Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Ha'azinu – Sukkot Remember the days of old, Give thought to the years of times past. Ask your father, that he may tell you, Your elders, that they may say to you. (Devarim 32:7)   Remember the days of old. After completion of the introduction to the poem, in which he announces his intention to justify the ways of the exalted God, that He is a God of trust who benefits those who do His will, who...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Ha'azinu – Shabbat Teshuva OPEN A GATE FOR US AT THE HOUR OF THE GATE'S CLOSING – FOR THE DAY HAS PASSED   When is the Time for Ne'ila? The rabbis of Caesarea say: Rav and R. Yohanan disagree about it. Rav said: At the closing of the gates of Heaven. R. Yohanan: At the closing of the gates of the Temple. (Yerushalmi Berakhot 4:1)   And so they established a service following the minha...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Ha'azinu – Sukkot A sukkah whose height exceeds twenty cubits is unfit, but Rabbi Yehudah allows it… (Mishnah Sukkah 1:1) What is the scriptural basis?… Rava said: From You shall dwell in sukkot for seven days (Vayikra 23) – The Torah said: Leave your permanent dwelling and live in a temporary dwelling for all of those seven days. Up to twenty cubits – a person has made temporary dwelling; More than twenty...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Ha'azinu INDEED, AT A DISTANCE YOU SHALL SEE THE LAND, BUT THERE YOU SHALL NOT ENTER, THE LAND THAT I AM GIVING TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL (Devarim 32:52)   "Indeed, at a distance you shall see the land, but there you shall not come" – Here is written "but there you shall not come"; but further on it is written "but there you shall not cross". It cannot say "there you shall not come", for...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Ha'azinu SEE, THEN, THAT I, I AM HE; THERE IS NO GOD BESIDE ME. I DEAL DEATH AND GIVE LIFE; I WOUNDED AND I WILL HEAL; NONE CAN DELIVER FROM MY HAND.  (Devarim 32;39)     I Deal Death And Give Life – Only He Who Can Give Life Is Permitted To Kill Said The Holy One, Blessed Be He, to Moshe: "Moshe, son of whom are you?" He replied: "Son of Amram." "And Amram is the son of whom?" He replied: "Son of Kehat." Said...

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...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat Ha'azino (link to original page) Parshat Ha'azinu HA'AZINU HASHAMAYIM – "Give ear, O heavens" Rabbi Jehoshua of Siknin said: "From here you learn that the heavens have mouth, heart, and ear. 'Mouth', whence? For it is written, 'The heavens declare the glory of G-d.' (Psalms 19:2). And 'heart', whence? For it is written: 'And the mountain burned with fire unto the heart of heaven' (Deut.4:11). And 'ear', whence? For it is written, 'Give ear, '." (Midrash Rabba, Deut.Ch.10) "As an eagle arousing his nest": Likewise the Holy One, blessed be...