Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Tazria – Metzora THERE WERE FOUR MEN, LEPERS, OUTSIDE THE GATE. THEY SAID TO ONE ANOTHER: "WHY SHOULD WE SIT HERE WAITING FOR DEATH?" (Melakhim Bet 7:1, Haftorah for Metzora) "Always push away with the left hand and draw near with the right" The Rabbis learned: Elisha suffered three bouts of ilness: One, when he enraged bears against children, one when he pushed away Gehazi with both his hands, and one that killed...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Shmini SPEAK TO THE ISRAELITE PEOPLE THUS: THESE ARE THE CREATURES THAT YOU MAY EAT FROM AMONG ALL THE LAND ANIMALS. (Vayikra 11: 2) The Laws of Slaughter and the Restrictions on Eating Meat are Stages Towards a Higher Spiritual State These are the creatures that you may eat: It begins by permitting certain types of meat, (and so with grasshoppers and fish), implying that it would be best not to eat any living...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Tzav I WILL SEND THE PROPHET ELIJAH TO YOU BEFORE THE COMING OF THE AWESOME, FEARFUL DAY OF THE LORD. HE SHALL RECONCILE FATHERS WITH SONS AND SONS WITH THEIR FATHERS, SO THAT, WHEN I COME, I DO NOT STRIKE THE WHOLE LAND WITH UTTER DESTRUCTION. (Malachi 3:23-4 from the haftarah for Shabbat HaGadol) Rabbi Joshua said: I received a tradition from Rabban Yohanan ben Zakai who heard it from his teacher, who...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Vayikra SPEAK TO THE ISRAELITE PEOPLE, AND SAY TO THEM: WHEN ANY OF YOU PRESENTS AN OFFERING OF CATTLE TO THE LORD YOU SHALL OFFER YOUR OFFERING FROM THE HERD OR FROM THE FLOCK. (Vayikra 1:2)) The Sacrifices: Of You? Of Animals? What does it say previously about this matter? When one has thus sinned and, realizing his guilt, would restore that which he gained through robbery (Vayikra 5: 23) and afterwards, This...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Vayakhel-Pekuday LET, THEN, BEZALEL AND OHALIAV, ALL THE SKILLED PERSONS WHOM THE LORD HAD ENDOWED WITH SKILL AND ABILITY TO PERFORM EXPERTLY ALL THE TASKS CONNECED WITH THE SERVICE OF THE SANCTUARY, CARRY OUT ALL THAT THE LORD HAS COMMANDED. (Shemot 36:1) In the "Tabernacle of Love" All Are Equal Before God Bezalel was the name given him by his nation. The Holy One Blessed be He called him by five names that were...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Ki Tissa WHEN HE FINISHED SPEAKING WITH HIM ON MOUNT SINAI, HE GAVE MOSES THE TWO TABLETS OF THE PACT, STONE TABLETS INSCRIBED WITH THE FINGER OF GOD. WHEN THE PEOPLE SAW THAT MOSES WAS SO LONG IN COMING DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN, THE PEOPLE GATHERED AGAINST AARON AND SAID TO HIM, "COME MAKE US A GOD WHO SHALL GO BEFORE US, FOR THAT MAN MOSES, WHO BROUGHT US OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Tetzave REMEMBER WHAT AMALEK DID TO YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY… AND CUT DOWN ALL THE STRAGGLERS IN YOUR REAR… UNDETERRED BY FEAR OF GOD… YOU SHALL BLOT OUT THE MEMORY OF AMALEK FROM UNDER HEAVEN. DO NOT FORGET! (Devarim 25: 17-19) Blot out the memory of Amalek – Israel said to the Holy One Blessed Be He: Master of all worlds, you tell us to blot out the memory of Amalek!? We are flesh...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Truma AND LET THEM MAKE ME A SANCTUARY THAT I MAY DWELL AMONG THEM. (Shemot 25: 8) And it is written, and grant you peace (Bamidbar 6: 26) – The Shulamit – a nation in which dwells perpetual peace, for it says, and let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them. The Shulamit – a nation into which, in the future, I will grant peace, for it says, I will...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Mishpatim YOU SHALL NOT WRONG A STRANGER OR OPPRESS HIM, FOR YOU WERE STRANGERS IN THE LAND OF EGYPT. YOU SHALL NOT MISTREAT ANY WIDOW OR ORPHAN (Shemot 22:20-1) You shall not mistreat any widow or orphan – That is also the law regarding any person, but Scripture is speaking of what usually happens and therefore mentions these in particular for they are feeble in defensive power and it is a frequent occurrence for...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Yitro HAVING JOURNEYED FROM REFIDIM, THEY ENTERED THE WILDERNESS OF SINAI AND ENCAMPED IN THE WILDERNESS. ISRAEL ENCAMPED THERE IN FRONT OF THE MOUNTAIN. (Shemot 19: 2) The Torah Was Given out of Peace and Unity, But Unity Does Not Necessarily Imply Unanimity Israel encamped – as one person of one heart, but all the other stations of encampment involved complaining and controversy. (Rashi on Shemot 19: 2) Peace is great –...