Jewish Congregation Adass Yisroel, Berlin (Public Corporation)
Our Parasha begins with a command:“Moses convoked the whole Israelite community and said to them: These are the things that G-d has commanded you to do.” וַיַּקְהֵ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֶת־כׇּל־עֲדַ֛ת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אֵ֚לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה ה׳ לַעֲשֹׂ֥ת אֹתָֽם׃(Shemot 35:1) He then continues by explaining that Shabbat must be kept as a complete day of …
Continue reading "Making the Shabbat… Parashat Vayakhel–Pekudei"
The idea that a person can genuinely experience “mixed” feelings is relatively new.Well into the 20th century, many psychologists believed that positive and negative emotions existed only sequentially. Researchers assumed that one could not feel good and bad at the same time. Even today, people often speak about happiness and unhappiness in this way—as if …
Continue reading "Jethro, the man who discovered “mixed feelings”… Shabbat Kodesh – Parashat Yitro"
There are numerous references to Pharaoh’s heart in this week’s Shabbat reading. G’d said to Moshe: “Come to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, in order that I may place these signs of Mine in his midst.” בֹּא אֶל־פַּרְעֹה כִּֽי־אֲנִי הִכְבַּדְתִּי אֶת־לִבּוֹ וְאֶת־לֵב עֲבָדָיו לְמַעַן שִׁתִי אֹתֹתַי אֵלֶּה …
Continue reading "Hearts vs. Mind … Shabbat Kodesh – Parashat Bo"
When we study this Parsha's conversation in which G’d is urging Moshe Rabeinu to accept the role of leadership, it is astonishing to observe how Moshe Rabeinu uses multiple arguments in his attempt to avoid the mission. At first he reasons with G’d that Bnei Yisrael will ask him "who is the G’d who has …
Continue reading "The Subconscious reason – Parashat Shemot"
The first one happened roughly 180 years ago - the second one, yesterday... First story : Rebbe Moshe Leib of Sassov used to tell his chassidim that he learned what it means to love a fellow from two Russian peasants. Once he came to an inn, where two thoroughly drunk Russian peasants were sitting at …
We read in Parshat Vayeshev (Bereshit 37, 3-4), the story of Yaakov Avinu, Yosef and his brothers : וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אָהַ֤ב אֶת־יוֹסֵף֙ מִכׇּל־בָּנָ֔יו כִּֽי־בֶן־זְקֻנִ֥ים ה֖וּא ל֑וֹ וְעָ֥שָׂה ל֖וֹ כְּתֹ֥נֶת פַּסִּֽים׃ Now Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons—he was his “child of old age”; and he had made him an ornamented tunic. וַיִּרְא֣וּ אֶחָ֗יו כִּֽי־אֹת֞וֹ …
Continue reading "Shabbat Vayeshev – Controlling our feelings…."
In the midst of a very important time in Yaakov Avinu's life, we read: Thus Jacob came to Luz—that is, Bethel—in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him.There he built an altar and named the site Beth-El, for it was there that G'd had been revealed to him when …
The ten commandments are read twice in the yearly cycle of קריאת התורה. The first time is in Parshat Yitro, and the second time- this week, in Parshat Vaetchanan. There are a few differences in the text, in particular in relation to Shabbat: In Yitro, we read (Shemot Chapter 20,8): Zachor Et Yom Hashabbat, i.e. …
Continue reading "Zachor & Shamor… Shabbat Kodesh Parashat Vaetchanan"
We read on Shabbat Shemot the following two verses: ה֥וּא אַהֲרֹ֖ן וּמֹשֶׁ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָמַ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ לָהֶ֔ם הוֹצִ֜יאוּ אֶת־בְּנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם עַל־צִבְאֹתָֽם׃ It is the same Aaron and Moses to whom G'd said, “Bring forth the Israelites from the land of Egypt, troop by troop.” הֵ֗ם הַֽמְדַבְּרִים֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֔יִם לְהוֹצִ֥יא אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם ה֥וּא מֹשֶׁ֖ה וְאַהֲרֹֽן׃ …
Continue reading "We all “make” the Concert… Shabbat Kodesh Parshat Shemot"
When the first Rebbi of Slonim passed away, he left a few descendants. All of them were learned and pious. The Chasidim had to make a difficult decision on who would be best suited to replace their Rebbe as the next leader of this great movement. The final decision was based on the following story: …