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 Sefer Bereshit - G-d’s Love Letter to Us .: Viewed: 1739 times :.
The entire Sefer Bereshit contains only three mitzvoth out of the 613. So why do we need to know all the episodes and stories taking place in Sefer Bereshit? Kabbalah compares the Torah, but especially Sefer Bereshit, to a mirror and teaches us that each and every person is reflected in it and can see himself in the Torah. According to Kabbalah, the soul of each and every Jewish person ever...
Published: November 8, 2017 |
Sarah – The First Beauty Queen .: Viewed: 1614 times :.
The Torah states, “Sarah’s lifetime was one hundred years, twenty years, and seven years.” (Bereshit 23:1)
The Torah informs us of Sarah’s age by separating the hundreds, the tens, and the ones by adding the word “years” to each group. This seems to be redundant. We know there are no extra words or even letters in the Torah.
Rashi explains that each...
Published: November 2, 2017 |
Mt. Moriah vs. Mt. Sinai .: Viewed: 1644 times :.
After the Akeida on Mt. Moriah, Avraham named that site “Hashem Yireh” which means G-d sees all. Then he continues, “On this mountain G-d will be seen” (Bereshit 22:14). According to the Rambam Hilchot Beth Habechirah 7, even today we are prohibited from walking on Mt. Moriah, where the Temple stood. The reason is that this place still retains its Kedusha even in the...
Published: October 24, 2017 |
Was Noach FFB or BT? .: Viewed: 1796 times :.
G-d tells Avraham, "Walk before Me and be complete." (Bereshit 17:1) Rashi says that Avraham's completeness, his capacity to be TAMIM, was obtained by his observance of the Mitzvah of Brit Mila. As long as he had the orlah (foreskin) he had a physical imperfection. With its removal, Avraham now became complete. The question is why Avraham needed the Mitzvah of MILA to become a TAMIM...
Published: October 3, 2017 |
Shabbat – The Soul Of The World! .: Viewed: 1644 times :.
In the division of the Torah into chapters and verses, the account of Shabbat in the Creation story comes at the beginning of Chapter 2. The Abarbanel informs us, that this division of the Bible into different chapters, is NOT of Jewish origin. These chapter divisions were invented by the Medieval Christian Bible printers. We use them for convenience only.
By beginning a new chapter with...
Published: September 27, 2017 |
NEILA – Locked In With G-d .: Viewed: 2840 times :.
Jay and the Americans had a hit song called “Let’s Lock the Door”. Jay attended Yeshiva Torat Emet in Boro Park. Was he singing about NEILA on Yom Kippur?
The Hebrew word for the Satan is numerically equivalent (Gematria) to 364. The Midrash explains that during the 364 days of the year, the Satan has the power to prosecute the Jewish people. But on one day, Yom Kippur, he...
Published: September 17, 2017 |
Fearsome Days or Happy Days? .: Viewed: 1758 times :.
There was a TV program called HAPPY DAYS. Is Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur Happy Days or Fearsome Days? The Mishna in Tanit states that our most joyous and most happy Yom Tov is Yom Kippur. But Yom Kippur is the final seal of Judgement Day! So which is it?
These days are called YAMIM NORAIM. In English it’s translated as DAYS OF AWE. Where does the word NORAIM come from? The first time...
Published: September 6, 2017 |
Why Celebrate Judgement? .: Viewed: 2004 times :.
Rosh HaShana is a puzzling Yom Tov for us. On the one hand, we are facing an awesome judgment; on the other hand, we celebrate the day as a joyous holiday. One can hardly imagine someone facing a life and death judgment enjoying himself on that very day. Yet, the Halacha states that we must celebrate on Rosh HaShana by feasting on meat and wine. What is even stranger, we not only celebrate...
Published: August 31, 2017 |
The Shofar - A Call to Action .: Viewed: 1776 times :.
On Rosh Hashana, when the Shofar is sounded, there is a pattern which repeats itself many times throughout the service. There is a straight blast (TEKIAH) followed by a broken blast (SHEVARIM TERUAH) followed by another straight blast (TEKIAH). Rabbi S.R. Hirsch explains that in the same way that the trumpets in the Desert (MIDBAR) were a call to Am Yisroel to journey forth, so too is the...
Published: August 23, 2017 |
ELUL – Our Great Spiritual Adventure .: Viewed: 1993 times :.
Judaism’s great spiritual adventure begins in the month of Elul. In many ways Elul is the most profound spiritual re-JEWvenation, a time of introspection, of self-judgement, and spiritual improvement. We spend this month preparing for Judgement Day. It is a time to contemplate the greatest themes of existence, the meaning of our lives, free will, and the celebration of living...
Published: August 17, 2017 |
The Torah is NOT P.C. .: Viewed: 1803 times :.
On Thursday, August 3rd the City of Jerusalem will host a Gay Pride Parade. As a result, some Torah Classes at the OU Israel Center will be cancelled. This is Bitul Torah big time.
There is a verse in Devarim 28, “G-d will strike you with madness.” This verse in the Torah is being fully and completely observed by our Politically Correct Leaders.
The Municipality of Jerusalem...
Published: August 7, 2017 |
How G-d’s Children Should React to Grief .: Viewed: 1725 times :.
“You are Children to your G-d, thus you shall not cut yourselves as a sign of mourning for the dead.” (Devarim: 14:1). Being G-d's Chosen People, His unique treasure in this world, carries with it awesome responsibilities. Since G-d calls us His Children, we are commanded to exercise constraint when mourning for the passing of a loved one. The pagans mutilated their bodies as an...
Published: August 6, 2017 |
Arab Terror – Is There Any Hope? .: Viewed: 2254 times :.
Once again, we are engulfed in a wave of brutal and savage Arab Terror. Is there any consolation?
The Talmud in Sanhedrin states that before the arrival of Mashiach, we will experience a period of pain and suffering called the CHEVLEI Mashiach. Literally, this means the birth pangs of Mashiach. It is an interesting choice of words. We understand that the prelude to Mashiach will be painful,...
Published: July 26, 2017 |
Why Do We Cry? .: Viewed: 1813 times :.
We have all cried – sometimes from joy, more often from sorrow. Why do we express both opposite emotions in the exact same way? Why is G-d, usually so generous with the wondrous resources with which He has endowed us, so restricting in this respect? Was there not some way to differentiate more clearly between joy and sorrow? On a physiological level, the encyclopedia informs us,...
Published: July 19, 2017 |
Why Mourn for a Temple We Never Saw? .: Viewed: 1878 times :.
On Tisha B'Av we mourn for the destruction of the first and second Holy Temples. The Talmud in Trachtate Taanit (Page 30) states that all Mitzvot that apply to a mourner during the Shiva also apply to the entire Jewish people on Tisha B'Av.
In other words, according to Halacha we are all sitting Shiva on Tisha B'Av. But, how can this be? For the Halacha states that if a close relative has...
Published: July 13, 2017 |
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