Parshat Tazria 5784
04/17/2024 10:07:46 AM
Parashat Tazria deals mainly with the subject of Tzara’at, a type of skin disease that in ancient times would affect people who were guilty of certain sins. Tzara’at was manifested in the form of discolorations on the skin, and when a suspicious discoloration appeared, the individual would be brought by his family or friends to a Kohen, who would examine the skin and determine whether the discoloration indeed constituted...Read more...
Parshat Shemini - Shabbat HaChodesh Mevarchim Rosh Chodesh Nissan 5784
04/17/2024 10:05:50 AM
The parsha begins, "And it was on the eighth day..." [Vayikra 9:1] To which eighth day is the Torah referring? The Torah is discussing the "eighth day" after the previous seven, during which the Jewish people performed the Seven Days of Inauguration Offerings. It was a "Chanukat...Read more...
Parshat Tzav - Parah 5784
04/17/2024 10:03:04 AM
n Parashat Tzav (6:6) the Torah teaches that the fire on the mizbeach of the Beit Ha'mikdash would burn constantly, without interruption. The Rabbis tells us that it would occasionally rain over the altar, which was situated outdoors, in the courtyard of the Bet Ha'mikdash, but miraculously the fire continued burning.
What practical lesson is there for us to learn from this miracle? If Hashem wanted to...Read more...
Parshat Vayikra Zachor, Purim 5784
03/22/2024 08:50:46 AM
The Gemara teaches that the Jews of the time of the Purim story were initially deserving of annihilation “because they enjoyed the feast of that wicked person.” The Jews of Shushan participated in the lavish feast which Achashverosh hosted, the feast described at the beginning of the Megilla, and for this they were condemned to death, until they repented and annulled the decree.
What exactly was the...Read more...
Parshat Pekudei
03/14/2024 04:34:44 PM
Parashat Pekudeh continues the Torah’s discussion of the Mishkan, the portable Temple which Beneh Yisrael carried with them through the wilderness. The purpose of the Mishkan – which was also the purpose of the Bet Ha’mikdash, which later replaced it – is stated earlier, in Parashat Teruma (25:8): “Ve’asu Li Mikdash Ve’shachanti Be’tocham.” The Mishkan served to bring the Shechina, the Divine Presence, into...Read more...
Parshat Yayakhel - Shabbat Shekalim
03/07/2024 04:32:20 PM
The Shabbat before Rosh Hodesh Adar is called “Shabbat Shekalim,” because on this Shabbat, after the normal Torah reading, we read the section from the Torah that introduces the Mitzva of “Machasit Ha’shekel” – the annual half-shekel tax.
Each year, starting on Rosh Hodesh Adar, the officials in charge of the Bet Ha’mikdash would begin collecting this tax from the people, because one month later, on Rosh Chodesh...Read more...
Parshat Ki Tisa
03/01/2024 07:38:00 PM
The Torah in Parashat Ki-Tisa presents the Mitzva of the Ketoret, the special fragrant incense which was offered in the Bet Ha’mikdash twice each day. As the Talmud describes, the incense consisted of a combination of eleven spices which had to be combined and mixed together in a very specific proportion. During the period of the second Bet Ha’mikdash, there was only one family, the Abtinas family, who knew the secret for...Read more...
Parashat Tetzaveh
02/23/2024 11:20:20 AM
Parashat Tetzaveh describes the Bigdeh Kehuna – the priestly garments, which include the four special garments worn by the Kohen Gadol, and the four other garments worn by all Kohanim. Our Sages tell us that these garments were laden with special spiritual power, and had the capacity to atone for various sins. For example, the Kohen Gadol’s Misnefet (turban), which sat on top of the head, atoned for sins involving...Read more...
Parshat Terumah
02/22/2024 08:30:15 AM
Parashat Teruma describes the Mishkan, the portable Bet Ha’mikdash which accompanied Beneh Yisrael as they traveled in the wilderness, and which would eventually be replaced by the permanent Bet Ha’mikdash.
Among the more surprising features of the Mishkan – and, later, of the Bet Ha’mikdash – is the Shulhan (table). The Shulchan contained twelve loaves of bread, which were baked each week and then eaten by the Kohanim. We...Read more...
Parshat Mishpatim
02/14/2024 03:58:36 PM
The bulk of Parashat Mishpatim deals with civil law, the guidelines for settling monetary disputes and for addressing situations such as theft, property damage, negligence, and the like.
The Rabbis raised the question as to the connection between Parashat Mishpatim and the final verses of the previous Parasha, Parashat Yitro. Parashat Yitro concluded with laws relating to the altar in the Bet...Read more...
