Jewish Congregation Adass Yisroel, Berlin (Public Corporation)
We will read this week in Parshat Vayikra which mainly deals with Korbanot, the sacrificial offering ritual at the Jerusalem’s Temple: וְנֶ֣פֶשׁ כִּֽי־תֶחֱטָ֗א וְשָֽׁמְעָה֙ ק֣וֹל אָלָ֔ה וְה֣וּא עֵ֔ד א֥וֹ רָאָ֖ה א֣וֹ יָדָ֑ע אִם־ל֥וֹא יַגִּ֖יד וְנָשָׂ֥א עֲוֺנֽוֹ׃ "If a person sins, whereby he accepts an oath, and he is a witness [to some matter] or by …
Continue reading "Witness dilemma – Shabbat Kodesh Parshat Vayikrá"
This week brings us to the end of the book Shemot. The final chapter of building the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. The last verse in Shemot is : "The divine cloud was over the Mishkan by day, and fire by night, in front of Bnei Yisrael, through all of their travels" (Shemot 40.38). כִּי֩ עֲנַ֨ן יְהֹוָ֤ה …
Continue reading "The Shechina and us – Shabbat Parshat Pekudei"
Prof. Peter Salovey is the current President of Yale University and a famous social psychologist. Much less known is his "Yichus", i.e. his lineage. Namely, the scholar is a descendant of the illustrious Soloweichik family. Together with two other colleagues, he has established the term EQ - or "Emotional intelligence" which is a relatively new …
As the tragedy of the golden calf unfolds amidst his people, their leader is urged to leave a most important session with G-d himself, and return to his post. We read this week: Hashem spoke to Moshe, “Hurry down, for your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, have acted basely" (Shemot 32, 7) …
Continue reading "Parshat „Ki Tissá“ – Descend in order to ascend"
The special Mitzva of Adar is to be BeSimcha, joyful. Not always an easy one (especially when told that you have to...) I find the following story to be a beautiful example of how Simcha itself can alleviate real problems. The two brothers, Reb Elimelech of Lizensk and Reb Zushe of Anipoli, often wandered about together, posing as …
Parshat Terumá I admit to being a rationalist, as far as possible... It carries me through Bereshis and most of Shemos, until we get to Terumah Tezave... My rational approach reaches its limits, as we read the forthcoming Parshiot of the Torah dealing with building material and utensils for the Mishkan. Here - I must …
We will read this week the following verse: “And you shall not mistreat a stranger, nor shall you oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Shemot. 22.20). At first glance, it seems extremely hard to understand. Was Egypt a good example for how to treat strangers? So why mention the context …
Continue reading "You shall not mistreat a stranger – Shabbat Parshat Mishpatim"
פרשת יתרו, יח,א:וַיִּשְׁמַע יִתְרוֹ כֹהֵן מִדְיָן, חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה, אֵת כָּל-אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה ה' לְמֹשֶׁה, וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַמּוֹ: כִּי-הוֹצִיא ה' אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִמִּצְרָיִם. "Now Moshe's father in law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard all that G-d had done for Moshe and for Yisrael His people, that Hashem had taken Israel out of Egypt". The Torah describes Jethro in that he is firstly Moshe Rabeinu's father in law, and …
We will read the Shira - אז ישיר משה ובני ישראל את השירה הזאת להשם. This is (usually) translated as: Then Moshe and the children of Israel sang this song to Hashem, and they spoke, saying, I will sing to the Lord, for very exalted is he... The Gemara in Sanhedrin notices a short but important reference to …
Continue reading "Singing “carefree” – Shabbat Shira – Parshat Beshalach"
This Friday will be the 23th Yahrzeit of my dear father and guide, Harav Pinchas Biberfeld זצ"ל, and I would like to dedicate the following Dvar Torah לעילוי נשמתו הטהורה : Our Parsha starts with the instruction of Hashem to Moshe Rabeinu "Bo El Paroh", i.e. "Come to Pharaoh". In Hebrew the sentence should say "Lech El Pharaoh" i.e. “Go to Pharaoh", as is appropriate grammatically. …