To sign up for the weekly self help parasha ideas , send an email to rabbiyoseffarhi@gmail.com For more spiritual inspiration and rewarding reading, visiting yoseffarhi.com To help support this movement of character improvement, email rabbiyoseffarhi@gmail.com THE ART OF HOLDING BACK THE BARK The best investment in a volatile place like Covidland is saying Perek Shira each day. Perek Shira, a compilation of praise from the elements of creation, is one of the most amazing segulot, with the greatest perks. A promise of longevity, financial stability, Olam Haba. A promise that you will learn, keep and teach Torah, be saved from your Evil Inclination, from Gehinom and bad occurrences. It brings your prayers up to the highest Heavens, brings you great goodness, protects you from sickness, and will give you a life as good as it will be in the times of Mashiach. The end praise of all the creatures mentioned in Perek Shira, is that of the dogs. כְּלָבִים אוֹמְרִים בֹּאוּ נִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה וְנִכְרָעָה נִבְרְכָה לִפְנֵי יְקוָק עֹשֵׂנוּ׃ The dogs, say, Come! Let us prostrate ourselves, bow our heads, bend our knees in front of YKVK, the One who makes us great. This is so interesting, for a couple of reasons. 1. The only living creature mentioned in Perek Shira in plural form is the dogs. All other creatures are referred to in singular form, Snake, Rooster, Dove, Elephant, Lion, etc. 2. Why is it that all the praises of the Universe end, specifically, with the praise of the dogs? 3. Snake says, סוֹמֵ֣ךְ יְ֭קֹוָק לְכָל־הַנֹּפְלִ֑ים וְ֝זוֹקֵ֗ף לְכָל־הַכְּפוּפִֽים G-d supports all the fallen ones and makes those who are bowed down, erect. This is appropriate for Snake, to be hopeful for his future. Wolf speaks of wrongdoing appropriate to its species, עַֽל־כָּל־דְּבַר־פֶּ֡שַׁע. But why should the dogs be the “tzadikim” that call out to all others to come and praise G-d? This bothered “R’ Yeshaya”, a student of R Hanina Ben Dosa, so much, he fasted 85 fasts, equal to the numerical value of פה, Mouth. “How could it be that the dogs, that are considered brazen (Yeshaya 56;11), merit saying such praise?” An angel told R’ Yeshaya that this secret was not to be revealed, but there would be an exception for him. It is not what the dogs did; it is what they did not do. During the Firstborn Plague, the dogs did not bark like they usually do when they see the Angel of Death in town. They did not disturb the Jews, who were rushing to pack their bags for the Exodus. They would be rewarded for their silence, וּבָשָׂ֨ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֤ה טְרֵפָה֙ לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֔לוּ לַכֶּ֖לֶב תַּשְׁלִכ֥וּן אֹתֽוֹ All unkosher meat – should be given to the dogs. They are to be rewarded by having the parchments for Torah scrolls, Tefillin, and Mezuzah made from skins, processed in dog’s excrement. And they are to be rewarded with being the ones to end Perek Shira, praising and calling others to give praise. In the merit of the dogs going against their nature, keeping quiet for just that one night, they merited these HUGE, eternal rewards. This explains a lot. All other creatures are referred to in the singular, for that is the original form of creation. But the Dogs were rewarded for what the Egyptian dogs didn’t do that […]

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