Nachdaily: 5 Minute Perek Of Tanach Covering The Entire Navi. Sefer Yehoshua, Shoftim, Shmuel, Melachim, Yeshaya, Yirmiya, Ye

Tehilim Perek 121 Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Today’s NachDaily is Tehilim Chapter 121, one of the more famous perakim. This chapter starts differently than the rest of the Shir Hamalos songs. It begins with Shir Lama’alos instead of Shir Hama’alos. Rashi explains that this is to teach us of the great advantage that Tzaddikim will have in the future as they sit under the Eitz Hachaim in Gan Eden. They will be in the highest places, under the Kisey HaKavod, the Heavenly Throne. There are different levels in Gan Eden. I heard from Rav Tzvi Aryeh Rosenfeld, z’tzl, that no two neshamos, souls, can be on the same level at the same time. Therefore, when one soul is elevated, the one above it rises to a higher level, and so on. There is constant movement in the upper worlds. As all Jewish souls are connected, they affect one another, and are constantly moving. This perek is called Shira Lama’alos, Song of Ascents, as Tzaddkim ascend to higher and higher

Tehilim Perek 120 Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Today’s NachDaily is Tehilim Chapter 120. This is a short chapter, containing only 7 pessukim. We’re now back to our regular Tehilim class. For those interested, all archives can be found on Soundcloud or Itunes. Just search for NachDaily, and you’ll be able to find all the old classes. We’re now heading towards the last stretch of Tehilim, with 30 chapters left. The next 15 perakim are known as the Shir Hama’alos, Songs of Ascent. The Mishna in Sukkah, Perek 5 Mishna 4, teaches that these 15 chapters correspond to the 15 steps leading from the men’s section to the women’s area in the Beis Hamikdash. They were either sung when the Leviim stood on the steps, or each chapter was sung, one per step, as the Leviim ascended them. The Shai Lemora adds that the tune of these Tehilim would start off in a low, baritone type of voice and gradually rise to a higher pitch by the end of the song. Hence the name,

Letter Beis; Hebrew Root: Beis is the Bayis house. Torah starts with a Beis because the world is a house/Bayis for hashem. English Word; Body is also called a house/Bayis because it houses the soul. Build, because Hashem built the world. Letter Gimmel; Hebrew Root: Gimmel means to be Gomel English Word: Give Letter Daled Hebrew root: Dal v’ani English Word: Destitute, starts with a D, daled. Letter Tes Hebrew root: Tov, good English connection: Tov and truth go hand and hand. Truth you spell with Tes. Also Tes in numerically 9 which is a true number. Any number times its 9 if you add up the sum you get 9. Letter Chuf Hebrew root: Kaf yad, Kafuf to bend, Kesser English: Create, because your hands create. Crown is a Kesser. And the King where’s a Crown. Which both words have the chuf sound. Letter Lamed; Hebrew Root: lomed, limod English: To Learn starts with a Lamed Letter Mem; Hebrew Root: Mayim water. English Word: Movement. Because water is in flow and moves. Starts with a Mem Letter Nun; Hebrew Ro

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter Suf/Tuf Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Today’s Nach Daily will discuss the letter SUF. This is actually a mini-siyum, because with this we’ll have finished all 22 letters of the Aleph-Beis, the holy letters with which the world was created. As we’ve seen, the secrets of the letters contain the deepest mysteries of the Torah, but what we’ve learned is literally just the tip of the iceberg, to give you a taste of the sweetness of the letters so that your Neshama can feel drawn to God. This completion of the Aleph Beis is certainly a reason to be happy. After this, Nach Daily will be going back to the regular scheduled Tehilim class, moving on to Tehilim, perek 120. Join us and sign up a friend, as over the last few years we’ve been moving our way through the entire TANACH, one perek at time. Just a quick note to prevent confusion: depending on your custom you’ll pronounce this let

