PERASHA BISHALLACH
02/03/2023 10:03:03 AM
Incomparable
Just as verses 6 and 7 ("Your Right Hand…affrights every enemy…") summarizes the effect that their experience of the power of G-d over human might had on them, (-Your helping Right Hand which has shown itself in such extraordinary power frightens every enemy from attacking your protectees-) so this verse "Who is like You" summarizes the effect on them of having...Read more...
PERASHA BO
01/27/2023 12:36:21 PM
nd remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt when G-d your G-d brought you out from there… therefore G-d your G-d commanded you to fulfill the Shabbat day." (Dvarim 5, 15)
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PERASHA VAERA
01/20/2023 01:27:18 PM
These two cases of Judgment are parallel to the two times that Moshe asked G-d (at the end of the last Parsha) "Why?" - - "Why have You allotted misfortune to this people" and "Why did You send just me".
And G-d (Elokim) spoke...Read more...
PERASHA SHEMOT
01/13/2023 11:18:41 AM
"I shall be that which I Will be." "אהיה אשר אהיה" (3,14)
To see the light amidst the dark
The fact that G-d's Name comes from the words"אהיה אשר אהיה" comes to allude to us that He acts from Above with people as a person acts in This World Below. (Rabbi P. Friedman)
We have learned from the Nefesh Hachaim that "Just as a person determines in his heart and says G-d is the real...Read more...
PERASHA VAYECHI
01/06/2023 01:07:15 PM
"Through Asher, his food is rich שמנה לחמו...he delivers royal dainties." (49,20)
The assistance of Asher son of Yaakov
In the sefer Medrash Talpiot a wonderful idea is brought in the name of the Ari'zl that Asher the son of Yaakov studied Torah and Mishnah more than his brothers and therefore, in the merit of his learning, he merited to help all Jews in their times...Read more...
PERASHA VAYIGASH
12/30/2022 01:41:06 PM
The right order
"Then Yehuda came near unto him and said, O my Lord..." (44, 18)
He came near to pray (Breshit Rabba)
The Grand Rabbi, Rabbi Yechiel of Galina, the son-in-law of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz said:
This verse alludes to that which is said in the Gemara (Brachot): "A person should first arrange his praises to G-d and thereafter pray".
This...Read more...
PERASHA MIKETZ
12/23/2022 12:30:35 PM
2025 words and times 5
"And it came to pass at the end of two full years…"(41,1)
In the end of Parshat Miketz the Sages of the Authorized Tradition counted not only the number of verses in this Portion, as is done by every Parsha, but also the number of words in it: 2025. Many Jewish sages wonder about this: Why did the Sages of Tradition note the number of words specifically in this Parsha, something that we did not see in...Read more...
PERASHA VAYESHEV
12/16/2022 02:18:49 PM
The sale of Yosef
"And Yisrael loved Yosef more than all his children for he was son of... old age and he made him an embroidered cloak." (37,3)
"A person should never distinguish one son amongst his sons because thanks to the weight of two slai'm of wool that Yakov gave to Yosef beyond what he gave to his other sons, his brothers became jealous of him and in the end our forefathers went...Read more...
PERASHA VAYISHLACH
12/09/2022 01:44:50 PM
Why seven?
"And he himself passed before them and bowed himself… seven times until he came near to his brother." (33,3)
On that which is written in the parsha (before Yakov met with Esav) "And he himself passed before them and bowed himself… seven times until he came near to his brother" our Rabbis ob'm wonder. If a person wants to honor or appease someone, he...Read more...
PERASHA VEYETZEH
12/02/2022 12:57:22 PM
In order to remember
"…and she said this time I thank G-d therefore she called his name Judah…"(30,35)
This is surprising. Didn't Leah thank G-d for the three Tribes she merited to have until now?
The MAHRAM Shick explains; Certainly Leah thanked G-d by her previous births but now that she merited to take...Read more...
