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 Why Is The Torah Split Into 5 Books .: Viewed: 2165 times :.
Why does the Torah consist of 5 books? We can infer form the Zohar that the 5 books of the Torah correspond to the 5 levels of the human soul. These levels of the soul are 1) Nefesh 2) Ruach 3) Neshama 4) Chaya 5) Yechida.
In the womb, the Divine Soul is called Nefesh from the root Nofesh, resting, because before birth the soul has not yet been activated. At birth, the soul is called Ruach...
Published: February 15, 2017 |
Moshe-Prince of Egypt .: Viewed: 1642 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 |
The Song of Life .: Viewed: 1823 times :.
Frank Sinatra had a hit song called, "That's Life-Riding High in April Shot Down in May". Was he singing about the Splitting of the Red Sea followed by the Amalek terror attack? After the Song of the Sea praising G-D has been sung, the Jewish Nation is in a state of euphoria. Thus, the Jewish People are not prepared for the series of failures that we encounter in the second half of Parashat...
Published: February 2, 2017 |
The UN's Role In The Final .: Viewed: 1893 times :.
The Exodus from Egypt is the prototype of the Final Redemption, which will occur with the coming of Mashiach. It too, like the Exodus, will take place without the benevolent assistance of the nations of the world, even those whom the Jewish People consider our friends and allies. When the great day of the Final Redemption will come, Klal Yisrael will owe thanks to no one, not even to President...
Published: January 25, 2017 |
Why Did G-D Harden Pharaoh's Heart? .: Viewed: 1913 times :.
Why did G-D need to harden Pharaoh's heart? Why was there a need for the Ten Plagues? Why couldn't G-D bring about the Exodus by having Pharaoh come to the realization that it was to his benefit to get rid of his Hebrew slaves? Hadn't Pharaoh expressed his fears that in the event of war, the Hebrew nation would join our enemies and wage war against us (Shemot 1:10)? If he was so afraid that...
Published: January 20, 2017 |
Is Questioning G-D Kosher .: Viewed: 1752 times :.
Moshe Rabbenu questions G-D. "Why G-D, have You brought evil on this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has brought evil on this people, and You have not rescued Your people at all." (Shemot 5).
G-D responds by promising Moshe, that the redemption will come, and it will overshadow all previous Divine Miracles. But in relating this, the...
Published: January 11, 2017 |
Did Yosef Make His Daddy Into A Mummy? .: Viewed: 1885 times :.
"And Yosef commanded the physicians to embalm his father." (Bereshit 50:2)
The Malbim cannot comprehend Yosef's command that his father's body be embalmed, and declares that, "the purpose of the burial ceremony is to enable the dead person's body to turn to dust."
Jewish burial rites reflect the immense difference between the body and the soul (Kohelet 12:7) describes our release from...
Published: January 3, 2017 |
Chanuka: The Miracle of Israel's Eternity .: Viewed: 2017 times :.
By lighting the Chanuka Menorah, each and every Jewish home becomes a virtual Bet Hamikdash. We are transformed into virtual Kohanim for the eight days of Chanuka. Thus, the miracle of Chanuka continues forever.
Chanuka is the symbol of the Divine spark in the human soul, as Shlomo Hamelech says in Mishlei, "The candle of G-D" is the soul of the human being.
Why does Rambam call...
Published: December 29, 2016 |
My Rebbe And My Mentor .: Viewed: 2138 times :.
It is with great sadness that I write about the passing of Rabbi Mordechai Goldstein ZT”L, Rosh Yeshiva of the Diaspora Yeshiva on Mount Zion in Jerusalem. Despite being extremely ill these past three and a half years and being confined to a wheelchair, he continued to give outstanding shiurim in the Yeshiva.
An early Talmid of Rav Aharon Kotler in Lakewood and Rav Henoch Liebowitz at...
Published: December 26, 2016 |
The Ishmaelite Caravan-Perfume? .: Viewed: 1734 times :.
"Yosef's brothers raised their eyes and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilad, and their camels were carrying sweet spices, and perfume." (Bereshit 37)
Rashi asks why does the Torah gives us this seemingly needless information. Why do we need to know what the Ismaelites were carrying?
Rashi explains that usually, Arab caravans transported petroleum and other foul-smelling...
Published: December 21, 2016 |
The Rise and Fall of Yaakov's Angels .: Viewed: 2045 times :.
Yaakov had a dream, a ladder was set on the ground and its top reached up to heaven, and Angels of G-D were going up and down on it" (Bereshit 28). What is the meaning of this Heavenly Ladder?
Life is like a ladder, a series of ups and downs. The ladder that was standing on the ground showed Yaakov that we must use the physical world as a ladder with which to elevate ourselves by serving...
Published: December 5, 2016 |
What Miracle Do We Celebrate On Chanuka? .: Viewed: 1954 times :.
The motto of Chanuka, ""NES GADOL HAYA PO" (a great miracle occurred here) makes us think of the one day supply of oil that burned for 8 days. It is striking that the Chanuka liturgy omits mention of this miracle entirely.
The AL HANISIM addition to the prayers and even the paragraph HANEROS HALALU (these candles) introducing the lighting of the Menorah, express praise and thanks to G-D...
Published: November 27, 2016 |
The Chillul Hashem of False Piety .: Viewed: 1743 times :.
Earlier this month, a group of IDF soldiers were cursed and assaulted by "Chareidim" in Mea Shearim. The police had to escort the Soldiers out of the Shul in which they were praying.
The appropriate response would have been to let the soldiers pray and instead arrest the violent individuals. Physical and verbal assaults and the incitement of violence are criminal acts.
The fact...
Published: November 10, 2016 |
Can Prayer Change G-D’s Mind? .: Viewed: 2098 times :.
What does a sick person hope to accomplish through prayer? G-D knows exactly what we need. My Rebbe Rav Pam, would repeat the question a cancer patient asked him in all sincerity. If pain and suffering are caused by one’s sins (Shabbat 55) and serve as a purifying process to spare the person from suffering in Gehenom, how may one pray that G-D remove the pain?
Does a critically...
Published: November 3, 2016 |
Why Do We Dream? .: Viewed: 1853 times :.
There was a popular song called “Life is but a Dream”. The Mishnah in Avot states, “One moment of pleasure in the After-Life is better than all of life in this world”.
How can we have confidence that another world awaits us after death? The answer is dreams! Have you ever had a dream that was so vivid, that you experienced it as if it were reality, but then you...
Published: November 1, 2016 |