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 The Third Temple-Larger Than The Temple Mount? .: Viewed: 1900 times :.
The Haftora of Parashat Tesaveh deals with the construction of the Third and Final Temple. A major problem is that Yehezkel's vision of the Third Temple in Ch. 48 describes a sanctuary of enormous dimensions. It will be so huge, that Abarbanel claims it will be even larger than the entire Temple Mount. It will be so big, that the Malbim in Zechariya Ch. 2 claims that Yehezkel's Temple...
Published: February 11, 2016 |
Being A Square! .: Viewed: 2244 times :.
The Torah states, "You should make the ALTAR of Shittim wood…..the ALTAR shall be square" (Shemot 27). There was a slang expression in the U.S.A. in the 1960s for someone who was quiet, reserved, and shy. That person would be referred to as a square. The Mishkan Altar was to be perfectly square shaped. What special significant is there in the fact that the architectural design of the...
Published: February 6, 2016 |
Skywriting The Ten Commandments .: Viewed: 2243 times :.
"And all the people saw the sounds (of the Ten Commandments)" (Shemot 20:15). The Kli Yakar explains this verse as meaning that the Jewish People actually saw the words of the Ten Commandments, as they were being proclaimed by G-D. Each Jew saw the Holy Letters being formed in mid-air, as if G-D was actually doing skywriting.
Why was this necessary, given that the Jews also heard...
Published: January 21, 2016 |
The United Tribes of Israel .: Viewed: 2106 times :.
At the end of Parshat Mishpatim the Torah states, "The entire nation replied in one voice, we will do all the things that G-d told us." In the very next verse, we find that Moshe built an ALTER and 12 PILLARS, as it says, "Then he built an ALTER next to the mountain and 12 PILLARS for the 12 Tribes of Israel" (Shemot 24:4).
Why did Moshe construct both an ALTER and also 12 PILLARS...
Published: January 20, 2016 |
Spiritual Time Machine .: Viewed: 1988 times :.
My great-great grandfather, the Bnei Yissaschar, points out the while there are many miracles recorded in TANACH, we do not commemorate or celebrate them all. Thus, we do not commemorate Yehoshua's stopping the sun, or his splitting of the Jordan River, 40 years after Moshe split the Red Sea. On the other hand, we commemorate the miracles of Pesach, Succot, Shavuot, and also Chanuka and Purim,...
Published: January 10, 2016 |
Digital (Facebook) Slaves .: Viewed: 2144 times :.
When Moshe is sent by Gd to inform the Jewish People that their redemption from slavery is near, he discovers that they have no time or patience for him. "And they did not listen to Moshe because of shortness of breath and hard and difficult work" (Shemot 6:9)
Pharaoh understood the dynamics of freedom and so he succeeded in creating the ultimate crushing slavery. Someone forced...
Published: December 31, 2015 |
How To Relate To Conservative Judaism .: Viewed: 2239 times :.
Chief Rabbi Lau has harshly criticized Education Minister Bennet for visiting a Conservative Hebrew Day School in New York. I don’t understand what MK Bennet's offense was. HaRav Moshe Feinstein ZT"L ruled that Orthodox Rabbis may teach in Conservative Hebrew day schools.
The Chazon Ish ZT"L on Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah Ch. 13 states, "All sinners in Israel today have the...
Published: December 28, 2015 |
Chanuka: Festival of Education .: Viewed: 2159 times :.
The Talmud Shabbat 23 states, “ One who is careful about Chanuka lights will have children who are Torah scholars.” Rashi explains this enigmatic passage referring to the verse in Mishlei 6 which says, “ A candle is a Mitzva and the Torah is light.” On the basis of this Mitzva of the Chanuka candles, the light of Torah will come. However, Rashi does not explain why. To...
Published: December 6, 2015 |
The Problem of Yichud In Adoption .: Viewed: 2646 times :.
One of my students asked my advice about adopting a baby girl. His question has inspired me to write this article.
Halacha has very strict regulations restricting physical contact between members of the opposite sex. Halacha rules that a man and a woman not married to each other are not to be secluded in a room. It also prohibits an unmarried couple from engaging in any physical...
Published: November 29, 2015 |
We Create Our Own Reality .: Viewed: 2263 times :.
"And Rochel took the traphim-idols and put them into the camel's saddle and sat upon them" (Bereshit 31). Rochel sat on Lavan's idols, which she had stolen, in an attempt to hide them. Lavan did not ask her to rise when she explained to him that the way of women was on her. The Zohar reveals to us an entirely new explanation for Rochel's actions. She sat on the idols because of her utter...
Published: November 15, 2015 |
The 4 Dimensions of Existence .: Viewed: 1878 times :.
According to Kabbalah, every part of our world is divided into four categories of existence. In ascending spiritual order they are:
1) DOMEM, silent and mineral
2) TZOMEACH, sprout or vegetable
3) CHAI, living or animal
4) MEDABAR, a speaking...
Published: November 5, 2015 |
Why was the First Jewish Wedding a Deception? .: Viewed: 2073 times :.
The father of the first Jewish family, Yaakov, was the victim of a last minute switch on his wedding night. His father-in-law, Lavan, substituted Leah, the older of his two daughters, for Rachel, the one whom Yaakov loved and worked for. Yaakov discovered the deception only after he had consummated the marriage with Leah. Yaakov, choosing to accept his mazal (fate), remained with Leah and...
Published: November 5, 2015 |
The Evil Gives Proof of the Coming Good .: Viewed: 1965 times :.
King David tells us in Tehillim 100, “to serve G-d with joy.” The Mishna in Avot 1 tells us that we should “greet and welcome everyone with a joyful countenance”. Avot D’Rabbi Natan 13 states that a happy and pleasant facial expression is considered equal to giving a person the most treasured gift in the world. How is it possible to be in a joyful mood when we...
Published: October 25, 2015 |
The Mitzva to Smile – Despite the Pain! .: Viewed: 2123 times :.
Despite the wave of brutal Arab Terror engulfing Israel, we must continue to observe Mitzvot. Just as it is a Mitzva to put on Tefilin, so it’s also a Mitzva to smile. The Torah in Bereshit Ch. 1 states, “ And G-d created the great Sea Monsters.” The Talmud in Bava Basra 74 explains that this verse refers to the Leviathan and its mate. Why did G-d create these enormous Sea...
Published: October 17, 2015 |
Noach's Flood? .: Viewed: 1900 times :.
The prophet Yeshayahu in Ch. 54 refers to the Biblical Flood as "MEI NOACH" (Noach's Water). Why is Noach blamed for the Flood? The Torah describes him as "ISH TZADIK TAMIM" (a perfectly righteous man).
The Zohar explains that Noach's name is connected to the Flood because he was in a certain indirect way responsible for it. Noach did not pray to G-d to spare the people, nor did he take any...
Published: September 21, 2015 |