Shabbat Kodesh Parashat Shemini / Shabbat Hachodesh We will read this week: וַיָּבֹ֨א מֹשֶׁ֤ה וְאַהֲרֹן֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וַיֵּ֣צְא֔וּ וַֽיְבָרְכ֖וּ אֶת־הָעָ֑ם וַיֵּרָ֥א כְבוֹד־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־כׇּל־הָעָֽם׃ “Moses and Aaron then went inside the Tent of Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people; and the Presence of G'd appeared to all the people.” The translation fails to recognise a very interesting point in the …
Smile…
Purim 5784 At this point in time, we are trying to keep our spirits up, maintain a smile on my face - and even share a joke with friends. I am challenged however, whether at a time of hardship for many people in Eretz Israel, this is appropriate ? Well, I think it is. And allow me to …
I got this Parsha’s lesson – too late…
Shabbat Kodesh Parashat Pekudei I never understood why it was important to spend precious "Torah Time" thousands of years after it happened, on the total accounting and "balance sheet" of the donations and spending in the "Project Mishkan", the building the Tabernacle. The traditional Torah commentators have indeed very little to explain on the second part of this week's Parsha. …
To do or not to do…
Shabbat Kodesh Parshat Vayakhel Parshat ShkalimErev Rosh Chodesh Adar B We read this Shabbat וַיַּקְהֵ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֶֽת־כׇּל־עֲדַ֛ת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אֵ֚לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה לַעֲשֹׂ֥ת אֹתָֽם׃ Moses then convoked the whole Israelite community and said to them: These are the things that G'd has commanded you to do: שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִים֮ תֵּעָשֶׂ֣ה מְלָאכָה֒ וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י …
Positive approach….
Shabbat Kodesh Parashat Ki Tissá We read this week at length the story of how the absence of Moshe Rabeinu led the nation to "Create" a new "intermediary" between them and G'd: The infamous golden calf. At the conclusion of Moshe Rabeinu praying and pleading, he is instructed by Hashem: וְעַתָּ֞ה לֵ֣ךְ ׀ נְחֵ֣ה אֶת־הָעָ֗ם אֶ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֙רְתִּי֙ לָ֔ךְ …
שבת קודש פרשת תצווה – צדיק אמיתי, צדיק שאכפת לו…
אנו לומדים בפרשתנו (שמות כ"ח, כ"ט): וְנָשָׂ֣א אַֽ֠הֲרֹ֠ן אֶת־שְׁמ֨וֹת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל בְּח֧שֶׁן הַמִּשְׁפָּ֛ט עַל־לִבּ֖וֹ בְּבֹא֣וֹ אֶל־הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ לְזִכָּרֹ֥ן לִפְנֵֽי־יְהֹוָ֖ה תָּמִֽיד רבי, מנהיג אמיתי חייב תמיד לשאת את (שמותיהם של) בני ישראל על ליבו! יש סיפור על תלמיד שלמד בישיבת פוניבז', שבנו הקטן חלה ונזקק לניתוח דחוף בבית החולים בתל אביב. התלמיד הלך לרבי מפוניבז' וביקש ממנו את …
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The Third Beit HaMikdash
Shabbat Kodesh Parashat Terumá Modern day commentators like to quote the following idea from the Rambam's "Guide to the perplexed", on why we were ever instructed to bring animals as sacrifice to the Beit Hamikdash, the Temple in Jerusalem: „It was in accordance with the wisdom and plan of G'd, as displayed in the whole Creation, …
Because you were strangers?
Shabbat Kodesh Parashat Mishpatim / Rosh Chodesh וְגֵ֥ר לֹא־תוֹנֶ֖ה וְלֹ֣א תִלְחָצֶ֑נּוּ כִּֽי־גֵרִ֥ים הֱיִיתֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ You shall not wrong or oppress a stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. Why do we need the reason : "for you were strangers in the land of Egypt" and if we would have not been "strangers in …
Why only ten…Shabbat Kodesh Parashat Yitró
All of us know the famous statement Rabbi Akiva made : "This is a great principle of the Torah: ‚Love your neighbor as yourself`". So - as it is what he describes as a "Great principle" in the Torah, why is it not mentioned in the ten commandments ? Many years ago, as a teenager, …
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The Shira – Song of faith
Shabbat Kodesh Parshat Beshalach The Shira - Song of faith- was sung by Bnei Yisrael as they emerged from the red sea. It is so important that we say it every morning. However, Chazal tell us that when the angels asked for permission to have their own turn in thanking G’d for the miracle of …