during the course of the davening or
they may be so tuned out that they may not even realize which prayers they have
already recited.
Every time that God’s name is uttered it should be for a
purpose.
When we look at the third commandment from this perspective,
it seems even harder to observe than the normative explanation of this
commandment, not swearing falsely using God’s name. Prayer is said three times
a day and blessings are said throughout the day so not taking God’s name in
vain has to be something that we are aware of every day, all day long.
As we read the Ten Commandments this week, let’s take it
upon ourselves to have more kavana each and every time that we recite God’s
name in a prayer or a blessing.
Send Mishloach Manot/ Matanot L’Evyonim
(Gifts for Purim
and Gifts for the Poor)
to Jerusalem
’s Impoverished Elderly
Torat Reva
Yerushalayim will once again be preparing Mishloach Manot/Matanot L’Evyonim
packages which will be hand delivered by the Midreshet Devora students to the
neglected elderly of Jerusalem in two nursing homes in Talpiot as well as
to the homebound elderly in East Talpiot on Shushan Purim (the day
that Purim is celebrated in Jerusalem ). The packages will include healthy
snacks, gifts and Purim treats.
The packages
that Torat Reva Yerushalayim delivered over the last few years to Jerusalem’s
elderly were the ONLY gift packages that these individuals received!
According to the
Rambam
in his Mishneh
Torah: “gifts for the
poor deserve more attention than the seudah (festive meal) and mishloach manot
(gifts for friends) because there is no greater, richer happiness than bringing
joy to the hearts of needy people, orphans, widows and proselytes.”
A donation of
$18 covers one package, $180 covers packages for an entire floor of a nursing
home.
Please click on the following link to donate on
linehttp://toratreva.org/Joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7&Itemid=7Or
mail a check payable to Torat Reva Yerushalayim to:In the USTorat Reva
Yerushalayim, 75
Berkeley Avenue, Yonkers NY
10705In IsraelTorat Reva
Yerushalayim, 12 Israel
Eldad #19, Jerusalem
93399
