Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Tetzave – Shabbat Zachor THE KING ASKED HER: "WHAT TROUBLES YOU, QUEEN ESTHER? AND WHAT IS YOUR REQUEST? EVEN TO HALF THE KINGDOM, IT SHALL BE GRANTED YOU." AND ESTHER SAID, "IF IT PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY, LET YOUR MAJESTY AND HAMAN COME TODAY TO THE WINE- FEAST THAT I HAVE PREPARED FOR HIM… AND THE KING SAID TO ESTHER IN THE WINE-FEAST: "WHAT IS YOUR WISH AND IT SHALL BE GRANTED YOU? AND WHAT IS...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Truma YOU SHALL MAKE A MENORAH OF PURE GOLD; THE MENORAH SHALL BE MADE OF HAMMERED WORK; ITS BASE AND ITS SHAFT, ITS CUPS, CALYXES, AND PETALS SHALL BE OF ONE PIECE… MAKE ITS SEVEN LAMPS – ITS LAMPS SHALL BE SO MOUNTED AS TO GIVE THE LIGHT ON ITS FRONT SIDE. (Shemot 25:31, 37) to give the light on its front side – fashion the six lamps which are at the tops of...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Mishpatim YOU SHALL NOT SUBVERT THE RIGHTS OF YOUR NEEDY IN THEIR DISPUTES. KEEP FAR FROM A FALSE CHARGE; DO NOT BRING DEATH TO THOSE WHO ARE INNOCENT AND IN THE RIGHT, FOR I WILL NOT ACQUIT THE WRONGDOER. (Shemot 23:6-7) You shall not subvert the rights of your needy in their disputes. Why is this said? Because it says nor shall you show deference to a poor man in his dispute (Shemot 23:3)...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Yitro SO THE LORD SAID TO HIM, "GO DOWN, AND COME BACK UP WITH AARON; BUT LET NOT THE PRIESTS OR THE PEOPLE BREAK THROUGH TO COME UP TO THE LORD, LEST HE BREAK OUT AGAINST THEM. AND MOSES WENT DOWN TO THE PEOPLE AND SPOKE TO THEM. (Shemot 19:24-25) The two terms yerida and aliyah have been given in the Hebrew language the respective meanings of "descent" and "ascent." Accordingly when a body...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Beshalach AND THE ISRAELITES WENT INTO THE SEA ON DRY GROUND, THE WATERS FORMING A WALL FOR THEM ON THEIR RIGHT AND ON THEIR LEFT. (Shemot 14:22) BUT THE ISRAELITES HAD MARCHED THROUGH THE SEA ON DRY GROUND, THE WATERS FORMING A WALL FOR THEM ON THEIR RIGHT AND ON THEIR LEFT. (Shemot 14:29) Is Faith for Everyone, or Does it Require Courage? And rebelled at the sea, at the Red Sea (Psalms 106:7)...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Bo THICK DARKNESS DESCENDED UPON ALL THE LAND OF EGYPT FOR THREE DAYS. PEOPLE COULD NOT SEE ONE ANOTHER, AND FOR THREE DAYS NO ONE COULD GET UP FROM WHERE HE WAS; BUT ALL THE ISRAELITES ENJOYED LIGHT IN THEIR DWELLINGS. (Shemot 10:22-23) No one could get up from where he was – it is not the nature of darkness to so imprison someone that he cannot get up from where he is. Even...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Vaera EACH MAN THREW FORTH HIS STAFF, AND THEY TURNED INTO SERPENTS. AND AARON'S STAFF SWALLOWED THEIR STAFFS. (Shemot 7:12) Take your staff and throw it forth before Pharaoh, and it will become a serpent . What is the Difference Between a Serpent and a Snake ? …the tanin is a large and especially dangerous snake, as it is said, their wine is the wrath of taninim (Devarim 32:34), this implies that its...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Shemot WHEN THE LORD SAW THAT HE HAD TURNED ASIDE TO LOOK, GOD CALLED TO HIM OUT OF THE BUSH, AND SAID: "MOSES! MOSES!" HE ANSWERED: "HERE I AM." AND HE SAID, "DO NOT COME CLOSER. REMOVE YOUR SANDALS FROM YOUR FEET, FOR THE PLACE ON WHICH YOU STAND IS HOLY GROUND. (Shemot 3:3-5) Remove your sandals from your feet – While the verse should be understood literally – the wearing of footwear is...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Vayechi THEN JOSEPH ORDERED THE PHYSICIANS IN HIS SERVICE TO EMBALM HIS FATHER, AND THE PHYSICIANS EMBALMED ISRAEL. (Bereishit 50:2) "Literal" Truth and the Truth of "Drash" Rav Nahman and Rabbi Yitzhak sat to eat. R. Nahman said to R. Yitzhak: "Sir, relate some words of Torah." …He told him, "This is what Rabbi Yohanan said: ‘Our father Jacob did not die.'" He said to him: "Could it be that they eulogized him, embalmed...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Vayigash JOSEPH COULD NO LONGER CONTROL HIMSELF BEFORE ALL HIS ATTENDANTS, AND HE CRIED OUT, "HAVE EVERYONE WITHDRAW FROM ME!" SO THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE ABOUT WHEN JOSEPH MADE HIMSELF KNOWN TO HIS BROTHERS. (Bereishit 45:1-2) Joseph could no longer control himself – Loss of Control? Consideration for his Brothers and Father? Joseph could no longer control himself – he could no longer make the effort to remain unrecognized by them, as he...