Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher, Dean of Students and Senior Lecturer at Diaspora Yeshiva, is not only a popular speaker and teacher, but also a dynamic thinker and writer. A student of Harav Yaakov Kamenetsky and Harav Gedalia Schorr, Rabbi Sprecher was granted smicha (rabbinical ordination) by Torah Vodaath Yeshiva. Prior to his current position, Rabbi Sprecher was a professor of Judaic studies at Touro College in New York. In addition to his duties at Diaspora Yeshiva, Rabbi Sprecher writes a regular column on various Judaic topics in the Jewish Press, and lectures regularly at the OU Israel Center in Jerusalem.
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 G-d’s Order To Moshe: DON’T PRAY!  .: Viewed: 1374 times :.
“….and the Children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and the Egyptians were pursuing after them. They were very frightened, and the Children of Israel cried out to G-d” (Shmot 14:10). Immediately after this, we read this unusual verse, “G-d said to Moshe, why do you cry out to Me? Speak to the Children of Israel and let them travel”. This verse is difficult to...
Published: March 17, 2018
 Pharaoh - The Classic Villain  .: Viewed: 1371 times :.
Pharaoh seems to be one of the main characters in the Torah. There is a Pharaoh in Avraham’s time, then there’s the Pharaoh in Yosef’s time and of course, the Pharaoh in Moshe’s time. Why does the Torah give so much prominent attention to the ancient Pharaohs of Egypt? We know the Torah is G‑d’s GPS (G‑d’s Personal System) for the here and now. Moshe says...
Published: January 21, 2020
 Tu B’Shevat’s Message - Trees R Us  .: Viewed: 1369 times :.
Since TT is published on Wednesday, which happens to be Tu B’Shevat, I feel that this article is still timely. In various places in Tanach a person is compared to a tree. "A person is like the tree of a field…"(Devarim 20:19). "For as the days of the tree shall be the days of My people." (Yeshayahu 65:22). "He will be like a tree planted near water…"(Yirmiyahu 17:8) What...
Published: January 30, 2018
 Doing a Mitzvah at the Zoo  .: Viewed: 1369 times :.
When I study Parshat Noach, I try to imagine all of the exotic creatures that G-d created. Therefore, some of my students and I visited the wonderful and exotic Ramat Gan Safari Zoo. Can one do a Mitzvah at the zoo? A visit to the zoo is a chance to experience the wonders of G-d's creation and acknowledge that opportunity with the appropriate blessing. The Mishnah in Avot 2 states, "Let all...
Published: October 4, 2018
 Where Have You Gone Aaron haKohen?  .: Viewed: 1368 times :.
To paraphrase Simon and Garfunkel’s great song, “Where have you gone Aaron haKohen, our nation turns its lonely eyes to you!” Why is Aaron haKohen's Yahrzeit the only one mentioned in the Torah? None of the Avot or the Imahot were accorded such an honor and not even Moshe Rabbenu. Only the date of the death of Aaron is mentioned. Why? Aaron's Yahrtzeit is the first day...
Published: July 13, 2018
 Our Personal “EGYPT”  .: Viewed: 1367 times :.
The Hagada says, "In every generation a person is obligated to see himself as if he had personally been liberated from Egypt." How do I personally make the transition from slavery to freedom when I was never a slave? Every person is, in a sense, born a slave – to ignorance, to lust, to passion, and to selfishness. Our task is to free ourselves from our personal “EGYPT”, which...
Published: March 3, 2018
 Why was Matan Torah NOT in Jerusalem?  .: Viewed: 1367 times :.
Yom Yerushalayim, which is actually first mentioned in Tehillim 137:7, is just a few days before Chag Matan Torah. So wouldn’t it have been appropriate for G-d to give us the Torah in His Holy City of Jerusalem, DC (David’s Capital). As Yeshayahu chapter 2 states, “The Torah shall go out from Zion and the Word of G-d from Jerusalem”. Thus, why did G-d give the Torah...
Published: May 3, 2018
 TZITZIT - Buy One, Get 613  .: Viewed: 1360 times :.
“When You see the TZITZIT, you will remember all the Mitzvot of G-d, in order to perform them” (Bamidbar 15:39). Rashi comments on this verse that the GEMATRIA of the word TZITZIT equals 600, and eight strings of the TZITZIT and five knots, all together equaling 613, corresponding to the 613 Mitzvot of the Torah. But why do we need the garment to which the TZITZIT are attached?...
Published: June 14, 2019
 Twin Torahs  .: Viewed: 1356 times :.
“In the third month after the Exodus from Egypt, the Children of Israel came to the Wilderness of Sinai.” (Shemot 19:1) Rashi explains that Israel arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on Rosh Chodesh Sivan, 6 days before we received the Torah there. According to the Talmud in Shabbat, the month of Sivan is represented by תאומים which means TWINS. Why did G‑d choose to give us the...
Published: February 3, 2020
 Shabbat – G-d’s Day to Re-JEWvinate  .: Viewed: 1355 times :.
Parshat Mishpatim repeats the Mitzvah of Shabbat which was already stated in the Ten Commandments. “Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day, you shall rest…..” (Shmot 23:12). In the division of the Torah into chapters and verses, the account of Shabbat in the Creation story, in Bereshit, comes at the beginning of Chapter 2. The Abarbanel informs us, that...
Published: February 7, 2018
 Para Aduma - A Little Dab Will Do Ya  .: Viewed: 1354 times :.
“He (the defiled person) shall purify himself (with the Red Cow ashes) on the third and on the seventh day, then he will become pure.” ….(Bamidbar 19:12) The classic example of a CHOK (a Mitzva beyond human understanding), is the Red Cow, whose ashes are used to purify a person from defilement by a dead body. As Rashi notes, immersion in a MIKVEH is insufficient to remove...
Published: June 28, 2019
 Listen to You Wife!  .: Viewed: 1352 times :.
In his revolt against the authority of Moses and Aaron, Korach was supported by Dathan and Abiram and by On, the son of Peleth. The opening verse of this sidra is the only place where On ben Peleth is mentioned; and his name does not occur in the more detailed narrative that follows. Noting the absence of the name from the subsequent account, the Talmud states, that On, the son of Peleth, was...
Published: June 4, 2021
 Moshe’s Shiny Face  .: Viewed: 1351 times :.
After his third forty day stay on Mount Sinai, Moshe descended on the 10th of Tishrei – Yom Kippur carrying the second set of the Holy Tablets. These replaced the First Tablets that Moshe broke when he saw the Jews worshipping the Golden Calf. Moshe’s extended stay on Mount Sinai in G‑d’s presence left a permanent impression on his body – his face radiated G‑d’s...
Published: February 25, 2020
 Bilam’s Blessing - CARPE DIEM  .: Viewed: 1348 times :.
Some of the most beautiful blessings that we receive in the Torah, are stated by the infamous and evil Bilam. For instance, “Behold, the Jewish People will arise like a mighty lion…” (Bamidbar 23:24) Rashi comments on this verse that Israel strengthens themselves like a ferocious lion to seize the Mitzvot. Rashi explains that when we awake from our sleep in the early...
Published: July 5, 2019
 The Last of the 613 - Write G-d’s Love Song  .: Viewed: 1347 times :.
The last of the 613 Mitzvot is, “And now, write for yourselves this song, teach it to the Children of Israel. Place it into their mouths”…(Devarim 31:19). According to Sanhedrin 21b this verse teaches that it is a Mitzva for every Jewish Person to write a Sefer Torah for himself. Why is the Torah referred to by the unusual term “song”? There is no other Mitzva...
Published: August 29, 2018
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