Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Vaetchanan Our Father Who is in heaven, Rock of Israel and its Redeemer, King to Whom peace belongs, Bless Your children, lovers of their people and land, Some of whom say it is a time for planting Some of whom say it is a time for uprooting, Some of whom say it is a time to build, Some of whom say it is a time to tear down And they increase disagreement for the sake...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Devarim ONLY OG KING OF BASHAN WAS LEFT OF THE REMAINING REFAIM. HIS BEDSTEAD, AN IRON BEDSTEAD, IN NOW IN RABBAH OF THE AMMONITES; IT IS NINE CUBITS LONG AND FOUR CUBITS WIDE, BY THE FORE-ARM OF A MAN. (Devarim 3:11) An iron bedstead – When he was young he was very strong and when he lay down he would break a wooden bedstead. That is why they made it out of iron. But...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Mas'ey THESE WERE THE MARCHES OF THE ISRAELITES WHO STARTED OUT FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT, TROOP BY TROOP, IN THE CHARGE OF MOSES AND AARON. (Bamidbar 33:1) The Significance of Recounting the Marches – What is Important to Remember? It is comparable to a king whose son was ill, and he took him to a far away place to cure him. When they started home, his father began recounting all of the legs...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Matot AND MOSES SAID TO THE CHILDREN OF GAD AND TO THE CHILDREN OF REUVEN: "SHALL YOUR BROTHERS COME TO WAR WHILE YOU SIT HERE?" (Bamidbar 32:6) Shall your brothers come to war Usually Scripture uses the expression "went out to war" , while the expression "came to war" is unusual. Moses uses the latter when addressing the children of Gad and the children of Reuven: Shall your brothers come to...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Pinchas SAY, THEREFORE, "I WILL GRANT HIM MY PACT OF PEACE." (Bamidbar 25:1) I will grant him My pact of peace – The gift of peace as reward or as a "preventive treatment" against corruption of character. Peace is an unsurpassed good because it includes al types of spiritual accomplishments and eternal happiness. That is why the priests' blessing to Israel ends with peace. No one achieves peace through his own efforts alone, but...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Balak HOW FAIR ARE YOUR TENTS, O JACOB, YOUR DWELLINGS, O ISRAEL! (Bamidbar 24:5) Your dwellings – How fair are they even when they are in ruins because then they are a pledge for you, and the fact that they are in ruins is an atonement for your souls, as it is said, The Lord has brought His fury to an end (Eikha 4:11). And by what means has He brought it...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Chukkat YOU SHALL GIVE IT TO ELAZAR THE PRIEST. IT SHALL BE TAKEN OUTSIDE THE CAMP AND SLAUGHTERED IN HIS PRESENCE. (Bamidbar 19:3) He said, You shall give – rather than you shall give… He said you shall give – for now and for future generations. Elazar, who was to slaughter it, took it from the court of law in order that they assign it to him to prepare...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Korach THEY ASSEMBLED AGAINST MOSES AND AGAINST AARON AND SAID TO THEM: TOO MUCH IS YOURS! INDEED, THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, ALL OF THEM, ARE HOLY, AND IN THEIR MIDST IS GOD! WHY, THEN, DO YOU EXALT YOURSELVES OVER THE ASSEMBLY OF GOD? (Bamidbar 16:3) All of them are holy– All of them heard words directly from the Omnipotent at Sinai. (Tanhuma, quoted by Rashi, Bamidbar 16:3) All of them are holy – And...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Shelach THE LAND THAT WE TRAVERSED AND SCOUTED IS AN EXCEEDINGLY GOOD LAND. (Bamidbar 14:7) Onkelos, however, translates, "Is it rich or is it poor" – for there are countries whose inhabitants are wealthy because their produce is inexpensive, and they are successful in their dealings and in commerce with their neighbors; and there are countries which are dependent upon their neighbors, and their own inhabitants are incompetent – even though the land...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Behaalotcha NOW THIS IS HOW THE MENORAH WAS MADE: IT WAS HAMMERED WORK OF GOLD, HAMMERED FROM BASE TO PETAL. ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN THAT THE LORD HAD SHOWN MOSES, SO WAS THE MENORAH MADE. (Bamidbar 8:4) It was hammered When you mount the lamps – You find that Moses had more difficulty with the making of the Menorah than with any other of the Tabernacle's vessels, so much so that the Holy One...