One Halakhah Closer to Becoming an Eshet Hayil

BS''D

10 Adar 5773

Tomorrow is Taanit Esther! Since we are not permitted to fast on Shabbat Kodesh, the fast was pushed up to the Thursday before it. BH the Taanit will begin at 5:19am and ends at 6:19 in New York. (Refer to myzmanim.com for times in your area). 

**If you would like to wake up early in the morning to eat before the fast, tonight before you sleep, you must make a verbal condition that you intend on waking up to eat before the fast begins.

BH Rabbanit Ruth Menasse will be givig us a shiur tomorrow at the Seminary in Great Neck! If you wish to join us, please email me for details and to RSVP. Todah Rabbah!!

II.  Mahassit HaShekel - It is customary to give a half-shekel or half-dollar to charity for each family member before or on Purim, in commemoration of the Missvah of Mahassit HaShekel.

Here is something beautiful we can learn from the Missvah of Mahassit HaShekel....

If we look at the word Mahassit, ח צ י ת tמ the middle letter is a sadik (צ), representing Sedakah. Should we give Sedakah, this will warrant us life. How do we know? The two closer letters surrounding the letter sadik (the inner two letters) are het (ח) and yud (י), which spell hai (life). However, if has ve'Shalom, one makes himself far from Sedakah, he may be bringing the opposite upon himself. We learn this because the outer two letters which are farthest from the middle sadik representing Sedaka are mem (מ) and taf (ת), which spell met (dead). Be'Ezrat HaShem in the zekhut of giving Sedakah, may HaKadosh Barukh Hu protect as all and guarantee us long lives of every berakha from Shamayim!! 

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MidrESHET Hayil 

  The Daily Companion for the Sephardi Woman

  www.midreshethayil.com  

  -Smile Eshet Hayil! :D