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter SHIN Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Today’s Nach Daily will discuss the letter SHIN. The Shin represents the power of Shinuy, change in the creation and Shlita, control. Generally speaking, in order to change something you need to be in control of it. Shin is the force able to impact something by changing its form, bringing it to the desired outcome. The word Shinayim, teeth, comes from the Shin. When eating food, our teeth change its form so that the body can process and digest it. In fact, the tops of the letter Shin even look like teeth! On a deeper level, the Shin has the power to elevate. When we eat, the food becomes absorbed and digested into our bodies. It thus becomes a part of us, being elevated to the level of a human. As the expression goes, “You are what you eat!” Shin also applies to spirituality. A person’s desire to go from level to level, to reach hi

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter REISH Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. In today’s Nach Daily we’ll discuss the letter REISH. The Reish represents the Rosh, leadership, head of something, the ability to rule and influence. Rochev denotes expansiveness and the ability to take over. The sequence of letters of Tzaddik, Kuf, and Reish explains that one who becomes a Tzaddik and attains a higher level of Kedusha, merits to be the Rosh, at the top or a leader. The first time that the letter Reish appears at the beginning of a word is the first word in the Torah, beReishis, in the beginning. Hashem is the Rosh, Head of the world. The Reish can also mean the head of something in a negative sense. It can be read as Rush, spelled reish, shin. “Rush v’ani, destitute and poor.” We can use our free choice to become leaders in a proper way of Kedusha, or use it to become extremely needy and dependent on other peo

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter KUF Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Today’s Nach Daily will discuss the letter KUF. Kuf represents a heKuf, border, a passageway, a point of integration and Kedusha, holiness. As the eye of a needle is called the Kof Hamchat, this all points towards transitioning and moving to another, higher plane. Kuf comes after the latter Tzaddik because Kedusha, holiness, comes only after one has reached the level of a Tzaddik. After we have worked on ourselves, and even refrained from some things that are permissible, we can begin to receive and experience the higher level of Kedusha represented by the letter Kuf, transitioning from one level to another. This transitioning of levels can also work in the negative. As the passuk says, “lo t’hey Kadesha m’bnos Yisrael, there shouldn’t be a harlot from among the daughters of Israel. We find here that a zona, harlot,is called a Ka

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter Tzaddik Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Today’s we’ll discuss the letter TZADDIK. The letter Tzaddik represents Tzidkus, righteousness, Tzaddikim, and Tzida, trapping something. The Tzaddik is the ability to capture something and rule over it in a positive way. This can take the form of trapping animals and properly training them. Esav was “tzayid b’peav, he was able entrap someone with his words.” The root of the word Tzaddik refers to the righteous person who in a sense is able to trap the Yetzer Hara in order to rule over it. Tzaddi represents trapping and the Kuf at the end of it represents the Yezter Hara. This will hopefully be explained in the class pertaining to the letter Kuf. The first time that the letter Tzaddik appears in the beginning of a word in the Torah is during the creation of man. It says “b’Tzalmeinu, in Our image,” because the perfection of ma

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter Pei Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. In today’s Nach Daily we’ll be discussing the letter PEI. The letter Pei represents Pesicha, opening, Pesach, an entrance way, and superficial externalities. The mouth is called the Peh after the letter Pei because the mouth opens. Your mouth is what allows you to eat and nourish the body. Without it you wouldn’t be able to communicate your thoughts and desires. The Pei therefore represents the faculty of speech which comes through the mouth. The ability to bring your penimiyus to the chitzoniyus, inner self to the outer self,” is essentially self-actualization. The first time that the Pei is used in the Torah is when it says “v’ruach Elokim mirachePhes al Pnai hamayim,” and the spirit of God hovered over the face of the water. Pei here is used to describe the surface, the outer part, of the water. When contrasting the letter

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter AYIN Hello everybody, in today’s Nach Daily we’ll be discussing the letter AYIN. I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Let’s jump rite in; The letter Ayin represents Amok depth, vision, sensing, and deeply thinking. The Ayin eye, encompasses both physically seeing something and spiritually seeing something in your mind’s eye. Its also the ability to think intuitively, more deeply and penetrating a subject matter. Like when a person like when a person learns gemarah in depth its called b’iyun from the world Ayin to look into something. After Adom and Chava sinned by eating from the Tree of Knowledge the passuk says “v’tipakachna Aney shneihem v’yado ki arumim hem – they opened up their eyes and saw they were naked.” Rashi explains Adom and Chava’s perspective had changed they were able to see things from a new angle. In English we have the same expression. When you un

