August 19, 2008

Bill Richardson, Governor, &
The Leadership of the House and Senate
State of New Mexico
Round House of the People
Santa Fe, New Mexico

RE: Gasoline Price Gouging in Ruidoso

Dear Governor and Servants of the People:

This morning as I prepare to make another trip to Santa Fe from Alto, New Mexico to follow the Special Session, I have one thing on my mind. It seems simple enough to me. Gasoline in Las Cruces is $3.55 a gallon, Tularosa, New Mexico is $3.67 a gallon, in Carrizozo, it is near $3.80, at the Smiths on Cerrillos Road it is $3.60. But in Ruidoso it is $3.93-$3.95 a gallon. Why? Well the answer is simple for us who live here. It is horse racing season and the town is full of millionaires who don’t care what the price of gasoline is. But for the working folks of Ruidoso a 30-40 cent per gallon price …

PARASHAH: Emor (Speak)
Vayikra (Leviticus) 21:1-24:23

“Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheynu, Melech ha-‘Olam, asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim, v’natan lanu eht Torah-to. Baruch atah Adonai, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”

HOW MOSES GOT THE 10 COMMANDMENTS

God went to the Arabs and said, ‘I have Commandments for you that will make your lives better.’ The Arabs asked, ‘What are Commandments?’ And the Lord said, ‘They are rules for living.’ ‘Can you give us an example?’ ‘Thou shall not kill.’ ‘Not kill? We’re not interested.’

So He went to the Africans and said, ‘I have Commandments.’ The Africans wanted an example, and the Lord said, ‘Honor thy Father and Mother.’ ‘Father? We don’t know who our fathers are. We’re not interested.’

Then He went to the Mexicans and said, ‘I have Commandments.’ The Mexicans also wanted an example, and the Lord said ‘Thou shall not steal.’ ‘Not steal? We’re …

PARASHAH: Kedoshim (Holy Ones)
TORAH Vayikra (Leviticus) 19:1-20-27

“Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheynu, Melech ha-’Olam, asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim,v’natan lanu eht Torah-to. Baruch atah Adonai, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”

A Knoxville , TN policeman had a perfect spot to watch for speeders, but wasn’t getting many. Upon further investigation based upon his police training. He then discovered the problem. A twelve-year-old boy was standing up the road with a hand-painted sign, which read ‘RADAR TRAP AHEAD’. The officer then found a young accomplice down the road with a sign reading ‘TIPS’ . . . and a bucket full of money. (And I used to just sell lemonade and deliver the newspaper!) Economic opportunity is everywhere you choose to create the energies to find it.

AMERICA’S SPOILED CHILD SYNDROME

Kedoshim, …

PARASHAH: Acharei Mot (After the death)
TORAH Vayikra (Leviticus)16:1-18:30
“Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheynu, Melech ha-’Olam, asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim,v’natan lanu eht Torah-to. Baruch atah Adonai, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”

When we want to connect to the Light of Torah, we can. All it takes is desire. But the world is confusing - we don’t see clearly. The Zohar says that the way we live is to keep ourselves busy with the 1% physical world in order to fulfill lacks that are actually spiritual. If we’re lonely or are feeling bad about ourselves, what do we do? We try to make ourselves feel good by finding a better job, finding new friends, making plans to do something fun, etc. But the lack we feel is in the spiritual world; not here! Feeling a lack of friendship or lack of …

Mezora

Torah: Vayikra/Leviticus 14 - 15:33;
Bemidbar / Numbers 28:9-15
Haftarah: Isaiah 66:1-24

The Dependable One
“‘Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?’ says the LORD. ‘Do I close up the womb when I bring to delivery?’” says your God. (Isaiah 66:9)

Throughout human history, people have tried to gain an understanding of the forces around us. The unpredictable nature of life is not something most of us are comfortable with. We may not be aware of it, but how we live is made up of innumerable safety devices designed for our protection. Obvious ones are things such as shelter and clothing. Less obvious might be the ways we relate to one another, whether in our close personal relationships or how we deal with strangers.

For much of human existence, we have also strived after getting a handle on the workings of the spiritual realm. While people may appear …

Tazria

Torah: Vayikra (Leviticus) 12:1 through 13:59

Haftorah: 2 Kings 4:42-5:19

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheynu, Melech ha-‘Olam, asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amin,
v’natan lanu eht Torah-to. Baruch atah Adonai, noteyn ha-Torah.

