To Know
yisro .י: וַיֹּאמֶר יִתְרוֹ בָּרוּךְ יְ־הֹוָ־ה אֲשֶׁר הִצִּיל אֶתְכֶם מִיַּד מִצְרַיִם וּמִיַּד פַּרְעֹה אֲשֶׁר הִצִּיל אֶת הָעָם מִתַּחַת יַד מִצְרָיִם : 10. [Thereupon,] Jethro said, “Blessed is the...
View ArticleEvoking Sinai
mishpatim behar Why does Parshas Mishpatim begin with the laws of an עֶבֶד עִבְרִי – a Hebrew servant? What is the significance of this topic that marks it out as the first of the laws after receiving...
View ArticleIns and Outs
teruma In Parshas Teruma we are instructed regarding the construction of the Aron (Ark). The Torah tells us that it should be covered from inside and out with gold ‘מבית ומחוץ תצפנו’ Rashi on the pasuk...
View ArticleGood lighting
There were four utensils that were kept inside the Mishkan – the Shulchan, the Aron, the Mizbeach, and the Menora – the Table, the Ark, the Altar, and the Menora. Regarding the Aron: וְצִפִּיתָ אֹתוֹ...
View ArticleElevation of the nation
Moshe’s name does not appear as part of the narrative of the Kehuna – Parshas Tetzaveh – when he probably ought to have been; what with his overseeing the entire construction and dedication of the...
View ArticleMechanics of a Nation
After the Golden Calf, Moshe gathers the people for a discourse: וַיַּקְהֵל מֹשֶׁה אֶת כָּל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה’ לַעֲשֹׂת אֹתָם’ – Moses...
View ArticleAs the Lord said to Moses
Throughout the sections detailing the construction and establishment of the Mishkan, the Torah repeatedly uses the phrase “כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה’ אֶת מֹשֶׁה” or variants. It would seem obvious that the...
View ArticleCounting Consequences
The parsha begins, “Eleh pekudei hamishkan, mishkan haedus asher pukad al pi Moshe…”. The Medrash refers this pasuk to the pasuk in Mishlei (28:20) “Ish emunos rav brachos”. The Sfas Emes explains that...
View ArticleI’ve got to break free
vayikra tazria metzora With korbanos, the sacrifices, there is a concept within certain categories of korban called olah v’yored – where the animal offered will vary, dependent on the person’s status....
View ArticleHow to change the world
The Torah enjoins us to keep it’s laws, and good will come of it: אִם בְּחֻקֹּתַי תֵּלֵכוּ וְאֶת מִצְוֹתַי תִּשְׁמְרוּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָם – If you follow My statutes and observe My commandments and...
View ArticleOn “Stuff”
A man named Tzlafchad died in the wilderness with no male heirs, leaving his family’s assets and prospective plot in Israel in limbo. His daughters pointed out this legal grey area to Moshe: לָמָּה...
View ArticleThe limits of charity
The Torah affirms the importance of charity: עשר תעשר – you shall tithe… (14:22) A double statement means to repeatedly do it, an unlimited amount of times. The difficulty this poses is that the Gemara...
View ArticleThe choice
The Jews were assembled on two mountains, Grizim and Eival, for blessings and curses contingent on their observance of the Torah. The tribes were split and ascended the respective mountains as...
View ArticleWhat was the point of the flood?
The entire incident of the Flood seems perplexing. Humanity had started populating the world, and initially fulfilled Gods mission, until suddenly, things came to a bottleneck, and society degenerated...
View ArticleBe all you can be
Hashem’s very first communication with Avraham begins with an instruction to abandon all he knows: לך לך מארצך וממולדתך ומבית אביך אל הארץ אשר אראך – “Go for yourself, from your land, your birthplace,...
View ArticleMoney and Power – Worthy of Respect?
Yosef had two vivid dreams, that had trappings of prophecy: וַיַּחֲלֹם יוֹסֵף חֲלוֹם, וַיַּגֵּד לְאֶחָיו; וַיּוֹסִפוּ עוֹד, שְׂנֹא אֹתוֹ. וַיֹּאמֶר, אֲלֵיהֶם: שִׁמְעוּ-נָא, הַחֲלוֹם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר...
View ArticleIt’s for the Best
Upon meeting Pharoh for the first time, Yakov and Pharoh have this conversation: וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה, אֶל-יַעֲקֹב: כַּמָּה, יְמֵי שְׁנֵי חַיֶּיךָ. וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב, אֶל-פַּרְעֹה, יְמֵי שְׁנֵי מְגוּרַי,...
View ArticleYisro heard – heard what exactly?
yisro i wrote something about this. first ever public miracle. search emails After the Jews left Egypt, and experienced the miracle of the Red Sea, we are told how people from all over heard about it,...
View ArticleBoldly going where no man has gone
On certain special milestones, a blessing called שהחיינו is made, that thanks Hashem for the opportunity of living to see the momentous event. The completion of the Torah cycle on Simchas Torah seems...
View ArticleIt’s magic you know
The men selected to scout out the land of Israel were no ordinary men. They were chosen because they held stature among the nation – they were great people, yet they gravely erred. One of the reasons...
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