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Rabbi Yehuda {Leonard} Blank MS, BCC
Vice President of Professional Development and External Affairs
Chair of the Chaplaincy Commission
Rabbinical Alliance of America/Igud HaRabbonim
917-446-2126 rablenblank@gmail.com
== February 19, 2026, 2, Adar, 5786==
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Not to be judgmental of our fellow Jews nor to seek fault in them.
Find goodness in our fellow Jews.
“Achdut: Importance and Impact”
“Unity is not only a means of avoiding machloket, but also an end
in itself that is important both practically and philosophically”
The Torah, our mitzvot, our Judaism belongs to all of us no matter the
level of beliefs we may have. H loves us all.
We surely must care for each other.
“Mishpatim: Being a Complete Jew”.
It takes more to be a truly spiritual Jew and not just a Torah scholar.
The following two articles say a lot about Achdus/Unity and what it means to be a truly spiritual Jew. The Torah and all of the mitzvos belongs to all of us, but there is so much more of what it means to be a religious Jew.
Kindness, goodness, sincerity, care for each other, such attributes make all of us, all of Klal Yisral, all Jews, truly special indeed. We all need to be together. We all need to be united and we all need to recognize the goodness and the Jewishness in us all.
Next week I will be sharing various Purim insights including types of mishloach manos that are appropriate for the elderly and those with various medical conditions and dietary restrictions. I am also going to stress way in advance the impact on anyone, especially our youth regarding alcoholic beverages with a link to videos about drinking that led to tragic outcomes. We should all do our best to convey to our youth not to indulge in any amount of alcoholic beverages no matter how low the alcohol’s strength. Even a small amount can impair one’s ability at any age to drive a vehicle. ===================================
From the Jewish Vues February 11-February 17, 2026. Page 74, By Rabbi Reuven Taragin. “Sefer Bamidbar tells of the rebellion led by Korach, Datan, and Aviram against Moshe and Aharon. They claimed that Moshe and Aharon had assumed too much power and authority. Moshe proposed a test to reveal G’s Will: H would accept the incense offering from His chosen leader.
Though Moshe knew the test would validate him, he still reached out personally to each of the rebel leaders to try to make peace. Reish Lakish learns from this that we are prohibited from supporting a dispute and must do whatever we can to resolve it (San. 110a).
Atter H’s ultimate resolution of the rebellion, He asked that Elazar HaKohen turn the ketoret pans used by Korach’s group into a covering for the Mizbei’ach. The covering was meant to remind people of this sad story and deter future infighting: “And there will not be like Korach and his group” (Bam. l7:5).
The Amora Rav sees this pasuk as an actual prohibition against machloket (San. ll0a). We are prohibited from causing or supporting machloket because it is poisonous. It ruins the lives of both those directly involved as well as the broader community; it generates hatred and undermines our ability to face life’s real challenges together.
Division
Sefer Devarim goes even further by prohibiting factionalization (Dev. 14:l). Chazal interpret the pasuk of Lo Titgodedu as prohibiting division into subgroups (Yev. l3b). We are meant to be one people who serve Hashem in the same way. Though we may each have our own unique understanding of Torah, we should be unified in practice. To accomplish this, H gives the Sanhedrin the final word on disputes and commands us to follow their decisions. To reinforce this unity, the Torah orders the execution of an elder who teaches people to violate these decisions.
Why is unity so essential?
The first answer connects to the first part of this piece – the need to avoid machloket. When differences of opinion become differences in practice, it often fosters machloket.
The Importance of Achdut
But there is more. Unity is not only a means of avoiding machloket, but also an end in itself that is important both practically and philosophically.
Yaakov Avinu made this practical point to his children before his death in Parshat Vayechi. In addition to highlighting and reinforcing each child’s unique traits, Yaakov included them all in each other’s berachot: “va’yevareich otam ish asher k’birchato beirach otam” (Ber. 49:28). His message to them was that each was endowed with unique attributes which, when combined with those of the other brothers, would facilitate their mutual success. Their success hinged on their working together.
