Shabbat Kodesh Parshat Beshalach שָׁמַ֗עְתִּי אֶת־תְּלוּנֹּת֮ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ דַּבֵּ֨ר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם לֵאמֹ֗ר בֵּ֤ין הָֽעַרְבַּ֙יִם֙ תֹּאכְל֣וּ בָשָׂ֔ר וּבַבֹּ֖קֶר תִּשְׂבְּעוּ־לָ֑חֶם וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י ה' אֱלֹקיכֶֽם׃ ׃ “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Speak to them and say: By eveningyou shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; and youshall know that I am your G-d.” (Shemot 16.12) Did the people who have just experienced the split of the red sea, probably the biggest miracle of all times, still need to have another "small scale" miracle …
Pharaoh and me: Shabbat Kodesh Parshat Vaerá
At the end of Parshat VaEra which we will read this Shabbat, Egypt was already at the receiving end of seven national disasters. (Blood, frogs, lice, flies, livestock pestilence, boils, hail,) And it was quite clear that Moshe Rabeinu was "in control" of when the plagues come and when they go. After the 7th disaster, (nationwide hail storm), Pharaoh seems to …
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“The smile…” – Shabbat Kodesh Parshat Vayechi
We will read this week how Yaakov Avinu describes the characteristics of each one of his children, and then gives them his final blessings. As he relates to Yehuda, Yaakov says: חַכְלִילִ֥י עֵינַ֖יִם מִיָּ֑יִן וּלְבֶן־שִׁנַּ֖יִם מֵחָלָֽב׃ His eyes are darker than wine; His teeth are whiter than milk. The simple way to read it is that it is …
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Eternal optimist can also have a break…
Shabbat Kodesh Parashat Vayigash Yosef ordered his chariot and went to Goshen to meet his father Yisrael; he presented himself to him and, embracing him around the neck, he wept on his neck for a good while. Then YIsrael said to Yosef, וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל רַ֛ב עוֹד־יוֹסֵ֥ף בְּנִ֖י חָ֑י אֵֽלְכָ֥ה וְאֶרְאֶ֖נּוּ בְּטֶ֥רֶם אָמֽוּת׃ “Now I can …
Priority of Shabbat candles over Chanukah Light
Shabbat Chanukah - Parashat Miketz "The Light of War and the Light of Peace There is a law about Chanukah I find moving and profound. Maimonides writes that ‘the command of Chanukah lights is very precious. One who lacks the money to buy lights should sell something, so as to be able to fulfil the mitzvah.’ The question …
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Channukah 5783 / 2022
It burned for eight days. So what? When we light the candles during Chanukah, we do so in order to commemorate the miracle of the small "one day '' pure oil canister, lighting the Menorah in the Beit Hamikdash for eight days. That's great. But frankly, it does not seem to be such an important matter. (Halachic, they were allowed …
Double concern…
Shabbat Kodesh Parshat Vayishlach The Torah relates that upon hearing that Eisav was coming toward him with 400 men, Yaakov became very frightened and it distressed him. Rashi explains that the double expression regarding Yaakov's fear teaches that he was afraid both that he may be killed and that he may kill others should Eisav attack him. It is natural …
A covenant to remember…..
Shabbat Kodesh Parshat Vayetze Our sages describe Yaakov Avinu as the "Choicest of the Patriarchs". His twelve children all remained "within the family". This, in contrast to Avraham Avinu, who had a son Yishmael, and Yitzchak, whose son Esav did not continue the family tradition in the way his parents wished for. The question is, what did Yaakov do …
When holy meet cynical
Shabbat Kodesh Parashat Chayei Sara Eliezer comes to Haran to find a suitable Shidduch (marriage matchmaking) for Yizchak. His mission seems to go (literally) miraculously well, as we read in this week's Parsha. It goes exactly as he wished. He prayed for the right girl to show up, to offer drinks to him and his …
Hosting guests, greater than seeing the Shechina… the presence of G-d?
Shabbat Koshe Parshat Wajerá וַיֵּרָ֤א אֵלָיו֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה בְּאֵלֹנֵ֖י מַמְרֵ֑א וְה֛וּא יֹשֵׁ֥ב פֶּֽתַח־הָאֹ֖הֶל כְּחֹ֥ם הַיּֽוֹם׃ “G-d appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre; he was sitting at the entrance of the tent as the day grew hot”. וַיִּשָּׂ֤א עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּה֙ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֔ים נִצָּבִ֖ים עָלָ֑יו וַיַּ֗רְא וַיָּ֤רׇץ לִקְרָאתָם֙ מִפֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֔הֶל וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ אָֽרְצָה׃ “Looking up, …
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