Category: Parashah

We’re just about to commence the three weeks, which will take us from the 17th of Tammuz through to Tisha b’Av. It’s a sad time of the year when we recall many tragedies which befell our people. This period of sadness reaches its climax during the month of Av and, …

Chukat: It is probably Yiftach’s vow. The haftarah for Parshat Chukat (Judges 11:1) tells us how Yiftach, the leader of the tribe of Gilad, was called upon to wage war against the Ammonites. He was in a state of trepidation before leading his people in this fateful battle, and he took a …

Blind people can sometimes see more than everyone else. At the beginning of Parshat Shelach Lecha (Bamidbar 13:18) an instruction is given to the spies who were about to enter into the land: “Ure’item et haaretz,” – “See the land,” meaning, have a careful look at everything in front of you, …

What can make Jewish suffering even worse for us? In Parshat Beha’alotecha, the Torah tells us about a tragic episode relating to ‘vehasafsuf asher bekirbo’ – the mixed multitude within our ranks (Bamidbar 11:4). The Israelite nation was divided. This led to bitterness, enmity and ultimately, tragedy. In the ‘tochecha’ …

King Solomon had sixty armed warriors surrounding his bed every night to protect him. How do we know this? In the Song of Songs 3:7, we are told,  “Hinei mitato shel Shlomo,” – “Behold the bed of Solomon!”  “Shishim giborim saviv lo migiborei Yisrael,” – “Sixty warriors surrounding it from …

For me, the answer is definitely Shavuot. Why do I say that? In Parshat Re’eh (Devarim 16:16), the Torah gives us the commandment concerning our pilgrim festivals which we must celebrate, “b’chag hamatzot, uv’chag hashavuot uv’chag hasuccot.” – “on the festival of matzas, and on the festival of weeks, and …

There is hidden power in the word ‘if’. Parshat Bechukotai commences, “Im bechukotai teileichu,” – “If you walk in my statutes and keep the laws of the Torah,” then Hashem will shower us with many blessings. In the Sefer Belulah VaShemen, written in Verona in the 16th century, a beautiful …

Where do we have a mitzvah to count? In Parshat Emor (Vayikra 23:15) the Torah tells us, “Usfartem lachem,” – “Count for yourselves,” meaning that from the second day of Pesach until the festival of Shavuot we must count forty nine days. Why do we have such an imperative within the 613 …

What is holiness? When we hear the term holy, we conjure up all types of images in our mind but actually the concept of kedusha, holiness, is quite different from what many people presume it to be. Being holy Parshat Kedoshim commences with the imperative, “Kedoshim tihyu,” – “You must …