Category: Parashah

Why is Purim celebrated in the second month of Adar and not the first? In this Jewish leap year we are now commencing the second month of Adar and fascinatingly, in the Gemara (Megillah 6b), there is a debate as to which Adar Purim should be in. Rav Eliezer’s view, …

Parshat Vayakhel commences (Shemot 35:1), “Vayakhel Moshe et kol adat Bnei Yisroel.” – “Moshe congregated the entire assembly of the People of Israel.” Rashi comments, “Lemacharat Yom Hakippurim,” – “This took place on the day after Yom Hakippurim.” Which yom Kippur is Rashi referring to and why is it important …

  Ki Tisa: We don’t just learn from the content of the Torah. We also learn so much from the way in which it is presented. One fine example of this is palindromes, which I love to research and to speak about. Looking at this week’s parsha of Ki Tisa, …

Three important lessons about successful Jewish parenting appear at the commencement of Parshat Tetzaveh. The Torah gives us a mitzvah in Shemot 27:20, “lehaalot ner tamid” to guarantee that there would be a continuous flame in the Sanctuary in the wilderness. From the book of Mishlei, Proverbs 6:23, we know that, …

Terumah:   Enablers are as important as achievers. Parshat Terumah presents us with the fascinating details of the furnishing of the Mishkan (the Sanctuary) in the wilderness. As a mobile sanctuary, it was important that every item within it could be transported from place to place. So, for example, for the Aron …

  Do your pets know when it is shabbat? I find it fascinating how often over the years people have actually said to me that they genuinely believe that in one form or another their pets know when it is Shabbat. In fact our sages in the Psikta Rabbah tell …

Yitro:   What is the best entry point through which more people can engage better with their Judaism? Parshat Yitro commences with the words, “Vayishma Yitro,” – “Yitro heard.” (Shemot 18:1). But the Torah doesn’t tell us what exactly it was that Yitro heard. What prompted this priest of Midyan …

Beshalach: He is probably the most outstanding Biblical role model for our times. This is my view of Joseph. But why am I referring to him at a time when our public Torah reading is from the Book of Shemot? This is because in Parshat Beshalach there is a reference to Joseph. The …

    In Parshat Bo, the Torah describes how Hashem commanded Moshe to appear before Pharaoh, King of Egypt. There he demanded in Hashem’s name (Shemot 9:1): “Shalach et ami veya’avduni!” – “Let my people go so that they shall serve me!” Thanks to the miraculous intervention of Hashem we …