Unity is also essential philosophically. We often experience achdut in a technical, utilitarian manner: we come together to confront a common enemy or accomplish a shared mission. In truth, it is also ideologically significant.
The Jewish people represent both H and His Torah and therefore should be regarded as a single people who follow the One G and His single set of directives. The Gemara (San. 88b) explains that divergence in practice makes it seem as if we observe two different Torahs. The Ritva (Yev. 13b) adds that our divisiveness also reflects on H by implying that, chas v’shalom, two different G’s direct the divergent segments of our people.
This explains why the Haggadah describes the Rasha as being a kofeir b’ikar (denying the basic principle) for separating from Klal Ysrael. Rejecting the inclusive unity of the Jewish people is like denying the Oneness of H Himself. We are H’s band in this world (Amos 9:6): Just as His Presence is One, so must we be. “Atah echad, v’shimchah echad, u’mi k’amcha Yisrael goy echad ba’aretz.”
The Impact of Achdut
Our unity is a condition for both our material and spiritual success. The Torah makes this point when using the singular tense to describe the Jewish people’s arrival at Har Sinai. “Vayichan sham Yisrael neged ha’har (the Jews encamped there – opposite the mountain)” (She. l9:2). The Torah uses the word vayichan (singular), as opposed (to vayachanu (plural), because the Jewish people encamped there as a unified people- “as one person with one heart” (Rashi).
Our agreement to accept the Torah also needed to be in unison. The Torah (She. 24:3) describes this consent as “Vaya’an kol ha’am kol echad” – it needed to be the whole people as well as with one voice. H gave the Torah to the Jewish people as one people, only when we stood before him unified as such.
Our material success also hinges on our unity. This is true from both the natural and Divine perspectives.
Naturally, when we are unified, we are more able to defend ourselves and build a healthy society.
H’s assistance to us also hinges upon our achdut. Our success at war depends upon our relationship with one another, rather than with H. When Jews live in peace with one another, it is as if H says, “I cannot control them since there is peace between them” (B”R 38:6). This is why soldiers died during Dovid HaMelech’s reign, and not during Achav’s. Though Achav’s subjects were idol worshippers, their unity merited victory and kept soldiers from dying (B”R 19:2).
The importance of unity as a condition for H’s blessing of peace explains the language we use in Shemonah Esreh. specifically when asking H to bless us with peace: “Barcheinu avinu kulanu ke’echad (Bless us, our Father, all of us as one).” Only when we address H as children unified before their father can we hope that He grants us peace (Tanya 32). When we are in peace, H blesses us with peace (Chinuch 241).
This is why we must pray to H in a unified way. Just as the four minim we take on Sukkot include different types of species, so must our prayers and fast days (Men.27a). The Ketoret offered in the Beit HaMikdash teaches a broader lesson by including a pungent spice. Our supplication of H must include even the sinners (Ker. 6b). This is why we begin the Yom Kippur tefilah by permitting prayer with sinners. We can only approach H as a fully inclusive, unified people. Only those who have forgiven and accepted one another can ask H for His forgiveness.
Our national redemption also hinges on our achdut. The Midrash asserts that “the Jewish people will not be redeemed until they are one band… When they are unified, they can perceive the face of the Shechinah” (M”T Nitz. 1). Disunity (baseless hatred) caused our exile; unity brings redemption. This is why Yaakov gathered his children before his death to reveal the date of the redemption. Redemption is realized only when we are unified (Shelah Vay 3).
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From: The Jewish Vues, February 11-February 17, 2026 Page 64 Mishpatim: Being a complete Jew.” By Rabbi Eli Mansour.
As part of the event of Matan Torah, when G revealed Himself to Beneh Yisrael and gave the Torah, Moshe constructed an altar and had sacrifices offered. We read that Moshe placed half the blood in basins, from which he later sprinkled blood on the people, and he poured the other half on the altar (Shemot 24:6).
