Shoftim (Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9 ) “Who is the man who is fearful and faint-hearted? Let him go and return to his house, and let him not melt the heart of his fellows to be like his heart.” (1) The Torah commands anyone who is afraid of going to war to leave the battlefield because of the negative influence… Read More »PARSHAT SHOFTIM – OUR INFLUENCE ON OTHERS

Re’eh (Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17 ) The Torah forbids various forms of mourning that were prevalent among the non-Jewish nations. One of the reasons that these were forbidden is they were too excessive, ascribing a sense of permanency to death, when in truth, we know that the person’s soul continues to exist and lives in the Next World. The… Read More »PARSHAT RE’EH – MOURNING FOR A PARENT

Ekev (Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25 ) In this week’s Portion, the Torah commands the people to go in the ways of G-d and to “cling to Him.” (1) The Sifri,(2) quoted by Rashi, asks how it is possible to cling to G-d, given that He is described in another place in the Torah as an “all-consuming fire”? (3) The… Read More »PARSHAT EKEV – CLINGING TO THE WISE MAN

V’etchanan (Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11 ) Devarim, 6:5: “You shall love HaShem, your G-d, with all our heart, with all your soul, and with all your resources.” Rashi, 6:5, sv. With all your heart: With both of your inclinations. Va’etchanan features the first paragraph of the Shema, where we are told to serve G-d with all our hearts. The word, heart… Read More »PARSHAT V’ETCHANAN – USING THE GOOD INCLINATION FOR THE GOOD

Devarim (Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22 ) The Torah Portion begins with Moses rebuking the Jewish people for the various sins that they committed in the desert. One of the first sins that he addresses is that of the spies. Moshe recalls the events that led to this tragic occurrence. “And you all approached me and said, ‘let us send… Read More »PARSHAT DEVARIM – THE CONNECTION BETWEEN CALMNESS AND TRUST IN GOD

Deuteronomy 31 Devarim, 31:12: “Gather together the people – the men, the women and the small children, and your stranger who is in your cities – so that they will hear and so that they will learn, and they will fear Hashem, your God, and be careful to perform all the words of this Torah.”Rashi, 31:12,… Read More »PARSHAT VAYELECH – BRINGING THE CHILDREN