Parshas Noach
“These are the offspring of Noach, Noach was a righteous man…” Bereishis 6:9 What practical lesson can we learn from Noach, the great antediluvian figure? The pasuk praises Noach by proclaiming that he was a צדיק; he was righteous. This is a tremendous attainment and a worthy ambition for us to seek, but we need […]
Parshas Bereishis
“In the beginning when ד׳ created the Heavens and the Earth” Bereishis 1:1 Ever wondered why the Torah starts with the letter ״ב״? Whatever happened to good old ״א״? Well, you’re not the only one. The Baal Haturim brings Medrashim that pose three answers. First of all, the letter ב represents ברכה – blessing, while […]
Parshas Ha’azinu
“Listen heavens and I will speak, and may the earth hear the words of my mouth” Devarim 32:1 Moshe Rabbeinu in his farewell address to the Bnei Yisrael enlists the heavens and the earth as his witnesses against the Bnei Yisrael. What is the specific significance of the heavens and the earth that Moshe turned […]
Parshas Vayeilech
“And Moshe went and spoke these words to all of Yisrael” Devarim 31:1 It’s the question everyone is asking, everybody wants to know, where did Moshe go? All of the Commentators venture their answers, but the Kli Yakar’s second explanation is particularly poignant for our current standpoint, in the midst of the Ten Days of […]
Parshas Netzavim
“You are standing today, all of you, before Hashem, your G-d – the heads of your tribes, your elders and your officers – all the men of Israel.” At the beginning of this week’s Parsha Moshe Rabbeinu gathers all of the Bnei Yisrael together in order to enter them into an eternal bond with Hashem. […]
Parshas Ki Savo
“Then we cried out to Hashem, the G-d of our forefathers, and Hashem heard our voiceand saw our affliction, our toil and our oppression” Devarim 26:7 The Ohr HaChaim provides us with a beautiful narrative of the pasukim at the beginning of this week’s Parsha, which outline the special mitzvah of Bikkurim; the ritual bringing […]
Parshas Ki Seitzei
“When you will go out to war against your enemies and Hashem your G-d will deliver them into your hands and you will take your captives.” Devarim 21:10 The Toras Moshe explains that this pasuk is figuratively describing the ceaseless battle with our eternal foe, our evil inclination. The Gemara in Kedushin states, “The evil […]
Parshas Shoftim
“Judges and officers you shall appoint for yourselves in all of your gates that Hashem your G-d has given to you; according to your Tribes, and they shall judge the nation righteously.” Devarim 16:18 The Rabbeinu Bechayei sheds light on the connection between the end of last week’s Parsha and the beginning of this week’s […]
Parshas Vaeschanan – Shabbos Nachamu
“I beseeched Hashem at that time saying” Devarim 3:23 Parshas Vaeschanan begins with Moshe Rabbeinu pleading with Hashem to allow him toenter into Eretz Yisrael. The Gemara in Sotah (.יד) asks a famous question. Why was MosheRabbeinu so frantic to gain entry? Did he need to eat from it’s fruit or fill himself up with […]
