Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Lech-Lecha AS FOR ISHMAEL, I HAVE HEEDED YOU. I HEREBY BLESS HIM. I WILL MAKE HIM FERTILE AND EXCEEDINGLY NUMEROUS. HE SHALL B THE FATHER OF TWELVE CHIEFTAINS, AND I WILL MAKE OF HIM A GREAT NATION. (Bereishit 17:20) Promises Fulfilled by a Certain Time, and Promises which are Dependent upon Fulfillment of the Covenant We see that the fulfillment of this promise to them was delayed for 2,333 years (according to the...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Noah AND ON THE SEVENTH DAY THE WATERS OF THE FLOOD CAME UPON THE EARTH. IN THE SIXTH HUNDREDTH YEAR OF NOAH'S LIFE, IN THE SECOND MONTH, ON THE SEVENTEENTH DAY OF THE MONTH, ON THAT DAY, ALL THE FOUNTAINS OF THE DEEP BURST APART, AND THE FLOODGATES OF THE SKY BROKE OPEN. THE RAIN FELL ON THE EARTH FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS. (Bereishit 7:10-12) BY THESE THINGS HE CONTROLS PEOPLES; HE GIVES...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Bereishit THEN THE LORD GOD SAID TO THE SERPENT, "BECAUSE YOU DID THIS, MORE CURSED SHALL YOU BE THAN ALL THE CATTLE AND ALL THE WILD BEASTS: ON YOUR BELLY SHALL YOU CRAWL AND DIRT SHALL YOU EAT ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE. (Bereishit 3:14)) The Serpent's Curse Rabbi Asi and Rabbi Hoshiya said in the name of Rabbi Aha: God told him: I made you king over domesticated animals and wild...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Sukkot WHAT IS OCCURRING OCCURRED LONG SINCE, AND WHAT IS TO OCCUR OCCURRED LONG SINCE: AND GOD SEEKS THE PURSUED. (Kohelet 3:15) In connection with that which is written, and God seeks the pursued – Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Yosef: In the future, God will exact the blood of the pursued from their pursuers: A righteous man pursues a righteous man – and God seeks the pursued, A wicked man pursues...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Yom Kippur AND WRITE AND SIGN, AND COUNT, AND NUMBER, AND REMEMBER ALL THE FORGOTTEN THINGS AND OPEN THE BOOK OF MEMORIES. (From the prayer, Unetanah Tokef) Rabbi said: Which is the right course that a man should choose for himself? That which is an honor to him who does it, and which also brings him honor from mankind. Be heedful of a light precept as of a grave one, for you do not know...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Rosh Hashana YOUR BROW BEHIND YOUR VEIL LIKE A POMEGRANATE SPLIT OPEN. (Shir Ha-Shirim 6:7) Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: Do not say rakateikh , but rather reikateikh , for even the empty ones amongst you are full of commandments as a pomegranate . (Eruvin 19) Are numerous merits a given, dependent on God's will or on ours? A person should make a custom of...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Nitzavim-Vayelech WHEN SUCH A ONE HEARS THE WORDS OF THESE SANCTIONS, HE MAY FANCY HIMSELF IMMUNE, THINKING, "I SHALL BE SAFE THOUGH I FOLLOW MY OWN WILLFUL HEART"- TO THE UTTER RUIN OF MOIST AND DRY ALIKE. THE LORD WILL NEVER FORGIVE HIM; RATHER THE LORD'S ANGER AND PASSION RAGE AGAINST THAT MAN, TILL EVERY SANCTION RECORDED IN THIS BOOK COMES DOWN UPON HIM, AND THE LORD BLOTS OUT HIS NAME FROM UNDER HEAVEN. THE...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Ki Tavo THE LORD WILL DRIVE YOU, AND YOUR KING WHOM YOU HAVE SET OVER YOU, TO A NATION UNKNOWN TO YOU OR YOUR FATHERS, WHERE YOU SHALL SERVE OTHER GODS, OF WOOD AND STONE. (Devarim 28:36) And reign alone over us, with kindness and mercy The scribe Shafan also told the king, "The priest Hilkiah has given me a scroll," and Shafan read from it to the king. When the king heard...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Ki Tetseh A MAN TAKES A WOMAN AND COHABITS WITH HER. THEN HE TAKES AVERSION TO HER AND MAKES UP CHARGES AGAINST HER AND DEFAMES HER… (Devarim 20:19) Takes aversion – Rabbi Yishmael says: Come and see what hatred can cause – it brings him to lashon ha-ra . From this you can say: a person commits a minor sin, he ends up committing a serious sin; he transgresses love your neighbor...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Shoftim WHEN IN YOUR WAR AGAINST A CITY YOU HAVE TO BESIEGE IT A LONG TIME IN ORDER TO CAPTURE IT, YOU MUST NOT DESTROY ITS TREES, WIELDING THE AX AGAINST THEM. YOU MAY EAT OF THEM, BUT YOU MUST NOT CUT THEM DOWN. ARE TREES OF THE FIELD HUMAN TO WITHDRAW BEFORE YOU INTO THE BESIEGED CITY? (Devarim 20:19) But you must not cut them down. Are trees of the field human…...