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 613 Mitzvot or 913 .: Viewed: 1482 times :.
“But they shall not come and look as the Holy Objects are covered, lest they die.” (Bamidbar 4:20)
The Sefer HaChinuch writes that Parshat Bamidbar does not contain any of the 613 Mitzvot of the Torah.
The Baal Halachot Gadolot disputes the words of the Sefer HaChinuch and says that Bamidbar does have one Mitzvah, the verse cited above. This verse prohibits the Levi’im...
Published: May 6, 2021 |
Prayer - A Daily Conversation With G-d .: Viewed: 1477 times :.
The Talmud (Berachot 26b) says, "Tefilot Avot Tiknum" – "Prayer was established by the Avot". The Talmud then uses the following verse (Bereshit 19:27) to prove how Avraham established Prayer: "And Avraham got up early in the morning to the place where he had stood before G-d".
The connection here is in the word "AMAD" – "Stood" and its association with the Amida Prayer....
Published: October 18, 2018 |
The Mishkan Altar - A Virtual Gan Eden .: Viewed: 1475 times :.
“G‑d tells Moshe, you must make the Altar of hollow planks of wood…” (Shemot 27:8) This Altar was situated in the Courtyard, outside the Mishkan itself. This wooden Altar was a hollow structure that was filled up with earth each time the Mishkan was set up.
Why did G‑d command that the Altar of Atonement should be filled up with earth? The Yerushalmi Nazir 7 and the...
Published: February 17, 2020 |
The Exodus and Moshe’s Donkey .: Viewed: 1474 times :.
When G-d sent Moshe to Egypt to free Israel, the Torah states, “And Moshe took his wife and sons and mounted them on the donkey” (Shmot 4:20). Rashi makes a strange comment on this verse, “the Donkey that Moshiach will utilize to usher in the Final Redemption”. How do we understand this odd comment of Rashi’s? Can a donkey live for thousands of years? And why will...
Published: January 15, 2018 |
BIKUR CHOLIM - A Real Life-Saver .: Viewed: 1471 times :.
We learn the mitzvah of BIKUR CHOLIM from G-d’s visit to Avraham after his illness from his Brit Mila. Thus, the Sefer Mitzvot Katan 47 counts BIKUR CHOLIM as one of the 613 Mitzvot, citing the verse “You shall walk in HIS ways.” (Devarim 28:9)
However, Rambam in Hilchot Evel 14 states that all specific acts of CHESED, such as comforting mourners, BIKUR CHOLIM and hosting...
Published: October 31, 2018 |
The Sin of Lashon Hara - A Chillul Hashem .: Viewed: 1471 times :.
The Torah states in Parshat Emor “You shall not desecrate My Holy Name” (Vayikra 22:32).
This verse is the source for the sin of Chillul Hashem, which is one of the most serious sins that a Jew can commit, and for which it is extremely difficult to do tshuvah (Yuma 86a). A little known aspect of Chillul Hashem is when a person habitually speaks or listens to lashon hara. The...
Published: April 22, 2021 |
Yom Kippur - G-d’s Debate with Israel .: Viewed: 1468 times :.
The Mishna in Yoma 8 states, "Sins that are between a person and his fellow Jew are NOT atoned for on Yom Kippur." One cannot offend and harm another person and ask for forgiveness from G-d. Forgiveness must be asked and can only come from the person that we hurt, and only he can pardon us.
Thus, on the morning of Yom Kippur we read the amazing words of the prophet, Yeshayahu, (Ch.58) where...
Published: August 31, 2018 |
Noach vs. Avraham – Why Avraham Wins .: Viewed: 1465 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 Milah. 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 Milah to become a Tamim...
Published: October 9, 2013 |
SUKKOT - When the Sages Became Entertainers .: Viewed: 1463 times :.
All the festivals are times of rejoicing, but only Sukkot is called ZMAN SIMCHATEINU (season of our joy). While today we immediately think of Simchat Torah when it comes to joy, the Mishna (Sukkah 5:1) tells us about a ceremony held on Sukkot that “he who has not seen the rejoicing at the place of the water-drawing has never in his life seen true rejoicing.”
Something about this...
Published: September 5, 2018 |
Moshe - The Most Humble Man .: Viewed: 1463 times :.
The Torah states in Parshat Behaaloscha “The man Moshe was exceedingly humble, more than any other person on the face of the earth.” (Bamidbar 12:3)
Rashi defines the word ענו as humble, patient, and tolerant. His sister Miriam and his brother Aaron criticized him for separating from his wife and felt that what he did was improper by divorcing Tzipora. But since Miriam was the...
Published: May 24, 2021 |
Moshe-Prince of Egypt .: Viewed: 1461 times :.
Although born to a noble Levite family, the son of Amram and Yocheved, Moshe had an upbringing in his formative years in the palace of Pharaoh. Moshe grew up as a Prince in the mightiest world power of his day. Despite the fact that all the Jewish boys that were born during the same period as Moshe were ordered killed by being cast into the Nile, G-D manipulated events so that Moshe would not...
Published: February 8, 2017 |
PURIM - Thanking G-d for Our Struggles .: Viewed: 1455 times :.
This week was Purim Katan, thus a Purim article is appropriate.
During the festival of Purim we recite the Al Hanisim prayer. The prayer reads, "and for the miracles and for the salvations and for the mighty deeds and for the victories and for the wonders and for the consolations and for the BATTLES which You performed for our ancestors in those days, at this time."
In this declaration...
Published: February 19, 2019 |
MY WAY! .: Viewed: 1451 times :.
In Parshat Naso, each tribal leader presents gifts and sacrificial offerings for the dedication of the Alter in the Mishkan. And although the offerings of the tribal chiefs were all identical, the Torah enumerates and repeats each one 12 times over. This is despite the fact that there is a general rule that the verses of the Torah are written with the upmost brevity. There are exactly 304,805...
Published: May 16, 2018 |
The Goal of the Exodus - Don’t Slander! .: Viewed: 1451 times :.
"You shall not defile yourselves through any creeping thing that creeps on the earth. For I am G-d who elevates you from the Land of Egypt." (Vayikra 11:44,45)
What is the connection between the Exodus from Egypt and the prohibition of eating insects? Why does the Torah juxtapose these two subjects? HaRav Mordechai HaCohen in his sefer, Al HaTorah, gives a profound explanation. Certain...
Published: March 26, 2019 |
Megilat Esther - Where Is G-D? .: Viewed: 1450 times :.
The Rambam states in Hilchos Megilah, Chapter 2, Halacha 18, that all books of the Prophets and all of the Holy Writings will be cancelled in the Messianic Era except for Megilat Esther, which will exist forever like the Torah and the Talmud. What’s even stranger is that Esther is the only book in TANACH without G-d’s name in it. Why is the only book in Holy Scripture (Ketuvim) so...
Published: February 10, 2018 |