Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Behaalotcha ON THE DAY THAT THE TABERNACLE WAS SET UP, THE CLOUD COVERED THE TABERNACLE, THE TENT OF THE PACT; AND IN THE EVENING IT RESTED OVER THE TABERNACLE IN THE LIKENESS OF FIRE UNTIL MORNING. IT WAS ALWAYS SO: THE CLOUD COVERED IT, APPEARING AS FIRE BY NIGHT. AND WHENEVER THE CLOUD LIFTED FROM THE TENT, THE ISRAELITES WOULD SET OUT ACCORDINGLY; AND AT THE SPOT WHERE THE CLOUD SETTLED, THERE THE ISRAELITES WOULD...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Nasso THIS WAS THE DEDICATION OFERING FOR THE ALTAR FROM THE CHEIFTAINS OF ISRAEL UPON THE DAY OF ITS BEING ANOINTED: SILVER BOWLS, TWELVE; SILVER BASINS, TWELVE; GOLD LADLES, TWELVE. (Bemidbar 7: 84) TOTAL OF HERD ANIMALS FOR SACRIFICES OF WELL-BEING, TWENTY-FOUR BULLS; OF RAMS, SIXTY; OF HE-GOATS, SIXTY; OF YEARLING RAMS, SIXTY. THAT WAS THE DEDICATION OFFERING FOR THE ALTAR AFTER ITS ANOINTING. (Bemidbar 7:88) Unity is Possible When the Good...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Emor COMMAND THE ISRAELITE PEOPLE TO BRING YOU CLEAR OIL OF BEATEN OLIVES FOR LIGHTING, FOR KINDLING LAMPS REGULARLY. (Vayikra 24: 2) To bring to you clear oil of beaten olives – This section is repeated, because the menorah is next to the table in order to illuminate the table bearing the lehem ha'panim . Here is explicitly stated that all of this is done for the sake of setting...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Behar – Behukotay IF YOU FOLLOW MY LAWS AND FAITHFULLY OBSERVE MY COMMANDMENTS… 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… I WILL ESTABLISH MY ABODE IN YOUR MIDST, AND I WILL NOT SPURN YOU. AND I WILL WALK IN YOUR MIDST; I WILL BE YOUR GOD, AND YOU SHALL BE MY...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Achary Mot – Kedoshim WHEN YOU REAP THE HARVEST OF YOUR LAND, YOU SHALL NOT REAP ALL THE WAY TO THE EDGES OF YOUR FIELD OR GATHER THE GLEANINGS OF YOUR HARVEST. YOU SHALL NOT PICK YOUR VINEYARD BARE, OR GATHER THE FALLEN FRUIT OF YOUR VINEYARD; YOU SHALL LEAVE THEM FOR THE POOR AND THE STRANGER: I AM THE LORD. (Vayikra 19: 9-10) Anyone who leaves the gleanings, the forgotten sheaf and...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Tazria – Metzora THERE WERE FOUR MEN, LEPERS, OUTSIDE THE GATE. THEY SAID TO ONE ANOTHER: "WHY SHOULD WE SIT HERE WAITING FOR DEATH?" (Melakhim Bet 7:1, Haftorah for Metzora) "Always push away with the left hand and draw near with the right" The Rabbis learned: Elisha suffered three bouts of ilness: One, when he enraged bears against children, one when he pushed away Gehazi with both his hands, and one that killed...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Shmini SPEAK TO THE ISRAELITE PEOPLE THUS: THESE ARE THE CREATURES THAT YOU MAY EAT FROM AMONG ALL THE LAND ANIMALS. (Vayikra 11: 2) The Laws of Slaughter and the Restrictions on Eating Meat are Stages Towards a Higher Spiritual State These are the creatures that you may eat: It begins by permitting certain types of meat, (and so with grasshoppers and fish), implying that it would be best not to eat any living...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Tzav I WILL SEND THE PROPHET ELIJAH TO YOU BEFORE THE COMING OF THE AWESOME, FEARFUL DAY OF THE LORD. HE SHALL RECONCILE FATHERS WITH SONS AND SONS WITH THEIR FATHERS, SO THAT, WHEN I COME, I DO NOT STRIKE THE WHOLE LAND WITH UTTER DESTRUCTION. (Malachi 3:23-4 from the haftarah for Shabbat HaGadol) Rabbi Joshua said: I received a tradition from Rabban Yohanan ben Zakai who heard it from his teacher, who...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Vayikra SPEAK TO THE ISRAELITE PEOPLE, AND SAY TO THEM: WHEN ANY OF YOU PRESENTS AN OFFERING OF CATTLE TO THE LORD YOU SHALL OFFER YOUR OFFERING FROM THE HERD OR FROM THE FLOCK. (Vayikra 1:2)) The Sacrifices: Of You? Of Animals? What does it say previously about this matter? When one has thus sinned and, realizing his guilt, would restore that which he gained through robbery (Vayikra 5: 23) and afterwards, This...