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter Samech Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Today’s Nach Daily we’ll discuss the letter Samech. Samech represents Semicha, getting up after a fall. Samech, which is shaped like a circle, also stands for Sovev, to surround. In a deeper sense it refers to the Somech HaGadol, the One on Whom the world is completely reliant, Hashem. In Ashrei we read that Hashem is “Somech le’kol hanoflim, Hashem picks up all the fallen people.” Each time that we have a Nefila, fall to a low place, we can rely on Hashem to pick us up. The previous letter, Nun, which denotes Nefilah, falling, is the only letter not mentioned in the Ashrei prayer. We skip it and go straight to the Samech because every descent is for the purpose of ascent, and Hashem is using it as a means to draw us closer. The first time that the Samech appears in the Torah in the beginning of a word is “Shem echad Pishon, hu haSov

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter NUN Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. In today’s Nach Daily we’ll be discussing perek 119, letter NUN. The letter Nun represents Ne’emanut, loyalty, Namichut ruach, humility, Neshama, the soul, and Netzach, eternity. The Medrash Osyios D’Rebbe Akiva explains that the Neshama was created with the letter Nun. Without the soul the body would be as inanimate as the dirt on the ground, unable to stand erect or move in any way. The Medrash continues that this is represented by the two Nuns. The regular Nun is laying, while the Nun Sofit is standing. In the simple sense, the Medrash is speaking about the Neshama as it relates to its clothing, the body. However, in the deeper sense this means that when a person does mitzvos the Neshama is uplifted. When a person sins, however, the Neshama goes downwards as if it’s sleeping. A Neshama by nature is completely pure, trustworthy, lo

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter MEM Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Today we’ll discuss the letter Mem. Mem represents the Makor, the source of something, and Ma’avar, moving beyond, exiting from a point of origin. The Sefer Yetzira explains that Mem stands for Mayim, water. Water always flows from a source to a destination, its fluid quality allowing it to take the shape of its container. Water also has the ability to carry items or boats from place to place with its current, taking something from its Makor, source, and being Ma’avar, passing it along to a Makom, place. Mayim is the only thing in nature which exists in 3 forms: ice, which is solid, water, which is liquid, and a cloud, which is like a gas. This is all represented by the Mem. People who desire to grow in ruchniyos, spirituality, and from level to level, are also represented by the Mem because they aspire to return to their Source, the

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter LAMED Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Today we’ll discuss the letter LAMED. The Lamed represents a desire to reach a destination, Limud, learning, and La’amod, teaching. The Lamed is taller than all the other letters. Its height represents its ability to see far into the distance. Whether striving for a physical or spiritual destination, one needs to be able to see the goal in order to be able to reach or attain it. On a physical level, if you’re traveling from point A to point B you must know the location of your destination. On a spiritual level, to attain wisdom you also need to have a goal in mind. Either way, our desires cause us to plan meticulously for our journey. This all comes from the power of the Lamed which means Lomed, learn. We need to learn and study to reach our destination. A subtler point here Is that the Lamed represents our ability to think

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter LAMED Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Today we’ll discuss the letter LAMED. The Lamed represents a desire to reach a destination, Limud, learning, and La’amod, teaching. The Lamed is taller than all the other letters. Its height represents its ability to see far into the distance. Whether striving for a physical or spiritual destination, one needs to be able to see the goal in order to be able to reach or attain it. On a physical level, if you’re traveling from point A to point B you must know the location of your destination. On a spiritual level, to attain wisdom you also need to have a goal in mind. Either way, our desires cause us to plan meticulously for our journey. This all comes from the power of the Lamed which means Lomed, learn. We need to learn and study to reach our destination. A subtler point here Is that the Lamed represents our ability to think

