Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Behaalotcha NOW THE PEOPLE WERE LIKE THOSE WHO GRIEVE OVER ILL-FORTUNE, IN THE EARS OF GOD. WHEN GOD HEARD, HIS ANGER FLARED UP; THERE BLAZED UP AGAINST THEM A FIRE OF GOD AND ATE UP THE EDGE OF THE CAMP. THE PEOPLE CRIED OUT TO MOSHE, AND MOSHE INTERCEDED TO GOD AND THE FIRE ABATED. (Bemidbar 11:1-3) A Place's Character Is Determined By Its Inhabitants "For there had blazed against them the fire of...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Nasso – Shavuot ON THE THIRD DAY, AS MORNING DAWNED, THERE WAS THUNDER, AND LIGHTENING, AND A DENSE CLOUD UPON THE MOUNTAIN, AND A VERY LOUD BLAST OF THE HORN; AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THE CAMP TREMBLED. MOSHE LED THE PEOPLE OUT OF THE CAMP TOWARD GOD, AND THEY TOOK THEIR PLACES AT THE FOOT OF THE MOUNTAIN (Bemidbar 19:16-17) Acceptance of the Torah by Coercion v.s. Acceptance By Free...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Behukotay THESE ARE THE COMMANDMENTS THAT THE LORD GAVE MOSHE FOR THE ISRAELITE PEOPLE ON MOUNT SINAI. (Vayikra 27:34) THESE ARE THE LAWS, RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS THAT THE LORD ESTABLISHED, THROUGH MOSHE ON MOUNT SINAI, BETWEEN HIMSELF AND THE ISRAELITE PEOPLE. (Vayikra 26:33) THESE ARE THE COMMANDMENTS AND REGULATIONS THAT THE LORD ENJOINED UPON THE ISRAELITES, THROUGH MOSHE, ON THE STEPPES OF MOAB, AT THE JORDAN NEAR JERICHO. (Bemidbar 36:13) Revelation, Tradition, and Innovation...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Behar DO NOT MALTREAT ONE ANOTHER, BUT FEAR YOUR GOD; FOR I THE LORD AM YOUR GOD YOU SHALL OBSERVE MY LAWS AND FAITHFULLY KEEP MY RULES, SO THAT YOU MAY LIVE UPON THE LAND IN SECURITY. (Vayikra 25: 17-18) "Do Not Maltreat… That You May Live Upon The Land In Security" DWELLING IN THE LAND IN SECURITY IS DEPENDENT UPON THE EXISTENCE OF AN ENLIGHTENED SOCIETY. Rebbi prepared a feast for his disciples....
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Emor THE LORD SAID TO MOSHE: SPEAK TO THE PRIESTS, THE SONS OF AHARON, AND SAY TO THEM: NONE SHALL DEFILE HIMSELF FOR ANY DEAD PERSON AMONG HIS KIN… THE LORD SPOKE TO MOSHE, SAYING: INSTRUCT AHARON AND HIS SONS… IF A MAN TOUCHES ANY SWARMING THING BY WHICH HE IS MADE UNCLEAN OR ANY HUMAN BEING BY WHOM HE IS MADE UNCLEAN – WHATEVER HIS UNCLEANLINESS – THE PERSON WHO TOUCHES SUCH SHALL BE...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Kedoshim YOU SHALL RISE BEFORE THE AGED AND SHOW DEFERENCE TO THE OLD; YOU SHALL FEAR YOUR GOD: I AM THE LORD. (Vayikra 19:32) "You Shall Rise Before The Aged And Show Deference To The Old" –An Expression Of Human Dignity One must rise before one who is very old, even if he is not a wise man; even a young man who is wise must rise before a very old man, but he...
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 AND FROM THE ISRAELITE COMMUNITY HE SHALL TAKE TWO HE-GOATS FOR A SIN OFFERING AND A RAM FOR A BURNT OFFERING. (Vayikra 16:5) The Azazel Goat As Symbolic Carrier of Sins It appears to me that the reason that all the chattat (sin) offerings, both individual and public, are goats, i.e., the goats of the festivals and the goats of New Moons, and the goats of Yom HaKippurim and the goats...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Pesach "ACCORDING TO HIS INTELLIGENCE, HIS FATHER TEACHES HIM" (Mishna, Pesahim 10:4) Change, Question, and Story Our Rabbi taught: If his son is wise, he – the son – asks him. If he is not wise, his wife asks. If not – he asks himself. Even two scholars, who are well versed in the laws of Pessach – they ask each other, "In what way is this night different from all other nights? On all...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Metzora IF A MAN LOSES THE HAIR OF HIS HEAD AND BECOMES BALD, HE IS PURE. AND IF ON THE EDGE OF HIS FACE HIS HEAD BECOMES SMOOTH, HE IS FOREHEAD-BALD, HE IS STILL PURE. BUT WHEN THERE IS ON THE BALD SPOT OR ON THE FOREHEAD AN AFFECTON, WHITE AND REDDING, IT IS SPROUTING TZARAAT, ON HIS BALD SPOT OR ON HIS FOREHEAD. WHEN THE PRIEST LOOKS AT HIM, AND HERE: THE SWELLING OF...