PERASHA TOLDOT
11/25/2022 12:58:30 PM
Allusions from the name Kislev
The letters of Kislev כסלו are ס''ך ל''ו to allude to us that on Chanuka we light ל''ו (36) candles (without the shames) and ס''ך equals 80 – - שמונים which alludes to the oils שמנים with which we light the 36 candles.
In addition, it says "ויאמר אלקים יהי אור", (And G-d said let there be...Read more...
PERASHA CHAYEI SARAH
11/18/2022 01:20:45 PM
… Avraham had become old and advanced in days and Hashem blessed Avraham in everything."(24, 1)
Hashem and His Court
Our Sages ob'm tell us that it is well known that the Name of G-d Elokim is the Name of the Trait of Justice while the Name Hashem is Name of total Kindness and Mercy. But our Sages say that when the word "and" is added on to the...Read more...
PERASHA LECH LECHA
11/04/2022 01:17:16 PM
His merits are not deducted from him
"After what has been related up till now, the Word of G-d came to Avram… Fear not Avraham, I am your shield, your reward is exceedingly great." (15,1)
On this verse Rashi explains: After a miracle transpired for him that he killed the Kings, he worried and said: Perhaps I have received reward for my righteousness. Therefore G-d told him, "Fear not Avraham – do...Read more...
NOACH
10/28/2022 02:59:11 PM
"… Noach found grace in the eyes of G-d."(6,8)
The merit of the sons for the fathers
It says in the Gemara: Rabbi Yishmael learned: For Noach it was also decreed (to die in the Deluge) but he found grace in the eyes of G-d. As it says, "I have been caused to alter My decision that I have made them….. Noach found grace in the eyes of...Read more...
PERASHA BREISHIT
10/21/2022 02:36:34 PM
"And G-d spoke: Let us make Adam (a representative) in a form worthy of us...." (1, 26)
Why "Adam"?
A wonderful explanation why the first man created was called Adam was said by Rabbi Yehoshua Babad, the Rabbi of Ternopol: Amongst the thirteen basic principles of faith that the Rambam determined there are three basic principles that apply to G-d...Read more...
SUKKOT
10/14/2022 12:58:01 PM
"…because of the hand that was sent out to Your temple" (Machzor, Succot)
Whose hand?
Concerning the words in the Succot prayers "Because of our sins we were exiled from our land… because of the hand that was sent out to Your temple" the Jewish Sages ask, what does the verse mean by "…because of the hand that was sent out to Your temple" Which hand? Seemingly it should have been written "Because of our sins we were...Read more...
YOM KIPPOUR-HAAZINU-SUKKOT
10/07/2022 02:57:58 PM
Forgiveness
"For sins against one's fellow man Yom Kippur does not atone until one has appeased him."
In the Laws of Erev Yom Kippur the author of the Shulchan Aruch discusses the role placed on the person who hurt someone else."For sins against one's fellow man Yom Kippur does not atone until one has appeased him. Even if he...Read more...
VAYELECH SHABBAT SHUVA
09/30/2022 04:45:43 PM
"In the end the Children of Israel will repent." (Rambam)
In the Parsha of Pinchas when the Torah enumerates the family of Levy it also notes the "Korachi" family.
We can ask, how did the Korach family remain? Korach and his sons and all that they had were swallowed up in the earth when they made a dispute with Moshe Rabeinu.
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PERASHA NITZAVIM
09/23/2022 01:46:29 PM
And G-d your G-d will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants to love G-d your G-d..."
Children's upbringing and the month of Elul
On the verse in our Parsha "ומל ה' אלקיך את לבבך ואת לבב זרעך לאהבה את ה' אלקיך בכל לבבך" the Avudram wrote, and the Baal Haturim brought down, that the first letters of the...Read more...
PERASHA KI TAVO
09/21/2022 09:30:51 AM
"And you shall take from the first of all the fruit of the soil..." (26,2)
Gratitude
On the verse "And you shall take from the first of all the fruit of the soil" Rashi says "From the first" - A person goes down to his field and sees a fig that has ripened, he ties a band around it as a sign and says, - This is bikurim."
The source is...Read more...
