“And if your brother is becoming destitute…you must support him… (Leviticus 25:35). The previous passages, dealing with real estate transactions, are written in the plural form – but here, when discussing helping the poor, the Torah switches to the singular. The Alshich HaKadosh explained that when someone is in need… Read More »LEVITICUS 25:35 – RESPONSIBILITY TO ASSIST
“You shall sanctify the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land for all of its inhabitants; it shall be the Jubilee year for you…” (Leviticus 25:10). This verse contains the stirring phrase that was engraved on Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell in 1752. The passage is referring to the liberation of… Read More »LEVITICUS 25:10 – FREEDOM FOR THE ENTIRE LAND
“Every person (kol ish) in whom there is a blemish (asher bo moom) shall not come close (lo yikrav) [to the altar]…” (Leviticus 22:18). R’ Meir Premishlan spun these words in the following novel way: “Kol ish” – Anyone who thinks of himself as a whole/complete person (kol means every… Read More »LEVITICUS 22:18 – BLEMISH
“But on the tenth day of this seventh month, it is a Day of Atonement, a holy occasion for you; you shall afflict (v’ee-neetem) yourselves…” (Leviticus 23:27). The Hebrew word for ‘afflict’ – v’ee-neetem, is a complex term. Rabbi Matityahu Clark’s “Etymological Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew” based on the commentaries… Read More »LEVITICUS 23:27- AFFLICTION
The number four is a central feature of the Passover Seder. We have the 4 cups of wine, the 4 Biblical expressions of redemption (Exodus 6:6-7), the 4 questions, and the 4 sons. Is there a connection between Passover and the number 4? The number 4 is represented by the… Read More »EXODUS 6:6-7 – BIBLICAL EXPRESSION OF NUMBER FOUR
The Torah refers to matzah as “lechem oni” – the bread of affliction or bread of poverty (Deuteronomy 16:3). We are told that our ancestors were fed matzah by their Egyptian taskmasters. If that’s the case, why is matzah used as a symbol of our liberation and freedom from Egypt?… Read More »DEUTERONOMY 16:3 – THE FOUNDATION OF FREEDOM
The Torah portion of Metzorah deals with the spiritual affliction called Tzara’as that can affect a person’s skin, clothing, or house. During leap years, like this year, we usually read Metzorah prior to Passover. Is there a connection? Rabbi Eliezer Breitowitz points out that, indeed, our sages teach that the… Read More »METZORAH – SPIRITUAL AFFLICTION
This coming Shabbat is called Shabbat HaGadol – The Great Sabbath. There are many reasons offered to explain this name. One reason derives from the special Haftarah (passage from the prophets) that is read after the weekly Torah portion in the synagogue. The special reading for Shabbat HaGadol is from… Read More »SHABBAT HAGADOL
“The Priest shall look, and behold, if the affliction has covered his entire flesh, then he shall declare the affliction to be pure…” (Leviticus 13:13). This seems impossible to understand, since in all other cases of tzora’as that affect only part of the body, the person is considered ritually impure!… Read More »LEVITICUS 13:13 – SLANDEROUS GOSSIP
“…When a woman conceives and gives birth to a boy…” (Leviticus 12:2) In the Torah portion Tazriah, the word in the above verse translated as ‘conceives’. This theme coincides with the special Shabbat we will have this week, which is also the beginning of the month of Nissan, the 1st… Read More »LEVITICUS 12:2 – AFTER THE BEGINNING
