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 Our Personal “EGYPT†.: Viewed: 1806 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 |
G-d’s Reply to Moshe’s Cry .: Viewed: 1805 times :.
Moshe cries out to G‑d, “…why have You done evil to this People…?” (Shemot 5:22) Hashem replies to him “and I appeared to Avraham, Yitzhak, and to Yaakov as KEIL SHADAI…” (Shemot 6:3) What did G‑d mean by this statement?
Moshe could not comprehend why the cruel Egyptian slavery was intensifying after G‑d had promised him that redemption was near...
Published: January 13, 2020 |
It’s NOW or Never! .: Viewed: 1804 times :.
“And NOW Israel, what does Hashem your G-d, ask of you? Only that you fear Hashem your G-d.” (Devarim 10:12)
The Midrash Bereshit Rabba 21 comments that the word NOW is a reference to Teshuvah. In what aspect does the word NOW denote the concept of Teshuvah? My Rebbe, Rav Pam ZT”L explains that contemplating how quickly time and life pass us by is the most powerful motive...
Published: August 7, 2018 |
Pharaoh - The Original Anti-Semite! .: Viewed: 1804 times :.
There has been a rash of anti-Semitic attacks throughout Europe and the U.S.A. accompanied by vicious anti-Semitic tweets. But where did it all begin? The Torah states in Shemot 1:6-8 “Yosef died and all his brothers and that entire generation...And a new King arose over Egypt, who did not know of Yosef.”
My Rebbe, Rav Pam, often discussed the question of how Pharaoh and the...
Published: January 13, 2020 |
SEFIRAT HAOMER - STEP BY STEP .: Viewed: 1800 times :.
Jonny Maestro and the Crests had a hit song in the late 50’s called STEP BY STEP. Were they singing about Sefirat HaOmer? Counting the Omer is all about a process, a gradual STEP BY STEP spiritual development. The Zohar in Parshat Yitro states, when we were in Egypt we defiled ourselves with all kinds of impurities, until we were mired under forty nine levels of impurity. Still, G-d...
Published: April 11, 2018 |
Sarah – The First Beauty Queen .: Viewed: 1795 times :.
The Torah states, “Sarah’s lifetime was one hundred years, twenty years, and seven years.” (Bereshit 23:1)
The Torah informs us of Sarah’s age by separating the hundreds, the tens, and the ones by adding the word “years” to each group. This seems to be redundant. We know there are no extra words or even letters in the Torah.
Rashi explains that each...
Published: November 2, 2017 |
Tu B’Shevat’s Message - Trees R Us .: Viewed: 1793 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 |
Israel at 70 - Rise for the flag .: Viewed: 1791 times :.
A very happy 70th birthday to the State of Israel and to Phil (Pinchas) Chernofsky. May G-d bless them both to continue with their incredible and miraculous work on behalf of the Jewish People. The Torah states in Parshat Kedoshim, “Rise in honor of the elderly” (Vayikra 19:32). The Mishna in Avot says that when a person reaches the age of 70 he is entitled for people to rise in...
Published: April 18, 2018 |
Will the FINAL Mikdash be a Physical Building? .: Viewed: 1788 times :.
Zecharya ch. 8 tells us that Tisha B’Av will become a joyous festive Yom Tov when Mashiach comes and builds the third and final Beit Hamikdash. The prophet Yechezkel deals with the construction of the Third and Final Temple in great detail.
A major problem is that Yechezkel’s vision of the Third Beit Hamikdash in ch. 48 describes a Sanctuary Structure of enormous, gigantic...
Published: July 22, 2019 |
The Menorah - Light Up My Life! .: Viewed: 1785 times :.
Parshat Beha’alotcha begins with the Mitzva for the Kohen to light the Menorah daily, in the Mishkan and later on in the Beit HaMikdash even on Shabbat.
What is the message of the Menorah for us when we have no Mikdash? And we know that the Torah is G‑d’s GPS (G‑d’s Personal System) for us in the year 2020 and beyond.
The Mishna (Avot Ch. 4) teaches, "There are three...
Published: June 9, 2020 |
STEP - BY - STEP .: Viewed: 1783 times :.
“You shall not ascend My Alter on steps.” (Shemot 20:23) Why does the Torah prohibit climbing up to the Alter on steps?
Rashi explains that the Torah commands here to build a ramp for the Alter and the ramp must be smooth and inclining without steps. Had there been steps leading up to the Alter, the Kohen would have to raise his legs as he mounted the steps. This would be a...
Published: January 23, 2019 |
The Last of the 613 - Write G-d’s Love Song .: Viewed: 1781 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 |
Why was Matan Torah NOT in Jerusalem? .: Viewed: 1780 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 |
G-d’s Order To Moshe: DON’T PRAY! .: Viewed: 1778 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 |
The Song of the Sea Turns Bitter .: Viewed: 1775 times :.
After the joyous 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 failures and bitterness that we encounter in the second half of Parashat BeShalach. "Moshe led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the desert of Shur, and they went 3 days in the desert, and found no water. And they came to Mara...
Published: January 17, 2018 |