I want to start this week’s lesson with sharing a short seven minute video with you that I feel is of great importance to the lessons we can learn from this week’s Torah and Haftorah portions. I am asking you to take the time to click on the weblink below, or copy and paste it into you address window and spend, no invest seven minutes of your day watching it. I think it is a good opening to grasping the significance of this week’s parasha and how important Torah is in our lives. Thank you and enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnxEY4gIEVo

You know I get asked a lot of questions from both Jews and Christians about dietary laws, and other tenets and precepts of …

Parasha Shemini
Torah: Leviticus Chapter 9 through 11:47
Haftorah: Second Samuel 6:1-7:17

“Baruch atah Adonai Eloheynu, Melech ha-‘Olam, asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim,
v’natan lanu eht Torah-to. Baruch atah Adonai, noteyn ha-Torah.
Ameyn.”

Wow what an amazing set of events in this week’s Torah portion. We have the seven days [another menorah] of the consecration of the priests and then on the eighth day came the offering. I like the Hebrew better. Vayehe bayom Hashemini chara Moshe l’aharon vu l’baniv vu l’ziknai Israel. The reason I like it better is not just the flow and rhythm which is great, but the symbolism it represents with the nine words or a Chanukiah [Chanukah menorah] of words. I try to see things relating to the Temple in Menorahs and the like. The priests are all consecrated, and it is the eighth day a new beginning and our first sentence is another menorah of …

PARASHAH: Tzav (Give an order)
Vayikra (Leviticus)6:1 (8)-8:36

“Baruch atah Adonai Eloheynu, Melech ha-‘Olam, asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim,
v’natan lanu eht Torah-to. Baruch atah Adonai, noteyn ha-Torah.
Ameyn.”

Our parashah this week is called Tzav, which means to “command,” or “give an order.” This Hebrew word is related to the familiar word “mitzvah,” which means commandment.” In fact, one of the previous parash’ot (Tetzaveh) also used the same root word. Our Hebrew understanding of this is , when HaShem “commanded” something
to be done, it was always for the good of the individual who would perform it! Here we find no exception. Moshe was commanded to instruct his brother Aharon, the first Cohen HaGadol (High Priest), on the ordinances concerning the “olah,” which is the burnt
offering.

Tzav and Vayikra seem to be teaching us the same things: Laws pertaining to the various Korbanot. But there are essential differences between the two …

Parasha Vayikra

Torah: Leviticus 1:1-5:26

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha Olam Asher Bachar Banu M’Kol Ha’Amin v’natan lanu eht Torahto, Baruch Atah Adonai noteyn HaTorah, Amein.

We begin the book of Vayikra, (Leviticus) Vayikra [ And the L-RD]. I like it better in the Hebrew. Its more like [And he L-rd to Moshe spoke] I like the directness of Hebrew. The use of the conjunctive article (and), indicates the close connection between this and the preceding Book of Shemot, [Exodus]. The English “Leviticus” is a transliteration from the Latin and is derived from the basis that the book is primarily about the functions of the Levitical Priesthood. The Stone edition’s commentary on the name is interesting:

“In the lexicon of the Talmudic sages, the Book of Leviticus is called Toras Kohanim, the Torah of the Kohanim, or priests, because most of the book deals with the laws …

A guy bought a new fridge for his house. To get rid of his old fridge, he put it in his front yard and hung a sign on it saying: “Free to good home. You want it, you take it.” For three days the fridge sat there without even one person looking twice at it. He eventually decided that people were too untrusting of this deal. It looked too good to be true, so he changed the sign to read: “Fridge for sale $50.” The next day someone stole it. {The Ark of the Frigerate}

“Baruch atah Adonai Eloheynu, Melech ha-’Olam, asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim,
v’natan lanu eht Torah-to. Baruch atah Adonai, noteyn ha-Torah.
Ameyn.”

Pekudei
TORAH: Exodus 38:21-40:38
HAFTARAH: P’kudei (Accounts)M’lakhim Alef (1Kings) 7:51-8:21

This is the conclusion of the book of Shemot (Names,”Which have very important significance to HaShem hence we are called the Princes of HaShem, …