Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Rosh Hashana Remember us for life, O King who delightest in life; Inscribe us in the book of life for thy sake, O living God. FATEFUL HOURS ARE NOT FIT FOR SONG, THEY ARE APPROPRIATE FOR INTROSPECTION The Book of Life is the heavens, and there all future decrees are inscribed on the day of their creation. (Ibn Ezra, Psalms, 69:29) "The court sat, and books were opened" (Daniel 7:10). He does not need a book, for He knows thoughts yet unthought, but this...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Nitzavim-Vayelech AND MOSHE INSTRUCTED THEM AS FOLLOWS: EVERY SEVENTH YEAR, THE YEAR SET FOR REMISSION, ON THE FEAST OF BOOTHS, WHEN ALL ISRAEL COMES TO APPEAR BEFORE THE LORD YOUR GOD IN THE PLACE THAT HE WILL CHOOSE, YOU SHALL READ THIS TEACHING ALOUD IN THE PRESENCE OF ALL ISRAEL. GATHER THE PEOPLE – MEN, WOMEN, CHILDREN AND THE SOJOURNER THAT IS IN YOUR GATES, IN ORDER THAT THEY MAY HEARKEN, IN ORDER THAT THEY MAY LEARN AND HAVE AWE FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD, TO...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Ki Tavo GOD WILL OPEN FOR YOU HIS GOODLY TREASURIES, THE HEAVENS, BY GIVING THE RAIN OF YOUR LAND IN ITS SET-TIME, AND BY BLESSING ALL THE DOINGS OF YOUR HAND; YOU WILL LEND TO MANY NATIONS, BUT YOU YOURSELF WILL NOT HAVE TO TAKE A LOAN. (Devarim 28:12) The Blessing Is Dependent upon Mutual Responsibility Between People And what is the meaning of "I shall be that which I shall be?" Just as you are with me, so am I with you. If they...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Ki Tetseh IF, ALONG THE ROAD, YOU CHANCE UPON A BIRD'S NEST, IN ANY TREE OR ON THE GROUND, WITH FLEDGLINGS OR EGGS AND THE MOTHER SITTING OVER THE FLEDGLINGS OR ON THE EGGS, DO NOT TAKE THE MOTHER TOGETHER WITH HER YOUNG. SEND, YES, SEND AWAY THE MOTHER, AND TAKE THE OFFSPRING FOR YOURSELF, IN ORDER THAT YOU MAY FARE WELL AND HAVE A LONG LIFE. (Devarim 22:6-7) Anticipation of Reward: Incentive or Obstacle? There are mitzvot that are rewarded with wealth, and...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) 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) MAN AND THE TREE Eliyahu the prophet comes to announce peace – also the peace between the holiness in the material and the holiness which...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Reeh THEY EVEN OFFER UP THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS IN FIRE TO THEIR GODS… (Devarim 12:31) BE CAREFUL TO OBSERVE ONLY THAT WHICH I ENJOIN UPON YOU: NEITHER ADD TO IT NOR TAKE AWAY FROM IT. (Devarim 13:1) "Neither add to it" – Five compartments in the tephillin, five species for the lulav, four blessings in the priestly benediction. (Rashi ibid., ibid.) The Holy One, Blessed Be He, Wants Life, and Is Not Interested In Human Sacrifice "Neither add to it" – because you...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Ekev WHEN YOU HAVE EATEN YOUR FILL, AND HAVE BUILT FINE HOUSES TO LIVE IN… BEWARE LEST YOUR HEART GROW HAUGHTY AND YOU FORGET THE LORD YOUR GOD WHO FREED YOU FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT, THE HOUSE OF BONDAGE… AND YOU SAY TO YOURSELVES, "MY OWN POWER AND THE MIGHT OF MY OWN HAND HAVE WON THIS WEALTH FOR ME." REMEMBER THAT IT IS THE LORD YOUR GOD WHO GIVES YOU THE POWER TO GET WEALTH, IN FULFILLMENT OF THE COVENANT THAT HE MADE ON...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Vaetchanan NOW YOU ARE TO TAKE EXCEEDING CARE FOR YOUR SELVES- FOR YOU DID NOT SEE ANY FORM ON THE DAY THAT GOD SPOKE TO YOU AT HOREV FROM THE MIDST OF THE FIRE – LEST YOU WREAK RUIN BY MAKING YOURSELVES A CARVED FORM OF ANY FIGURE IN THE PATTERN OF MALE OR FEMALE. (Devarim 4:15-16) NOW YOU ARE TO TAKE EXCEEDING CARE FOR YOUR SELVES – TO LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD. (Joshua 23:11) "Only take you care" – this refers to the...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Devarim PROVIDE YOURSELVES WITH MEN, WISE, UNDERSTANDING, AND KNOWLEDGEABLE, FOR YOUR TRIBES, AND I WILL SET THEM AS YOUR HEADS. (Devarim 1:13) "Men wise and knowledgeable" – But "understanding" I did not find. This is one of the seven attributes which Yitro had suggested to Moshe – yet he found only three: Men righteous, wise and knowledgeable. (Rashi ibid., ibid.) The Halakhic Requirements for Judges The Bet Din (court) of three, even though its requirements are less stringent than those listed above, each member...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Matot Mas'ey THE LORD WAS INCENSED AT ISRAEL, AND FOR FORTY YEARS HE MADE THEM WANDER IN THE WILDERNESS, UNTIL THE WHOLE GENERATION THAT HAD PROVOKED THE LORD'S DISPLEASURE WAS GONE. (B'midbar 32:13) THE SPIRITUAL FATE OF THE GENERATION OF THE WILDERNESS – THE ENTRY TO THE LAND OF ISRAEL AND THE ENTRY INTO THE LAND OF LIFE. Our Sages taught: The Generation of the Wilderness has no portion in the world to come, as is written "And in this desert they shall perish...