On the eve of Tisha BeAv it is appropriate to remember the Gemara explaining the circumstances leading to the destruction and the long exile. We learn in (Tractate) Yoma (9,2): אֲבָל מִקְדָּשׁ שֵׁנִי שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹסְקִין בְּתוֹרָה וּבְמִצְוֹת וּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים, מִפְּנֵי מָה חָרַב? מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיְתָה בּוֹ שִׂנְאַת חִנָּם. לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁשְּׁקוּלָה שִׂנְאַת חִנָּם כְּנֶגֶד שָׁלֹשׁ עֲבֵירוֹת: …
Living higher…
Shabbat Kodesh Parashat Matot-Massaei At the middle of Parshat Matot, we read this week how the tribes of Reuben and Gad (later joined by half of the tribe of Manasseh) asked for the lands east of the Jordan as their portion in the Promised Land, these being prime pastureland for their cattle. Moshe Rabeinu is initially angered …
Responding to (fair) complaints… Shabbat Kodesh Parashat Pinchas
Three complaints of Unfairness - two were accepted by G-d and one, totally dismissed, and the complainants punished! This week we will read about : וַתִּקְרַ֜בְנָה בְּנ֣וֹת צְלׇפְחָ֗ד בֶּן־חֵ֤פֶר בֶּן־גִּלְעָד֙ בֶּן־מָכִ֣יר בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה לְמִשְׁפְּחֹ֖ת מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה בֶן־יוֹסֵ֑ף וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ שְׁמ֣וֹת בְּנֹתָ֔יו מַחְלָ֣ה נֹעָ֔ה וְחׇגְלָ֥ה וּמִלְכָּ֖ה וְתִרְצָֽה׃ The daughters of Zelophehad, of Manassite family—son of Hepher son of Gilead son …
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Two events… 17th Tamuz
Last week was the 17th of Tamuz - a day of fasting, commemorating, amongst other things, Moshe Rabeinu breaking the tablets (Aseret Hadibrot). As such, I find any event connecting us to learning Torah, very appropriately scheduled. 1. In London I participated and spoke at the end of Siyum in "Side by Side" school, a special needs school and integrated nursery which provides a unique educational environment. An …
Silver lining – or turnaround
Shabbat Kodesh Parashat Chukat Balak For fluent Hebrew readers, this week's Parsha is a celebration of a beautiful factual description of Am Yisrael, coupled with the most far reaching benediction by none other than Balaam, an old anti-Semite. As we read through the Parsha, it is quite clear that the magnificent blessings are not really Balaam's own ideas, but that he was compelled by G-d to deliver …
Korach…
Shabbat Parashat Korach This week's parsha demonstrates how even (some) people of high intellect and good standing are very often not happy with their own status, only because others have made it higher... In this context, I cherish the following story: The famous Rabbi Yonatan Eybeschütz who was the Dayan, a rabbinical judgein Hamburg-Altona some 250 years ago, once had a local butcher coming to his chambers, asking the Rav to …
Being subjective…
Shabbat Kodesh Parashat Shlach Lecha We will read this week about the extraordinary story of the scouts (or spies) who were sent to explore the Land of Israel prior to what should have been the first "Aliah" of the whole nation We read at the beginning of the Parasha : (Chapter 13) וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח אֹתָ֥ם מֹשֶׁ֛ה …
No free lunch…
Shabbat Kodesh Parashat Behaalotcha We will read this Shabbat about further complaints in the desert: וְהָֽאסַפְסֻף֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּקִרְבּ֔וֹ הִתְאַוּ֖וּ תַּאֲוָ֑ה וַיָּשֻׁ֣בוּ וַיִּבְכּ֗וּ גַּ֚ם בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ מִ֥י יַאֲכִלֵ֖נוּ בָּשָֽׂר׃ The riffraff in their midst felt a gluttonous craving; and then the Israelites wept and said, “If only we had meat to eat! זָכַ֙רְנוּ֙ אֶת־הַדָּגָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נֹאכַ֥ל בְּמִצְרַ֖יִם חִנָּ֑ם אֵ֣ת הַקִּשֻּׁאִ֗ים וְאֵת֙ …
Rav Gershon’s Shiur
Thoughts beyond Shabbat Nassó Studying in Ponevezh Yeshiva, Bnei Brak (the original Yeshiva was founded in Lithuania in 1908) during the nineteen-eighties was the aspiration of any bright boy in Yeshiva Ktana (high school). I was thrilled to be accepted. The Yeshiva was at the time led by three Tora-"giants". The most famous lecturers of our generation were teaching under one roof. Of them, most well-known was Rav Shach. …
Twice on Asereth Hadibrot
Shavuot We will read on Shavuot the Ten Commandments.Which one is the most challenging for us to keep?Perhaps - the last one. That is : לֹ֥א תַחְמֹ֖ד בֵּ֣ית רֵעֶ֑ךָ לֹֽא־תַחְמֹ֞ד אֵ֣שֶׁת רֵעֶ֗ךָ וְעַבְדּ֤וֹ וַאֲמָתוֹ֙ וְשׁוֹר֣וֹ וַחֲמֹר֔וֹ וְכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְרֵעֶֽךָ׃ "You shall not covet your neighbor’s house: you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male …