Parshat Yitro
02/02/2024 12:00:16 AM
Parashat Yitro begins by describing the arrival of Yitro, Moshe’s father-in-law, at the camp in the wilderness. Moshe greets Yitro, who brings sacrificial offerings to Hashem. Later, Yitro expresses his disapproval at the way Moshe single-handedly tended to the people’s questions, and advises Moshe to appoint a judicial network to help him.
This narrative raises many questions. Yitro had been the priest of Midyan, the chief...Read more...
Parshat B'Shalach
01/26/2024 11:41:26 AM
The Torah tells us in the beginning of Parashat Beshalah that at the time when Beneh Yisrael left Egypt, Moshe Rabbenu took the remains of Yosef and brought them with him, so they could be buried in Eretz Yisrael. Before Yosef’s death, he made his brothers promise to bring his remains out of Egypt for burial in Eretz Yisrael, and Moshe ensured that this promise was fulfilled at the time of the Exodus.
The Midrash teaches that King Shlomo had this event in mind when he wrote in the Book of Mishleh (10:8), “Hacham Leb Yikach Misvot” – “A person with a wise heart takes Misvot.” While the rest of Beneh Yisrael were busy collecting the belongings of the Egyptians, Moshe was busy performing the Mitzva of bringing Yosef’s remains. Moshe’s efforts impressed Shlomo, who saw this as a reflection of Moshe’s unique “wisdom.”Read more...
Parshat Bo
01/19/2024 12:11:10 PM
After being warned of the impending plague of Arbeh (locusts), Pharaoh enters into a dialogue with Moshe, expressing a willingness to allow Beneh Yisrael to leave Egypt. He asks Moshe, “Mi Va’mi Ha’holechim” – “Who are the ones going?” – and Moshe responds that he intends to bring with him the entire nation: “With our youth and our elders we will go…for we have a festival to Hashem.” Pharaoh flatly denies...Read more...
Parshat Va'eira
01/12/2024 10:28:26 AM
Our Sages note that in the first three plagues, it was Aharon rather than Moshe who performed the act through which the plague surfaced. Before the plague of blood, for example, Hashem commanded Aharon to lift his staff upon the river, which then turned to blood. The plague of frogs similarly began when Aharon lifted his staff over the river, and the third plague, lice, came about when Aharon struck the earth with his staff....Read more...
Parshat Shemot
01/05/2024 08:51:50 AM
The Mishna in Sotah 9b discusses the concept of Divine reward and punishment called midah keneged midah - "measure for measure". One example cited is that Miriam waited to see what would happen to her brother's basket floating in the Nile and as a reward, all of Klal Yisroel waited for Miriam for a seven day period [Bamidbar 12:15] when she was temporarily "exiled from the camp" as punishment for speaking lashon hara against her...Read more...
Parashat Vayechi
12/29/2023 07:50:00 AM
Toward the end of Parashat Vayechi, we read of Yosef’s brothers’ fears that Yosef would avenge the pain which they inflicted upon him. They suspected that now that their father, Yaakov, had passed away, Yosef would kill them in revenge for their crimes against him. Yosef was the viceroy of Egypt, and he wielded great power and authority. Nobody would have stopped Yosef if he sought to kill his brothers, and nobody would...Read more...
The Halachot of Asarah BeTevet
12/22/2023 10:00:30 AM
Which Falls on Erev Shabbat
This year, we have the rare occurrence of the fast of Asarah BeTevet being on a Friday. Asarah BeTevet is the day that the Babylonian army led by Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Yerushlayim.
Although ordinarily, we may not enter Shabbat while fasting, Asarah BeTevet holds the distinction of being the only...Read more...
Parashat Miketz
12/15/2023 10:00:00 AM
We read in Parashat Miketz of Yosef’s sudden rise to power from the lowest depths of despair. After spending years in an Egyptian dungeon, he is suddenly brought before Pharaoh to interpret his mysterious dreams, and he impressed Pharaoh to such an extent that he was named the country’s vizier.
The Zohar, commenting in this Parasha, briefly cites the verse, “Ketz Sam La’hoshech” – “He made an end to the...Read more...
Parshat Veyeishev - Shabbat Hannukah
12/08/2023 10:21:42 AM
The Gemara in Masechet Shabbat (21b) outlines the three levels of the Mitzva of lighting Hanukah candles. The basic obligation, the Gemara teaches, requires every household to light just one candle each night of Hannukah. The next level – the level of “Mehadrin” – is to light one candle for each member of the household, each night of Hanukah. The highest level – the “Mehadrin Min Ha’mehadrin” – is, according...Read more...