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 Tu B’Shevat’s Message - Trees R Us .: Viewed: 1380 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 |
Twin Torahs .: Viewed: 1393 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 |
TZITZIT - A Tikun For the Sin of the Spies .: Viewed: 1680 times :.
Parshat Shlach begins with the Sin of the Spies and ends with the Mitzva of TZITIT. Is there a link between the two? To answer this question we must ask another.
What was the sin of the Spies? It cannot be that the sin was the very fact that they were sent. On the contrary, we find the use of spies against the enemy camp in many places. For example, it says,...
Published: June 9, 2017 |
TZITZIT - Buy One, Get 613 .: Viewed: 1388 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 |
Was Haman Good for the Jews .: Viewed: 1403 times :.
During the Festival of Purim we recite the Al Hanissim prayer. This prayer reads, “and for the miracles and for the salvations and for the mighty deeds and for the victories and for the battles which You performed for our ancestors in those days, and also at this time”. In this declaration of thanks to G-d, we use many expressions of gratitude for the miracles and salvations that...
Published: February 20, 2018 |
Was Joseph Punished for Embalming Yakov's Body? .: Viewed: 11525 times :.
(Gen.50:2) "And Joseph commanded the physicians to embalm his father." Rabbi Meir Leibush ("the Malbim" 1809-1879) cannot comprehend Joseph'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. Ecclesiastes...
Published: May 24, 2011 |
Was Noach FFB or BT? .: Viewed: 1558 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 Mila. 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 MILA to become a TAMIM...
Published: October 3, 2017 |
Was Pharaoh in DE-NILE? .: Viewed: 1313 times :.
“And I (G-d) shall harden Pharaoh’s heart” (Shmot 7:3). This verse raises a difficult and basic question. How could Pharaoh be punished for not releasing Israel, when it was G-d Who prevented him from doing so? How do we explain the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart? Did G-d suddenly turn Pharaoh into a puppet? Did He take away Pharaoh’s human free will? Rambam...
Published: March 12, 2018 |
We All Shine On .: Viewed: 1317 times :.
“Behold, You (Israel) are today like the stars of Heaven in abundance.” (Devarim 1:10) The Torah compares the Jewish People to the stars in the heavens. But there is another verse in Devarim 7 which seems to contradict this verse. There the Torah states “For You (Israel) are the fewest and the least of ALL Nations.”
Rashi on Devarim 1:10 deals with this problem. He...
Published: August 7, 2019 |
We Create Our Own Reality .: Viewed: 2056 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 |
Were the Spies Justified in Fearing the Giants? .: Viewed: 1350 times :.
Are we able to defeat the Giants? The Torah tells us that the inhabitants of Eretz Yisrael were y’lide ho’anaq, remnants of a race of Giants. When the Meraglim returned with their report, they announced: “The people that dwell in the land are fierce, and the cities are fortified and very great, moreover, we saw the children of Giants there.” (Bamidbar 13:28)
And...
Published: June 1, 2021 |
What Is Holy About The Flag of Israel? .: Viewed: 2404 times :.
Does the Israeli Flag have Kedusha? Rov Yoseph Dov Soloveitchik reveals in the book, “Nefesh Harov”, that there is a passage in the Shulchan Aruch that relates to the sanctity of the flag of the state of Israel.
The Shulchan Aruch in (Y.D. 352) rules “that one may not bury the deceased in expensive shrouds.” Later in Y.D, 364, it is ruled “If a Jew is found...
Published: April 23, 2014 |
What is Kabala? .: Viewed: 2901 times :.
The Ramban in his introduction to his Torah commentary says that every field of knowledge – whether it be science, agriculture, medicine of palmistry – can be learned from the Torah. The Torah given to Moshe at Mount Sinai consists of the Written Law (the Five Books of Moses) and the four levels of the Oral Law (some of which was recorded in the Talmud):
Peshat – the...
Published: May 24, 2011 |
What Miracle Do We Celebrate On Chanuka? .: Viewed: 1741 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 |
Where Have You Gone Aaron haKohen? .: Viewed: 1385 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 |