Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Shmini And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel; and he said unto Aaron: 'Take thee a bull-calf for a sin-offering, and a ram for a burnt-offering, without blemish, and offer them before the LORD. (Leviticus 9,1-2) R. Shmuel bar Nachman said: For an entire seven days while at the burning bush God was trying to convince Moshe to accept the mission and...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Pesach This issue of "Shabbat Shalom" has been dedicated by the Watzman family to the memory of their son and brother, Niot z"l, a soldier in the Golani Brigade who died tragically last Pesach. Rabbi gamliel used to say: Whoever has not recited these three things on pesach Has not fulfilled his obligation: And these are: pesach (the pascal lamb), matzah (unleavened bread), And marror (bitter herbs) (Mishnah, Pesahim 10:5) Pesach – Pesach [must be recited...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Tzav Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? Under the apple tree I awakened thee. (Song of Songs 8,5) R. Awira expounded: As the reward for the righteous women who lived in that generation were the Israelites delivered from Egypt. When they went to draw water, the Holy One, blessed be He, arranged that small fishes should enter their pitchers, which they drew up half full of water and half...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Vayikra And if his hand cannot attain two turtledoves or two young pigeons, He shall bring as his offering for what he has committed A tenth of an epha of fine semolina as offense offering. (Vayikra 5:11) The root reason for the precept: We have already said (Mitzvah 95) that the purpose of the sacrifice is to remind the sinner and to help him recall through action that he has sinned, and that he should ask...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Vayakhel-Pekuday The total amount of the gold from the wave offering used for all the work on the sanctuary was 29 talents and 730 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel. (Shemot 38,24) "The total amount of the gold from the wave offering used for all the work on the sanctuary" There were five ornaments made from gold: brooches, earrings, rings and pendants and gold utensils (Shemot 35,22) representing the five types of suffering endured by...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Ki Tissa – Purim And so, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month – That is, the month of adar – When the king's command and decree were to be executed, The very day on which the enmeies of the jews Had expected to get them in their power, The oppoisite happened, And the jews got their enemies in their power. (Esther 9:1) "…if any person, man or woman, enters the king's presence in the...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Tetzave – Shabbat Zachor And thou shalt make a breastplate of judgment, the work of the skilful workman; like the work of the ephod thou shalt make it: like the engravings of a signet, every one according to his name, they shall be for the twelve tribes. (Shemot 28,15, 21) 'Breastplate of judgment' – it was so called because it atoned for any errors in judgment. Another explanation: 'judgment' because it makes its statements clear and...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Truma And you shall make a lamp stand of pure gold, hammered work it shall be made, its base and its shaft, its cups, its calyxes and its blossoms, shall be from that work. (Shemot 25:31) Hammered work it shall be made – It shall not be made of links nor shall he make its shaft and its cups piece by piece and afterwards soldered together as the goldsmiths do… but all should come from a...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Mishpatim If you lend money to My people, to the poor who are in your power, Do not act toward him as a creditor, Exact no interest from him. (Shemot 22,24) If you lend money to My people – R. Yishmael says: Every 'if' in the Torah is voluntary except for three instances, the above being one of them. Do not act toward him as a creditor- Do not demand payment from him forcibly if...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Yitro Six days shall you work and perform all you labors. (Shemot 20:9) Six days shall you work – at temporal matters, which are, without doubt, the work of a slave, because much of his work is really not essential, like the work of a slave. And perform all you labor – which is essential for one who is satisfied . (S'forno, ibid.) All your labors – Much of your labor,...