Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Nasso AND THE PRIEST SHALL TAKE SACRED WATER IN A CLAY VESSEL AND THE PRIEST SHALL TAKE SOME OF THE DUST FROM THE FLOOR OF THE TABERNACLE AND PLACE IT IN THE WATER. (Bamidbar 5:17) Sacred water – i.e., water that has become holy through being in the laver, because it was made of the mirrors of the women who assembled at the entrance of the appointed tent, and this woman deviated from their...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Behukotay AND I WILL GRANT PEACE IN THE LAND, AND YOU SHALL LIE DOWN UNTROUBLED BY ANYONE; I WILL GIVE THE LAND RESPITE FROM VICIOUS BEASTS, AND NO SWORD SHALL CROSS YOUR LAND. (Vayikra 26:6) Peace as Challenge and Blessing And no sword shall cross your land: You shall be unaccustomed to using the sword. (The NeTziV Mi'Vollozhin's Ha'Emek Davar) Social peace shall be added to political peace: the events of war...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Behar SPEAK TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AND SAY TO THEM: WHEN YOU ENTER THE LAND THAT I GIVE YOU, THE LAND SHALL OBSERVE A SABBATH OF THE LORD. (Vayikra 25:2) The earth is the Lord's and all that it contains A Sabbath of the Lord – For the Lord's sake, that you must not think like farmers who let the land lay fallow one year in seven to preserve it fruitfulness. Rather, do...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Emor YOU SHALL FAITHFULLY OBSERVE MY COMMANDMENTS: I AM THE LORD. YOU SHALL NOT PROFANE MY HOLY NAME, THAT I MAY BE SANCTIFIED IN THE MIDST OF THE ISRAELITE PEOPLE – I THE LORD WHO SANCTIFY YOU. (Vayikra 22:31-32) Profanation of God's Name and Sanctification of God's Name There are other things that are a profanation of the Name of God. When a man, great in the knowledge of the Torah and reputed for...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Kedoshim You shall faithfully observe all My laws and all My regulations, lest the land to which I bring you to settle in spew you out. You shall not follow the practices of the nation that I am driving out before you. For it is because they did all these things that I abhorred them… You shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy, and I have set you apart from other...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Seventh day of Pessah THEN MOSES AND THE ISRAELITES SANG THIS SONG TO THE LORD. THEY SAID: "I WILL SING TO THE LORD, FOR HE HAS TRIUMPHED GLORIOUSLY; HORSE AND DRIVER HE HAS HURLED INTO THE SEA. (Shemot 15:1) In Contrast to Human Beings and the Ministering Angels, God is never pleased at the fall of the Wicked. And they say, Give thanks unto the Lord, for his kindness is everlasting. Rabbi Yohanan said:...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Achary Mot THEN MOSES AND AARON CAME AND SAID TO PHARAOH: "THUS SAYS THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL: SEND MY PEOPLE OUT SO THAT THEY CAN WORSHIP ME IN THE WILDERNESS. (Shemot 5:1) Starting with Words From the wilderness of Kedeimot – Although the Omnipresent had not commanded me to proclaim peace unto Sidon I learnt to do so from what happened in the wilderness of Sinai, i.e., from an incident that relates to...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Metzora IF, HOWEVER, HE IS POOR AND HIS MEANS ARE INSUFFICIENT, HE SHALL TAKE ONE MALE LAMB FOR A GUILT OFFERING, TO BE ELEVATED IN EXPIATION FOR HIM, ONE TENTH OF A MEASURE OF CHOICE FLOUR WITH OIL MIXED IN FOR A MEAL OFFERING, AND A LOG OF OIL… SUCH IS THE RITUAL FOR HIM WHO HAS A SCALY AFFLICTION AND WHOSE MEANS FOR HIS CLEANSING ARE LIMITED. (Vayikra 14:21,32) If, however, he is poor...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Tazria IF A MAN LOSES THE HAIR OF HIS HEAD AND BECOMES BALD, HE IS CLEAN… THE MAN IS LEPROUS; HE IS UNCLEAN. THE PRIEST SHALL PRONOUNCE HIM UNCLEAN; HE HAS THE AFFLICTION ON HIS HEAD… HE SHALL BE UNCLEAN AS LONG AS THE DISEASE IS ON HIM. BEING UNCLEAN, HE SHALL DWELL APART; HIS DWELLING SHALL BE OUTSIDE THE CAMP. (Vayikra 13:40,44,46) As for the uncleanness of leprosy, we have already explained its meaning....