Category: Weekly Torah

We will read this week: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֗ה לְ֠חֹבָ֠ב בֶּן־רְעוּאֵ֣ל הַמִּדְיָנִי֮ חֹתֵ֣ן מֹשֶׁה֒ נֹסְעִ֣ים ׀ אֲנַ֗חְנוּ אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה אֹת֖וֹ אֶתֵּ֣ן לָכֶ֑ם לְכָ֤ה אִתָּ֙נוּ֙ וְהֵטַ֣בְנוּ לָ֔ךְ כִּֽי־יְהֹוָ֥ה דִּבֶּר־ט֖וֹב עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו לֹ֣א אֵלֵ֑ךְ כִּ֧י אִם־אֶל־אַרְצִ֛י וְאֶל־מוֹלַדְתִּ֖י אֵלֵֽךְ׃ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אַל־נָ֖א תַּעֲזֹ֣ב אֹתָ֑נוּ כִּ֣י ׀ עַל־כֵּ֣ן יָדַ֗עְתָּ חֲנֹתֵ֙נוּ֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר וְהָיִ֥יתָ לָּ֖נוּ לְעֵינָֽיִם׃ Moses said to Hobab son of Reuel …

Continue reading "Jethro the “guide”? – Shabbat Kodesh Parschat Behaalotcha"

Parshat  Naso is listing  all the offerings that the Nesiim (Tribe leaders) brought during the dedication of the Mishkan (the Tabernacle). Despite the fact that each and every nasi brought the same gift, the Torah details each offering with the smallest detail.  Over and over again, the Torah states the name of the nasi and …

Continue reading "Justified Repetition – Shabbat Kodesh Parshat Naso"

We will read on Shabbos that Hashem tells Moshe Rabeinu:  שְׂא֗וּ אֶת־רֹאשׁ֙ כׇּל־עֲדַ֣ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם שֵׁמ֔וֹת כׇּל־זָכָ֖ר לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָֽם׃ "Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by families following their fathers' houses; a head count of every person according to the number of their names" Surely there is a deep …

Continue reading "Everyone and his part in the Torah – Shabbat Kodesh Parshat Bamidbar – Shavuot"

At the start of our Parsha we read: אִם־בְּחֻקֹּתַ֖י תֵּלֵ֑כוּ וְאֶת־מִצְוֺתַ֣י תִּשְׁמְר֔וּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָֽם׃ וְנָתַתִּ֥י גִשְׁמֵיכֶ֖ם בְּעִתָּ֑ם וְנָתְנָ֤ה הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ יְבוּלָ֔הּ וְעֵ֥ץ הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה יִתֵּ֥ן פִּרְיֽוֹ׃ If you follow My laws and faithfully observe My commandments, I will grant your rains in their season, so that the earth shall yield its produce and the trees of the …

Continue reading "Striving for excellence – Shabbat Kodesh Parshat Bechukotai"

We have the custom of not listening to music during the days of Counting of the Omer. It always occurs to me that while this is an important custom, we might miss the main purpose of these days. We don't listen to music - because the students of Rabi Akiva sadly died during this period. But …

Continue reading "The importance of observing customs – Our Counting of the Omer"

This week we read this Parsha about the Yomim Tovim, one of which is Sukoth. We all cherish a beautiful Etrog. The Chofetz Chaim once gave a beautiful parable. A simple villager went to the city to buy a beautiful etrog for his Talmid Chochom son-in-law. He was successful and bought a truly beautiful etrog. …

Continue reading "Simple but complete – Shabbat Kodesh Parshat Emor"

וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־כׇּל־עֲדַ֧ת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל וְאָמַרְתָּ֥ אֲלֵהֶ֖ם קְדֹשִׁ֣ים תִּהְי֑וּ כִּ֣י קָד֔וֹשׁ אֲנִ֖י ה' אֱלֹקיכֶֽם Hashem spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the whole Israelite community and say to them: You shall be holy, for I, your God ה', am holy. Our parsha starts with the Pasuk "Kedoshim Tiheyu" - "You shall be holy“. This …

Continue reading "Between Holiness and Holiness – Shabbat Parshat Kedoshim"

We read in Parshat Achrei Mot Chapter 16 Pasuk 17:  וְכׇל־אָדָ֞ם לֹא־יִהְיֶ֣ה ׀ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֗ד בְּבֹא֛וֹ לְכַפֵּ֥ר בַּקֹּ֖דֶשׁ עַד־צֵאת֑וֹ וְכִפֶּ֤ר בַּעֲדוֹ֙ וּבְעַ֣ד בֵּית֔וֹ וּבְעַ֖ד כׇּל־קְהַ֥ל יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ “When he (Aharon HaKohen, the High Priest) goes in the Shrine to make expiation, nobody else shall be in the Tent of Meeting until he comes out, when he has …

Continue reading "Shabbat Parshat Acharei Mot – From the world of influencers"

And Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying: וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר הֹ' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃  וּבִמְלֹ֣את ׀ יְמֵ֣י טׇהֳרָ֗הּ לְבֵן֮ א֣וֹ לְבַת֒ תָּבִ֞יא כֶּ֤בֶשׂ בֶּן־שְׁנָתוֹ֙ לְעֹלָ֔ה וּבֶן־יוֹנָ֥ה אוֹ־תֹ֖ר לְחַטָּ֑את אֶל־פֶּ֥תַח אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵ֖ד אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן׃ "On the completion of her period of purification, for either son or daughter, she shall bring to the Cohen, the priest, at the entrance of the Mishkan, the Tent …

Continue reading "Shabbat Parshat Tazria – Not to feel awkward"

Our sages זצ"ל suggest quite a few possible explanations to the shocking death of Nadav and Avihu while celebrating the dedication of the new  Mishkan. One interesting explanation suggests that Nadav and Avihu entered the Mishkan after drinking wine. This explanation has support from the fact that immediately after the Torah tells us what happened, …

Continue reading "Shabbat Parshat  Shmini – The tragedy of Nadav and Avihu"