Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Yitro NOW IT WAS ON THE MORROW: MOSHE SAT TO JUDGE THE PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE STOOD BEFORE MOSHE FROM DAYBREAK UNTIL SUNSET. WHEN MOSHE'S FATHER-IN-LAW SAW ALL THAT HE HAD TO DO FOR THE PEOPLE, HE SAID: WHAT KIND OF MATTER IS THIS THAT YOU DO FOR THE PEOPLE? WHY DO YOU SIT ALONE, WHILE THE ENTIRE PEOPLE STATIONS ITSELF AROUND YOU FROM DAYBREAK UNTIL SUNSET? The Judge Can Judge Only By What He Sees … From the text, it seems that originally Moshe...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Beshalach YOU LED IN YOUR FAITHFULNESS YOUR PEOPLE REDEEMED, GUIDED THEM IN YOUR FIERCE MIGHT TO YOUR HOLY PASTURE. THE PEOPLES HEARD, THEY SHUDDERED; WRITHING SEIZED PHILISTIA'S SETTLERS. (Shemot 15:13-15) Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon opened his discourse (Devarim 32): "He said: I will conceal my face from thee" – the son of a king who would go out to the marketplace, strike – but not be struck, put to shame – but not be shamed, and he would stand arrogantly...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Bo SO THE PEOPLE TOOK THEIR DOUGH BEFORE IT HAD FERMENTED, THEIR KNEADING BOWLS WRAPPED IN THEIR CLOAKS UPON THEIR SHOULDERS…. NOW THEY BAKED THE DOUGH WHICH THEY HAD BROUGHT OUT OF EGYPT INTO MATZOTH CAKES, FOR IT HAD NOT FERMENTED, FOR THEY HAD BEEN DRIVEN OUT OF EGYPT AND COULD NOT LINGER; NEITHER HAD THEY MADE PROVISIONS FOR THEMSELVES. (Shemot 12:34, 39) "Before it had fermented" – The Egyptians did not let them wait for fermentation. (Rashi, Shemot 12:34) "For they had been...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Vaera GOD SAID TO MOSHE: SAY TO AHARON: STRETCH OUT YOUR HAND WITH YOUR STAFF, OVER THE TRIBUTARIES, OVER THE NILE CANALS AND OVER THE PONDS, MAKE THE FROGS ASCEND UPON THE LAND OF EGYPT! AHARON STRETCHED OUT HIS HAND OVER THE WATERS OF EGYPT, THE FROG HORDE ASCENDED AND COVERED THE LAND OF EGYPT. (Shemot 8:1,2) Subjugation of the Subjugators Why did He bring upon the Egyptians the frogs? Because they had subjugated the Israelites, ordering them "Bring us...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Shemot THE MIDWIVES, FEARING GOD, DID NOT DO AS THE KING OF EGYPT HAD TOLD THEM; THEY LET THE BOYS LIVE. SO THE KING OF EGYPT SUMMONED THE MIDWIVES AND SAID TO THEM, "WHY HAVE YOU DONE THIS THING, LETTING THE BOYS LIVE?" (Shemot 1 17:18) Ethical Behavior Is The Criterion For Fear of God … whoever withstands this test, willing to sacrifice his life – prepared to be killed rather than to transgress – definitely has in his heart the Lord, the Lord of...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Vayechi YISSACHAR IS A STRONG-BONED ASS, CROUCHING AMONG THE SHEEPFOLDS. WHEN HE SAW HOW GOOD WAS SECURITY AND HOW PLEASANT WAS THE COUNTRY, HE BENT HIS SHOULDER TO THE BURDEN, AND BECAME A TOILING SERF. (Bereishit 49:14,15) In Yissachar that disposition is described which works gladly but only in such a way, and with such an idea, as has worth in the true Jewish nation. While in Yehuda the ruling tribe and in Zevulun the commercial tribe is presented, in Yissachar the real backbone of...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Vayigash YOSEF COULD NO LONGER RESTRAIN HIMSELF IN THE PRESENCE OF ALL WHO WERE STATIONED AROUND HIM, HE CALLED OUT: HAVE EVERYONE LEAVE ME! SO NO ONE STOOD IN ATTENDANCE UPON HIM WHEN YOSEF MADE HIMSELF KNOWN TO HIS BROTHERS. HE PUT FORTH HIS VOICE IN WEEPING: THE EGYPTIANS HEARD, PHARAOH'S HOUSEHOLD HEARD. THEN YOSEF SAID TO HIS BROTHERS: I AM YOSEF. IS MY FATHER STILL ALIVE? BUT HIS BROTHERS WERE NOT ABLE TO ANSWER HIM, FOR THEY WERE CONFOUNDED IN HIS PRESENCE. YOSEF SAID TO...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Miketz HE FELL ASLEEP AND DREAMT A SECOND TIME; HERE, SEVEN EARS OF GRAIN WERE GOING UP ON A SINGLE STALK, FAT AND GOOD, AND HERE, SEVEN EARS, LEAN AND SCORCHED BY THE EAST WIND, WERE SPRINGING UP AFTER THEM. THEN THE LEAN EARS SWALLOWED UP THE SEVEN EARS FAT AND FULL. PHARAOH AWOKE, AND HERE: (IT WAS) A DREAM! (Bereishit 41:5-6) BETWEEN FAITH AS SATISFACTION OF NEEDS AND FAITH AS A MISSION Said Rabbi Yochanan: The wicked exist by their gods, "Pharaoh dreamt...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Vayeshev THEY SAW HIM FROM AFAR, AND BEFORE HE HAD GOTTEN TO THEM, THEY PLOTTED CUNNINGLY AGAINST HIM TO CAUSE HIS DEATH. THEY SAID EACH MAN TO HIS BROTHER: HERE COMES THE MASTER DREAMER! SO NOW, COME, LET US KILL HIM AND THROW HIM INTO ONE OF THESE PITS AND SAY: AN ILL-TEMPERED BEAST HAS DEVOURED HIM! THEN WE WILL SEE WHAT BECOMES OF HIS DREAMS! WHEN RE'UVEN HEARD IT HE TRIED TO RESCUE HIM FROM THEIR HAND, HE SAID: LET US NOT TAKE HIS LIFE!...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Vayishlah YAAKOV WAS LEFT ALONE. AND A MAN WRESTLED WITH HIM UNTIL THE BREAK OF DAWN. WHEN HE SAW THAT HE HAD NOT PREVAILED AGAINST HIM, HE WRENCHED YAAKOV'S HIP AT ITS SOCKET, SO THAT THE SOCKET OF HIS HIP WAS STRAINED AS HE WRESTLED WITH HIM. THEN HE SAID, "LET ME GO, FOR DAWN IS BREAKING." BUT HE ANSWERED, "I WILL NOT LET YOU GO UNLESS YOU BLESS ME." "AND A MAN WRESTLED WITH HIM UNTIL THE BREAK OF DAWN." – THE TORAH'S...