Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Rosh Hashana RABBI ABAHU SAID: WHY DO WE SOUND A SHOFAR TAKEN FROM A RAM? THE HOLY ONE BLESSED BE HE SAID: SOUND BEFORE ME A SHOFAR TAKEN FROM A RAM IN ORDER THAT I REMEMBER THE BINDING OF ISAAC SON OF ABRAHAM FOR YOUR SAKES, AND CREDIT IT TO YOU AS IF YOU HAD BOUND YOURSELVES BEFORE ME. (Rosh HaShana 16a) The shofar sounded on Rosh HaShana is straight and its...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Nitzavim-Vayelech AND LATER GENERATIONS WILL ASK – THE CHILDREN WHO WILL SUCCEED YOU, AND FOREIGNERS WHO COME FROM DISTANT LANDS AND SEE THE PLAGUES AND DISEASES THAT THE LORDS HAS INFLICTED ON THAT LAND. ALL ITS SOIL DEVASTATED BY SULFUR AND SALT, BEYOND SOWING AND PRODUCING, NO GRASS GROWING IN IT, JUST LIKE THE UPHEAVAL OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH, ADMAH AND ZEVOIIM, WHICH THE LORD OVERTHREW IN HIS FIERCE ANGER. (Devarim 29:18-25) Had not...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Ki Tavo YOU WILL GROPE AT MIDDAY, AS THE BLIND MAN GROPES IN THE DARK, AND YOU WILL BE UNSUCCESSFUL IN YOUR WAYS. YOU WILL BE ONLY OPPRESSED AND ROBBED ALL THE DAYS, AND NO ONE WILL SAVE . (Devarim 28:29) You will grope at midday You will be seeking good advice regarding the alleviation of your troubles but there will be no one amongst you who speaks the truth, like...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Ki Tetseh YOU SHALL NOT WITHHOLD THE WAGES OF A POOR OR DESTITUTE HIRED WORKER, OF YOUR BROTHERS OR OF YOUR STRANGERS WHO ARE IN YOUR LAND WITHIN YOUR CITIES. YOU SHALL GIVE HIM HIS WAGE ON HIS DAY AND NOT LET THE SUN SET OVER IT, FOR HE IS POOR, AND HE RISKS HIS LIFE FOR IT, SO THAT HE SHOULD NOT CRY OUT TO THE LORD AGAINST YOU, SO THAT THERE SHOULD BE...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Shoftim WHEN YOU BESIEGE A CITY FOR MANY DAYS TO WAGE WAR AGAINST IT TO CAPTURE IT, YOU SHALL NOT DESTROY ITS TREES BY WIELDING AN AX AGAINST THEM, FOR YOU MAY EAT FROM IT, BUT YOU SHALL NOT CUT IT DOWN. IS THE TREE OF THE FIELD A MAN, TO GO INTO THE SIEGE BEFORE YOU? (Devarim 20:19) For you may eat from it, but you shall not cut it down. Is the...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Reeh THESE YOU MAY EAT OF ALL THAT ARE IN THE WATERS; ALL THAT HAVE FINS AND SCALES, YOU MAY EAT. BUT WHATEVER DOES NOT HAVE FINS AND SCALES, YOU SHALL NOT EAT; IT IS UNCLEAN FOR YOU. (Devarim 14:9-10) ANY THAT DOES NOT HAVE FINS AND SCALES IN THE WATER IS AN ABOMINATION FOR YOU. (Vayikra 11:12) Is an abomination for you. A hated and disgusting thing, not that they are...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Ekev AND YOU SHALL REMEMBER THE ENTIRE WAY ON WHICH THE LORD, YOUR GOD, LED YOU THESE FORTY YEARS IN THE DESERT… YOUR CLOTHING DID NOT WEAR OUT UPON YOU, NOR DID YOUR FOOT SWELL THESE FORTY YEARS. (Devarim 8:2,4) Your clothing – Some say: this occurred miraculously. Others say: Because they took out many garments with them from Egypt. And it could be that it is not in...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Vaetchanan GO UP TO THE TOP OF THE HILL AND LIFT UP YOUR EYES WESTWARD AND NORTHWARD AND SOUTHWARD AND EASTWARD AND SEE WITH YOUR EYES, FOR YOU SHALL NOT CROSS THIS JORDAN. (Devarim 3:27) Seeing with Pleasure and Seeing with Sorrow And the Lord said to him: "This is the land…" (Devarim 34:4) R. Eliezer says: He gave strength to Moses' eyes, and he saw from one end of the world to...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Devarim THE LORD, YOUR GOD, HAS MULTIPLIED YOU, AND BEHOLD, YOU ARE TODAY AS THE STARS OF THE HEAVENS IN ABUNDANCE. (Devarim 1:10) And, behold, you are today as the stars of the heavens But were they on that day as the stars of the heavens? Were they not only six hundred thousand? What, then, is "And, behold, you are today…?" -Behold, you are compared to...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Matot-Mas'ey FOR HE SHALL REMAIN IN HIS CITY OF REFUGE UNTIL THE HIGH PRIEST DIES, AND ONLY AFTER THE HIGH PRIEST HAS DIED, MAY THE MURDERER RETURN TO THE LAND WHICH IS HIS POSSESSION. (Bamidbar 35:28) until the High Priest… dies For he causes the Divine Presence to rest upon Israel and thus prolongs their lives, whereas the murderer causes the Divine Presence to withdraw from Israel and thus shortens their lives. He is...