Category: Parashah

There is a most intriguing commentary of Rashi at the commencement of Parshat Bechukotai. The parsha starts, “Im bechukotai teleichu…” – “If you walk in my statutes…” and what follows is a list of promises that Hashem gives to us if we obey his commandments. But Rashi doesn’t understand “bechukotai …

What is the connection between the Coronation and Parshat Emor which we’ll be reading this shabbat? In Parshat Emor we’re given the mitzvah of kiddush Hashem (Vayikra 22:32): “Venikdashti betoch bnei yisrael.” Hashem says to us, “I will be sanctified in the midst of the Children of Israel.”  Notice that …

Sometimes, exceptions are unacceptable. In Parshat Acharei Mot Kedoshim (Vayikra 18:5), we are given this mitzvah:  “Ushmartem et chukotai v’et mishpatai.” – “You must safeguard my laws and ordinances,”  “Asher ya’aseh otam bnei adam vechai bahem.” – “which people should perform in order to live by them.”   We are being …

As we celebrate 75 glorious years of the state of Israel, let us draw some inspiration fromPsalm 75. The Psalm commences, “Lamenatseach, al tashcheit.” It’s dedicated to the musician, and the opening message is, “Al tashcheit,” – “Do not destroy.” This, according to our commentators, is a plea by the …

The great moment has come. For seven days – beginning on the 23rd Adar – Moses had consecrated Aaron and the priests. Now, on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, the time has arrived for Aaron to begin his service, ministering to the people on behalf of God: It came to pass on …

Do we have the right blessing? At our seder tables, we will be taking maror and we will dip it in charoset. However, the blessing that we will be reciting will be ‘al achilat maror’ – on the eating of maror, with no reference to charoset. Similarly during Succot, the …

This coming shabbat we will be commencing our reading of Sefer Vayikra, the Book of Leviticus, the middle book of the Torah. In the Yalkut Shimoni, an anthology of midrashim, there is a suggestion that we should start teaching our children chumash from the beginning of Vayikra and not from …

  “If I close my factory on shabbat, I will lose 4000 rubles each time.” That was the reply given to the Chofetz Chaim by a Jewish factory owner in Chernikov in Northern Ukraine after the Chofetz Chaim had appealed to him to keep shabbat, to close his factory where …

With how many hands was Moshe holding the tablets? In Parshat Ki Tisa, we are told how Moshe came down from the summit of Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments in his hands. And then when he saw the Israelites worshipping the golden calf the Torah says (Shemot 32:19), “Vayashlech …