PERASHA KI TETZE
09/02/2022 01:11:52 PM
War against whom?
Rashi explained the verse "When you go out to war...." as follows: "This refers to an optional war"- and it is well known how the rabbis in the holy books explained that this alludes to the war against one's Evil Inclination.
We learn from Rashi that a Jew's main war against his Evil Inclination must be not only pertaining to the 248 positive commandments and the 365 negative...Read more...
PERASHA SHOFTIM
08/26/2022 02:07:19 PM
ואני אתנהלה לאטי לרגל
"…and I will lead myself on slowly in accordance with the pace of the work which is before me…"
ELUL
Our Sages found an allusion to the month of Elul in the verse that Yakov Avinu said to Eisav before they separated from one another, "... ואני אתנהלה לאטי לרגל..."
The initials of those words...Read more...
PERASHA RE'EH
08/26/2022 02:05:39 PM
ROSH HODESH ELUL
"The blessing, that you listen to the commands of G-d..." (11,27)
"They who join hands for wicked ends shall not go unpunished" -"יד ליד לא ינקה רע"
The holy Rabbi Meir of Prishmilan ob'm said that the custom of drinking and saying "L'chaim" is auspicious for...Read more...
PERASHA EKEV
08/19/2022 02:41:41 PM
"And it shall come to pass as the consequences of your hearing these legal maxims and carefully carrying them out that G-d your G-d will keep the covenant and the love..." (7,12)
"You Shlomo may have the thousand" (Shir Hashirim)
Gavriel and Chana were married for twenty five years and did not yet merit to have children, but Gavriel, who was a...Read more...
PERASHA VA'ETHANAN
08/12/2022 12:42:32 PM
Loving G-d
"And you shall love G-d... with the whole of your heart and with whole of your soul and with the whole of your fortune." (6,5)
There is a famous question: Love is a feeling that is aroused in a person's heart. How can one force a person to love his G-d?
Hagaon Rabbi Akiva Eigar explained according to...Read more...
PERASHA DEVARIM
08/05/2022 01:45:16 PM
‘’Unlimited Blessings’’
"May G-d, the G-d of your fathers add to you a thousand times as many as you now are and bless you…"(1, 11)
They (the Children of Israel) said to Moshe, why are you giving an allotment to our blessings? He told them – those are mine but He will bless you as He spoke to you. (Rashi)
The...Read more...
PERASHA MATOT-MASSEI
07/29/2022 12:56:56 PM
And Moshe spoke to the heads of tribes of the Children of Israel… This is the word that G-d has commanded." (30, 2)
Keep your promise
Our Parsha begins with the mitzvah of vows, as it says, And Moshe spoke to the heads of tribes of the Children of Israel… This is the word that G-d has commanded. If a man vows a vow unto G-d or swears… to bind a fetter to his will he many not make his word void, he must do according to...Read more...
PERASHA PINCHAS
07/22/2022 01:21:55 PM
Therefore..See I give him My covenant: peace." (25, 12)
The source of blessings – Peace
We learn in the Mishna, "Rav Shimon ben Chalafta said, "G-d did not find anything else that maintains blessings for Israel other than peace, as it says, "G-d gives strength. G-d blesses His nation with peace."
Therefore in the Priestly blessing at the end of all the blessings...Read more...
BALAK
07/15/2022 01:37:53 PM
"...G-d his G-d is with him and the homage to a king מלך is in him." (23, 21)
From a curse to a blessing
It says in Sefer Hagan that one makes a blessing he must say it aloud so that his friend will answer Amen. If he does so, even if G-d forbid a curse was decreed on him it will change from a curse into a blessing,
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PERASHA CHUKAT
07/08/2022 11:28:10 AM
The merit of one who performs kindness
"... fear him not for I have delivered him into your hand.... and you shall do unto him as you did unto Sichon king of the Amorites..." (21,34)
The Parsha of Chukat ends with a description of the victories of the Children of Israel over the two kings in the Eastern side of the Jordan River – Sichon the King of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan.
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