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We learn in this Parsha that Avram is travelling to Egypt due to the drought in Eretz Israel: וַיְהִ֥י רָעָ֖ב בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיֵּ֨רֶד אַבְרָ֤ם מִצְרַ֙יְמָה֙ לָג֣וּר שָׁ֔ם כִּֽי־כָבֵ֥ד הָרָעָ֖ב בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ “There was a famine in the Land, and Avram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the Land”. וַיְהִ֕י כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר …

Continue reading "Beauty vs real beauty – Shabbat Kodesh Par. Lech Lecha"

Shabbat Kodesh Par. Noah Parsha Noah starts with:  אֵ֚לֶּה תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת נֹ֔חַ נֹ֗חַ אִ֥ישׁ צַדִּ֛יק תָּמִ֥ים הָיָ֖ה בְּדֹֽרֹתָ֑יו אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים הִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־נֹֽחַ׃ "These are the generations of Noah, Noah was a righteous man he was perfect in his generations; Noah walked with G-d." Rashi quotes Chazal, our sages, in his commentary to this Pasuk: יֵשׁ מֵרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דּוֹרְשִׁים אוֹתוֹ לְשֶׁבַח, …

Continue reading "Between leader to a pleasant person"

In parshat Bereishit, each verse describing a new part of the creation concludes with the words: וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב׃ And G-d saw that this was good. Finally, on the sixth day it goes even further: וַיַּ֤רְא אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וְהִנֵּה־ט֖וֹב מְאֹ֑ד And G-d saw all that He had made, and found it very good.  Not wishing to go …

Continue reading "Bereishit – see the Good"

We learn in Gemara Rosh Hashnah (16b 12): אָמַר רַבִּי כְּרוּסְפָּדַאי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: שְׁלֹשָׁה סְפָרִים נִפְתָּחִין בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, אֶחָד שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים גְּמוּרִין, וְאֶחָד שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים גְּמוּרִין, וְאֶחָד שֶׁל בֵּינוֹנִיִּים. צַדִּיקִים גְּמוּרִין — נִכְתָּבִין וְנֶחְתָּמִין לְאַלְתַּר לְחַיִּים, רְשָׁעִים גְּמוּרִין — נִכְתָּבִין וְנֶחְתָּמִין לְאַלְתַּר לְמִיתָה, בֵּינוֹנִיִּים — תְּלוּיִין וְעוֹמְדִין מֵרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְעַד יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, זָכוּ — נִכְתָּבִין …

Continue reading "Who are the “Beinoniím”?  A fraction of 1%?"

We will read this week Parshat Nitzavim. This Parsha is always being read at the last Shabbat of the year.  I have noticed an unusual repetition of one particular word, in both - last week's Parsha, (Ki Tavo) and this week's - Nitzavim. The word "Today”. It appears in different contexts more than in any Parshiot in …

Continue reading "Today – Shabbat Kodesh Parshat Nitzavim"

We will read this week about the person visiting the Beit Hamikdash. Having finished his "Maaser"(special Tzedakah apportioned from his crop) obligations: וְאָמַרְתָּ֡ לִפְנֵי֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ בִּעַ֧רְתִּי הַקֹּ֣דֶשׁ מִן־הַבַּ֗יִת וְגַ֨ם נְתַתִּ֤יו לַלֵּוִי֙ וְלַגֵּר֙ לַיָּת֣וֹם וְלָאַלְמָנָ֔ה כְּכׇל־מִצְוָתְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוִּיתָ֑נִי לֹֽא־עָבַ֥רְתִּי מִמִּצְוֺתֶ֖יךָ וְלֹ֥א שָׁכָֽחְתִּי׃  “You shall declare before your G‘d: “I have cleared out the consecrated portion from the house; and I …

Continue reading "I did not forget… Shabbat Kodesh Parshat Ki Tavó"

We will read this week: לֹא־תַסְגִּ֥יר עֶ֖בֶד אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֑יו אֲשֶׁר־יִנָּצֵ֥ל אֵלֶ֖יךָ מֵעִ֥ם אֲדֹנָֽיו׃  You shall not turn over to the master a slave who seeks refuge with you from that master.  עִמְּךָ֞ יֵשֵׁ֣ב בְּקִרְבְּךָ֗ בַּמָּק֧וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֛ר בְּאַחַ֥ד שְׁעָרֶ֖יךָ בַּטּ֣וֹב ל֑וֹ לֹ֖א תּוֹנֶֽנּוּ׃ Such individuals shall live with you in any place they may choose among the settlements …

Continue reading "Once free, always free – Shabbat Kodesh Parshat Ki Tetzé"

We will read this week about who is "exempt" from participating in military operations: (Devarim, 20.5-8): וְדִבְּר֣וּ הַשֹּֽׁטְרִים֮ אֶל־הָעָ֣ם לֵאמֹר֒ מִֽי־הָאִ֞ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּנָ֤ה בַֽיִת־חָדָשׁ֙ וְלֹ֣א חֲנָכ֔וֹ יֵלֵ֖ךְ וְיָשֹׁ֣ב לְבֵית֑וֹ פֶּן־יָמוּת֙ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְאִ֥ישׁ אַחֵ֖ר יַחְנְכֶֽנּוּ׃  Then the officials shall address the troops, as follows: “Is there anyone who has built a new house but has not dedicated …

Continue reading "Service Exemption – Shabbat Kodesh Parshat Shoftim"

We will read in this Parsha a Pasuk in which Moshe Rabeinu relates to the (2nd) forty days he spent in a lofty heavenly environment. He says:  ו ָֽאֶתְנַפַּל֩ לִפְנֵ֨י יְהֹוָ֜ה כָּרִאשֹׁנָ֗ה אַרְבָּעִ֥ים יוֹם֙ וְאַרְבָּעִ֣ים לַ֔יְלָה לֶ֚חֶם לֹ֣א אָכַ֔לְתִּי וּמַ֖יִם לֹ֣א שָׁתִ֑יתִי עַ֤ל כׇּל־חַטַּאתְכֶם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חֲטָאתֶ֔ם לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת הָרַ֛ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה לְהַכְעִיסֽוֹ׃  “I threw myself down …

Continue reading "Forty days fasting – Shabbat Kodesh Parshat Ekev"