Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Vayishlah Said Rabbi Berekhiya in the name of Rabbi Helbo: It is written (Bereishit 32): “A man wrestled with him” We know not who was in the power of whom; Was the angel in the power of Yaakov, or was Yaakov in the power of the angel? But from the text: And he said, release for the dawn has broken” Said the angel to Yaakov: “Release me, for my turn has come to give praise” – It is evident that the angel was in the power...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Vayetse “So Yaakov served seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days because of his love for her.” (Bereishit 29:20) “Because of his love for her” – “For love disregards the line.” (Depending upon the context, “love disregards the line” may mean: “Love disregards accepted conduct”; “Love distorts logic and reason”; “Love distorts perception”.) (Sforno ibid., ibid.) “But a few days”: On The Relativity Of Time And Difficulty. “And they seemed to him but a few days...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Toldot But the children almost crushed one another inside her, so she said: if this be so, why do I exist? And she went to inquire of God. God said to her: two nations are in your body, two tribes from your belly shall be divided; tribe shall be mightier than tribe, elder shall be servant to younger. When her days were fulfilled for bearing, here: twins were in her body! The first one came out ruddy, like a hairy mantle all over, so they called...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat CHaye Sara WHEN SHE HAD LET HIM DRINK HIS FILL, SHE SAID:“I WILL ALSO DRAW FOR YOUR CAMELS, UNTIL THEY FINISH DRINKING.” (Bereishit 24:19) The Needs of Man and his Animals, and the Quality of Mercy Our Sages derived from the passage “And I shall give grass in your fields for your animals” (Devarim 1:15) that one must feed his animals before he eats. Know that this applies only when there is no danger or suffering, but should there be danger or pain, one...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Vayera NOW HIS WIFE GAZED BEHIND HIM, AND SHE BECAME A PILLAR OF SALT (Bereishit 19:26) “And she became a pillar of salt” – Lot’s Wife or the Earth? “Gazed behind him” – Said Rabbi Yizhak: She sinned using salt; on the night that the messengers came to Lot, what did she do? She went to all her neighbors and said to them: Give me salt, for we have guests. Her intention was that the townfolk should be aware of them, therefore “she became...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Lech Lecha BUT GOD PLAGUED PHARAOH WITH GREAT PLAGUES, AND ALSO HIS HOUSEHOLD, BECAUSE OF SARAI, AVRAM’S WIFE (Bereishit 12:17) THE STORY OF AVRAM, SARAI, AND PHARAOH – P’SHAT AND DRASH, MORALITY AND JUSTICE “But God plagued Pharaoh with great plagues” – Pharaoh alone with great plagues. “And his household” – He sent plagues also upon his household, but not great ones, as with Pharaoh. This, so that they see that the righteous woman alone was spared, and that they realize that it...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Noach AND ALL THE WORLD WAS OF ONE LANGUAGE AND ONE SET OF WORDS . . . THEY SAID: COME NOW! LET US BUILD OURSELVES A CITY AND A TOWER, ITS TOP IN THE HEAVENS, AND LET US MAKE OURSELVES A NAME, LEST WE BE SCATTERED OVER THE FACE OF ALL THE EARTH GREAT IS PEACE – DESPICABLE IS DISCORD No remnant remained of the Generation of the Deluge, but there were survivors of the Generation of the Scattering. The Generation of the Deluge was...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Bereishit This issue is in honor of Major Yehoraz Kasher z”l 1 Sivan 5726 – 27 Tishrei 5752 21 April 1966 – 5 October 1991 “WHEN JARED HAD LIVED 162 YEARS, HE BEGOT ENOCH. AFTER THE BIRTH OF ENOCH, JARED LIVED 800 YEARS… ALL THE DAYS OF ENOCH CAME TO 365 YEARS… THEN HE WAS NO MORE, FOR GOD TOOK HIM.” (Bereishit 5:18-24) “And he was no more, for God had killed him” (Targum Unkelos) “… and the reason that Scripture described his death...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Sukkot All seven days, one makes his sukkah permanent and his home temporary. If rains fall, at what point may he leave the sukkah? When the porridge spoils. spun a parable: To what may this be compared – to a servant who came to pour a cup for his master, and he poured a jug on his face. (Mishna Sukkah 2:9) A question was asked of the scholars: Who poured on whom? Come and hear that which was taught in a berayta: His master...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parshat Haazinu “How can one have routed a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, Unless their Rock had sold them, the Lord had given them up?” (Devarim 32:30) OUR SUCCESS IS DEPENDANT UPON OUR SPIRITUAL CONDITION, NOT UPON OUR MILITARY MIGHT. “How can one have routed a thousand” – If you do not observe the Torah, how can I keep my promise to you? You asked that one of you rout a thousand, and two, ten thousand; now one of the nations rout a...