We are all awaiting Moshiach.  It is easy to think that after all this time of him not arriving with all these generations prior to ours being so much greater that he will never come.  How can we with our myriads of sins, and so few mitzvos to our credit bring him?  An example can be given, when a bottle of soda is closed too tightly, and it is passed around to open the one who open it does so because of all the previous efforts, not really his own.  So too with us, Moshiach will come with us being the final straw.

In this weeks Parsha we learn about the mishkan (tabernacle) and of its accoutrements.  All of the vessels of the Mishkan (e.g. the menorah, the ark, etc.) were at a “measurement plus” (ie 2 and a half feet) except for the Shulchan (table) why is this?  The Table represents our physical needs.  The other vessels represent our various spiritual needs.  In our physical lives we must always aim to be satisfied with a simple amount, while in our spirituality we must never be satisfied and always want a little more.  For physical we should always be happy with that small amount that suits what we absolutely need.

What can a person do when they feel a very powerful urge to commit a sin? A Sentence in Tehillem is explained, one should first simply try to overcome their evil inclination. If that is unsuccessful, the next step is to learn Torah, if still the desire is burning inside, say Shema. The last advice is to think of death. When you are judged after this life, how would the pleasure received from this sin, compare to the reward received for not committing this sin?

Hashem tells moshe to tell the jewish nation to  “TAKE to me tithing”, why does it say TAKE it should say give. The entire world and everything in it belongs to G-d, so we can’t GIVE Him anything.  He is taking what he had given to us, and allowing us to have a Mitzva in the process (by giving happily).

The Menorah had seven branches. One in the center and three on each side. The three on the left symbolize our thoughts for physical needs (work, food, shelter, etc.) the three on the right symbolize our intellectual pursuits. The center branch symbolizes the Torah. Each of the outer flames were pointed towards the center one. This is because all of our thoughts and actions need to be directed by the Torah.

We have an obligation to love our fellow as ourselves. How can we be commanded to love that annoying guy? The Torah tells us how to engender love within ourselves, by doing things for the other people. Also, every person has redeeming qualities, let’s focus on everyone’s positive aspects and ignore the negative (as we would like done to us).

Before we start the Amida (private) prayer we ask Hashem to open our mouths so we may pray to him. This is because we must be careful when we speak because it is too easy to sin with words. Woe to someone who flaps their lips all day than has the aducaity and gall to pray for assistance using those same lips. Let our lips be clean today towards others so that when we open them up before Hashem we are not ashamed.

In this week’s Parsha (Mishpatim) we learn the different punishments for a burglar (one who steals in secret) and a mugger (one who steals in the open) a burglar pays four or five times the value of the theft and a mugger pays only double. Why the difference? A mugger has equal fear of people and G-d (none) while a burglar is afraid of people but not of Hashem. There is a Gemara in which R’ Yochanan blesses his students that their fear of G-d should be equal to their fear of man. Apparently this is a high level, why then is someone as low as a thief held to such high standards? Every Jew is required to reach such a high level, how so? Because we ALL CAN!!!

It says in the Posuk, terrible punishments will occur “because you did not serve Hashem your G-d with joy” why is there such retribution for such a seemingly small offense? This is to prove that one is not serving Hashem if he is not ecstatic in the service, the punishment is for NOT actually serving G-d only for seeming to. True service of G-d brings with it tremendous joy!

Iyov (Job) was the quintessential sufferer. At the height of his tremendous anguish he prayed to G-d. What did he pray for? Not only that he should be healed from his massive pain, not only that he should be restored to his former prestige, but that he should be lifted to situation of Adam before he sinned!!! (the absolute ideal) this is what we should pray for, EVERYTHING that we want!!!