2021-02-25 – LH2 – OC2 – Birkhas HaReyach 1 – Para. 1-3 – Why Smelling a Fragrance Requires No After-Blessing; Praising Hashem Dispels Opposition; Today is Taanis Esther; Fasting Resolves Anger

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Rabbi Nasan Maimon. Birkhas HaReyach. Mordechai and Esther. Why smelling a fragrance requires no after-blessing; praising Hashem dispels spiritual opposition; today is Taanis Esther (Fast of Esther); all food eaten on Shabbos goes to kedusha (holiness). Seder (order) of liver, heart, brain. The power of fasting.

00:00 – Note about the hashgacha (Divine Providence) that we are beginning the study of Hilkhos Birkhas HaReyach on Taanis Esther – a fast day. The name “Mordechai” alludes to myrrh, one of the ingredients of the ketores (incense offering in the Beis HaMikdash). Esther is also called Hadassah – (myrtle) which is also a fragrant herb that’s not eaten is enjoyed through the sense of smell.
14:05 – Review of the concepts just presented about the two levels of refinement.
14:54 – Why smelling a fragrance requires no after-blessing.
17:51 – PARAGRAPH 2.
19:23 – Reference to Shulchan Aruch 216, Para. 14. No blessing on fragrance is said during Sukkos on one’s esrog.
24:09 – PARAGRAPH 3. Note about Taanis Esther. Reference to Likutey Moharan 163: “Speech from the back of the neck.”
36:37 – Reference to Likutey Moharan 57, Paragraph 5. All food eaten on Shabbos goes to kedushah.
41:23 – The proper seder of receiving energy from food is: MoacH (brain), LeV (heart) and KaVeyD (liver) – roshei teyvos MeLeKh. Note from Rabbi Rosenfeld z”l The opposite of the above seder creates KaLeyM (destroy). Reference to Tehillim/Psalms 8:3 – מִפִּ֚י עֽוֹלְלִ֨ים | וְֽיֹנְקִים֘ יִסַּ֪דְתָּ֫ עֹ֥ז לְמַ֥עַן צֽוֹרְרֶ֑יךָ לְהַשְׁבִּ֥ית א֜וֹיֵ֗ב וּמִתְנַקֵּֽם: – the power of fasting defeats enemies.
46:14 – וְכַתּוֹתִ֣י מִפָּנָ֣יו צָרָ֑יו וּמְשַׂנְאָ֥יו אֶגּֽוֹף – “And I shall crush his adversaries from before him…” (Tehillim/Psalms 89:24).
49:02 – QUESTION about “KaLeyM.”
49:42 – The importance of eating on Purim and on Erev Yom Kippur.