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Rabbi Chaim Coffman
Rabbi Coffman has helped people from all across the spectrum to prepare themselves properly for Orthodox Conversion to Judaism. His students admire his vast knowledge and appreciate his warm, personal attention and endearing sense of humor.
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Welcome to Rabbi Chaim Coffman's Blog!

I would like to thank you for visiting my blog, Beyond Orthodox Conversion to Judaism.

The conversion process can be a lengthy and daunting one to say the least and I want you to know that I am here to help you through it.

I have been teaching newcomers to Judaism for over a decade and over the last few years I have seen that conversion candidates really lack the support and knowledge they need to navigate the conversion process and successfully integrate into the Orthodox Jewish community.

I created my mentorship program in order to help make this whole experience as smooth and as painless as possible! (Can't do much about the growing pains, though ;)

Feel free to get to know me a little through the posts on my blog and visit the mentorship and syllabus page if you are interested in possible joining us.

I sincerely wish you all the best in your search for truth and spiritual growth.

Looking forward to meeting you,
Chaim Coffman

My Rebbe, Rav Moshe Sternbuch

In case you were wondering why I have all of these articles written by Rav Moshe Sternbuch, he is my Rebbe, and one of the gedolei hador (greatest Rabbis of our generation).

Rav Sternbuch fully endorses me and supports my mentorship program.

He is the address for all of my halachic or hashkafic (practical and philosophical) questions that I or my students may have.

The articles are based on his weekly talks on the Torah portion that the Rav gives in Jerusalem in his kollel. As a member of the kollel I get first dibbs on the photocopies and I type them up for my blog so you can all benefit from the Rav's erudition and insight.
Thursday, January 9, 2014

Parshas Beshalach: Moshe is not Allowed to Enter the Land of Israel


"It happened when Pharaoh sent out the people that G-d did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines because it was near, for G-d said 'Perhaps the people will reconsider when they see a war, and they will return to Egypty" (Exodus 13:17)

The Midrash explains that that at this point Moshe Rabbenu cries out. This is explained by the following parable: a person made a match for the daughter of the king. This person saw through the heavenly constellations that  that she would go out from her father's house but would not get to the chuppah (wedding canopy) and he began to cry. They asked him, why are you crying? He said he was crying because I made this match for the daughter of the king and I will not be able to bring her to the groom! So too Moshe Rabbenu screams out and says that he will bring the Jewish people out of Egypt but he won't be able to go with them and enter the land of Israel and that is why it says, 'It happened when Pharaoh sent out the people..'

Rav Moshe Sternbuch Sh'lita in Chochmah V'Da'as asks why does Moshe Rabbenu only scream out now, it is already known in Exodus 6:1 that G-d tells him you will see what I do to Pharaoh. Rashi there explains that Moshe Rabbenu had questions about what G-d was doing whereby G-d tells him that now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh but will not merit to see the destruction of the seven nations in the land of Israel. In fact, Moshe should have screamed out then, why does he wait until now to do so?

Rav Stertnbuch explains that the reason that Moshe is not allowed to enter the land of Israel is because if he were there with the Jewish people, G-d would demand them to live their lives at a very high spiritual level.  If Moshe would enter the land with the Jewish people and they would not keep the commandments as G-d would like, the Jewish people would be in great danger.

This is the reason that the Jewish people wander in the desert for so long and Moshe does not bring them into the Promised land.  Moshe thought that with all the miracles that occurred in Egypt that the Jewish people would attain that level to be able to enter the land of Israel with him leading them.

When Moshe saw that G-d was leading them in a roundabout way, he thought that because they would have to go to war, they would want to turn back and go back to Egypt.  Through this he understood that he would not lead the Jewish people there and he cried out at this point.

This teaches us a tremendous lesson. Although we have merited to have the land of Israel in our hands, nonetheless the Jews living there are expected to live their lives to a higher level since they are living in the palace of the king. If we don't live up to those standards then there can be terrible repercussions in the land and outside as well.

May we merit to always try and live our lives to the fullest full of Torah, mitzvos and good deeds.

Shabbat Shalom

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