Rashi, surprisingly, comments that the division of the blood into two halves was done by an angel. It would be impossible for a human being to divide the blood in two precisely equal halves, and so an angel was sent from the heavens to do this.
We must wonder, why did H in two precisely equal halves, and so an angel was sent from the heavens to do this.
We must wonder, why did H find it necessary to dispatch an angel for this purpose? Why was it so critical for the halves to be precisely equal? Would these sacrifices have been in any way deficient if one portion of blood was slightly larger than the other?
Rav Yitzchak Hutner (1906-1980) answered this question by exploring the symbolism of the division of the blood at the time of Matan Torah.
If we would ask most Jews to define the term “religious Jew,” to describe the defining characteristics of people referred to with this term, most would likely mention things like Shabbat observance, modest dress, eating kosher, synagogue attendance and daily Tefilot. People generally tend to define “religious” as ritual observance. In truth, however, these rituals are only half the story. Ethical conduct, integrity, kindness and sensitivity to others are no less a part of Torah than praying three times a day, Shabbat, Kashrut, and Seniut (modesty).
In fact, Rashi begins his comments to our Parsha, Parshat Mishpatim, by noting the significance of the first letter of this Parsha: “Ve’ eleh Ha’mishpatim”- “AND these are the statues…” Rashi writes that this letter-the conjunction “Ve-” (And”) – indicates a connection between the end of the previous Parsha, which tells of the Revelation and the Ten Commandments, and the civil laws presented in Parshat Mishpatim. Just as the Ten Commandments were proclaimed at Mount Sinai, so were the laws of Parashat Mishpatim given at Mount Sinai. We can never draw a wedge between Torah and ethical interpersonal conduct. The laws of Parashat Mishpatim, which govern the way we treat our fellow, are no less a part of the Torah as any of the other Mitzvot.
So crucial is this message, Rav Hutner explains, that H sent an angel to divide the sacrificial blood at the time of Matan Torah into two precisely equal parts. It was critical to convey the message that neither half of the Torah carries slightly more weight than the other. The two areas of Torah life – our obligations to H, and our obligation to other people – are of exactly the same level of importance, and we must never allow ourselves to prioritize or emphasize one over the other to even the slightest degree.
It is likely no coincidence that Parashat Mishpatim, the section in which this point is expressed, is always read around the time of 25 Shevat, the Yahrtzeit of Rav Yisrael Salanter (1809-1883), founder of the Mussar Movement. Rav Yisrael placed very strong emphasis on maintaining this balance, on not allowing our pursuit of spiritual excellence to result in compromises in our Middot. One famous example is the time when his students approached him before they went to bake Masot in preparation for Pesach, to ask which stringencies are proper for them to observe when baking Masot.
“Be very careful not to yell at the woman in charge of cleaning the factory,” Rav Yisrael replied. “She’s a widow. Concern for her feelings is the more important stringency you should observe.”
Rav Yisrael feard that in the students’ concern to maintain the strictest Halachic standards for the Masot, they might neglect the more basic religious obligation to speak to widows with sensitivity and respect.
As we approach his Yahrtzeit, let us internalize this vitally important lesson, and ensure to ascribe the same degree importance to both parts of the Torah, because this is what being a complete Jew means.
From: The Gentle Weapon. Prayers for Everyday
and Not- So- Everyday Moments
Timeless Wisdom from the Teachings of the Hasidic Master
Rebbe Nachman of Breslov
“A Full Life”
“O Life of the World,
grant me a full life-
a life which may be considered long
because it has been filled with
right living,
and considered rich
because it has been filled with
holy acts.”
May we truly have Achdus/Unity, and appreciate every Jew as our
brothers and sisters following in the ways of
Avraham Avinu and Sarah Imeinu.
May the month of Adar be filled with simcha:
Mishenichnas Adar Marbin B’Simcha:
משנכנס אדר מרבין בשמחה
Sincerely, Rabbi Yehuda Blank