
בס”ד Yitro (Exodus 18-20 ) This week’s Torah portion features the momentous event of G-d giving the Torah to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai. However, the sages teach that before giving the Torah to the Jewish people, G-d offered the Torah to the other nations of the world: The Sifri1 relates: “When the Holy One, Blessed is… Read More »WHEN G-D OFFERED THE NON-JEWS THE TORAH
PARSHAT BESHALACH 5785 – WHY THE SEA SPLIT
בס”ד Beshalach (Exodus 13:17-17:16 ) Psalms, 114, 1-3: “In Yisrael’s leaving of Egypt, the house of Yaakov from a people of foreign tongue; Yehuda sanctified Him, Yisrael His ruler. The sea saw and escaped…”Rashi, Psalms, 114:2, Dh: Hayta Yehuda: “…This verse is homiletically explained in Agadda, ‘Yehuda sanctified Him’, in that Nachshon jumped into the sea and said ‘I… Read More »PARSHAT BESHALACH 5785 – WHY THE SEA SPLIT
PARSHAT BO 5785 – AROUND MIDNIGHT; AVOIDING DESECRATING G-DS NAME
בס”ד Bo (Exodus 10:1-13:16 ) “And Moshe said, ‘so said G-d at about midnight I shall go out in the midst of Egypt. Every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die… (Shemot, 11:4) Moshe warns Pharaoh about the oncoming Plague of the firstborn, telling him it will take place at approximately midnight. The Gemara[1] addresses why Moshe said it… Read More »PARSHAT BO 5785 – AROUND MIDNIGHT; AVOIDING DESECRATING G-DS NAME
PARSHAT VA’EIRA 5785 – PHARAOH’S MISTAKE
בס”ד Va’eira (Exodus 6:2-9:35 ) Interestingly, the Tribe of Levi were exempt from the slavery because of a decree that Yosef made many hundreds of years earlier, guaranteeing freedom and independence to any ‘Priests’ – people devoted to spirituality. However, this begs the question: why did Pharaoh allow this exemption to continue, being that he was such… Read More »PARSHAT VA’EIRA 5785 – PHARAOH’S MISTAKE
PARSHAT SHEMOT 5785 – YITRO’S DESIRE TO HAVE HIS SON SERVE IDOLS
בס”ד Shmot (Exodus 1:1-6:1 ) In this week’s Torah portion, Moshe escapes from Egypt and meets Tzipporah, the daughter of Yitro. The Torah states: “Va’yoel Moshe (Moshe desired) to dwell with the man and he gave his daughter Tzipporah to Moshe.”1 The simple understanding of the verse is that that Moshe desired to live with Yitro, yet the… Read More »PARSHAT SHEMOT 5785 – YITRO’S DESIRE TO HAVE HIS SON SERVE IDOLS
PARSHAT VAYECHI 5785 – THE CONNECTION BETWEEN HUMILITY AND GRATITUDE
בס”ד Vayechi (Genesis 47:28-50:26 ) Bereishit, 49:8: “Yehudah, you your brothers will acknowledge…”Targum Onkelos, Bereishis, 49:8 “Yehudah, you admitted and you were not ashamed – your brothers will acknowledge you.”Targum Yonatan, Bereishis, 49:8: “Yehudah, you admitted in the incident with Tamar, because of that your brothers will acknowledge you and Yehudim will be called on your name.”Bereishit Rabbah, 98:6: “…Rebbe Shimon Ben Yochai… Read More »PARSHAT VAYECHI 5785 – THE CONNECTION BETWEEN HUMILITY AND GRATITUDE