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter YUD Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Today’s Nach Daily will discuss perek 119, letter YUD. Yud is the peak and culmination of all the previous letters so far. It truly represents Olam Habah, the World to Come. After we pass all of our tests here, represented by the previous 9 letters, we shed the body to attain true life. The passuk in Yeshaya says, “Ki b’Yah Hashem tzur olamim, with the letters Yud and hey of Hashems name God fashioned the world.” The Gemerah in Chagiga 10A explains that the Hey was used to create Olam Hazeh, this world, while the Yud was used to create Olam Habah, the next world. The Yud also represents the reward one will receive in the next world. The first time that a Yud begins a word in the Torah is in reference to the creation, “ Y’hee ohr, let there be light. The Yud in Y’hee, there will be, is the force that allowed the very first form

The letter Tes represents the Tov, good, that comes back to a person like a boomerang after one does the right thing. It also represents the force of Netzach, Eternity, which allows things to last forever. On the most basic physical level, there is ultimately no part of the physical world that can be destroyed forever. Scientifically, Einstein’s law of conservation states that energy cannot be destroyed. There always was, is, and will be the same amount of energy in the world, pointing towards the fact that energy is nitzchi, eternal. The world has this power through the letter Tes, which allows for goodness and eternality. True goodness is eternal. On a human level, Tes represents the fact that when a person acts with goodness, good is received in return. On a spiritual level, when we do good deeds by performing mitzvos and learning Torah, we are rewarded in the next world for netzach netzachim, all of eternity. To take it even a step further, the letter Tes also represents the proces

Ches represents the soul of life, Chayim and Chein, going beyond nature and beChira, free choice. The first time that Ches is seen in the Torah is during creation. “v’Choshech al p’ney tahom,’ and darkness was on the face of the deep.” Because the world was created with Choshech, darkness, it’s very difficult to see Hashem. We need to use our free choice to see through or beyond the darkness. The power of free choice comes from the Ches contained in the word Choshech. “Olam hazeh domeh l’layla, this word is compared to the night time.” The word for darkness also contains the letter Ches, which is the ability to transcend the darkness! Because Ches represents many strong spiritual movements essential for life, it will be found beginning words that deal with strong activity and movement: Cham, heat; Chituch, cutting; Charitsut, diligence; Chozek, strength; Chod and Chanit, both meaning spear; Chetz, arrow, and Cherev, sword. The letter also represents strong movement. Many strong human emotions

Zayin represents the spiritual force that drives the so called war of existence. Many words that start with Zayin represent a movement of some sort in general, and specifically one that allows the world to continue and survive. For example: Zachar, man, who is needed in the perpetuation of creation. Zerah, seed, which allows a child to be born and plant life and vegetation to grow. Zikaron, memory, which connotes mental life and movement. Za’azuach, to tremble or shake. Zanav, tail, as on an animal. Zechila, drip or flow. Zan, to sustain. Zayin looks like a seed, pointing towards the letter’s power of creative potential, movement and flow needed to sustain the world. The first time that Zayin appears at the beginning of a word in the Torah is when Hashem is creating the world. The seeds were “mazreah zerah, to sprout forth.” The potential of the plant life and vegetation was hidden under the ground and was going to sprout forth at a later time. Similarly, the Radvaz explains that the secret of

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter Vav Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. In today’s NachDaily we’ll discuss perek 119, concentrating on the letter Vav. The letter Vav means connection, joining, and union. The first time that it is used as the first letter of a word, and not just as a prefix, is in the description of the different parts of the Mishkan. The passuk in Shemos 26:37 says, “Vaveyhem zahav, the hooks shall be gold.” These hooks were used at the top of the pillars of the Mishkan as a way to join together and connect its different parts. The Zohar in Pekudey says that the hooks were in the shape of a Vav. The letter Vav is straight with its head bent, which actually makes it look like a hook! This is why the Vav is always referred to as the “os hachibur, letter of connection.” As a prefix in the beginning of a word, the Vav means “and,” as in the passuk, “es hashamayim V’es ha’arets, the heavens and the earth.” All of