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 Finding The Lost Keys of The Mikdash .: Viewed: 1777 times :.
4 days a year we fast and mourn, commemorating different historical events of the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash. The 17th day of Tammuz is one of the 4 days, and it began a 3 week period of limited mourning that climaxes with Tisha B'Av, the day of the destruction of both Temples. Consistent with Judaism's optimism, the Biblical references about these 4 days, including Tisha B'Av, are NOT...
Published: August 2, 2016 |
Fixing Noach’s Drinking Problem .: Viewed: 1605 times :.
Why is wine so essential to Judaism? All of our sacred occasions are accompanied by the drinking of wine. During Kiddush, Havdala, Weddings, Sheva Brachot, Brit Mila and the 4 Cups on Pesach wine is required. Why??
To find the answer we must look into the Talmud. The Talmud discusses the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, wondering what type of fruit it was (Berachot 40a, Sanhedrin 70...
Published: October 10, 2019 |
Flags of our Fathers .: Viewed: 2826 times :.
Throughout their travels in the desert, the Israelites were commanded to set up their tents around tribal flags: "The Israelites shall encamp with each person near the banner carrying his paternal family's insignia. They shall encamp at a distance around the Ohel Moed (Bamidbar 2:2). What is the significance of these banners? The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabba 2:3) says that the inspiration for the...
Published: June 1, 2011 |
G-d's Angel – The Original Iron Dome .: Viewed: 2416 times :.
The name of the current IDF operation in Gaza is "Amud HeAnan", "Pillar of Cloud". Where does this name come from? It comes from Shemot:14 verse 19."The angel of G-d who had been going in front of Israel moved and went behind them, and the Pillar of Cloud moved from in front of them and went behind them." Rashi explains this verse as meaning that the angel of G-d became the Pillar of Cloud for...
Published: November 21, 2012 |
G-D's Recycling Business .: Viewed: 1696 times :.
The Zohar states that Eliyahu Hanavi was the Reincarnated soul of Pinchas, the grandson of Aharon the Kohen Gadol. Pinchas was the hero whose active zealotry saved the Jewish People from destruction by a deadly plague (Bamidbar 25). Is Reincarnation mentioned in TANACH?
The Ramban brings a proof text for Reincarnation from the book of Iyov. "Wow, all these wonders G-D does, 2 or 3...
Published: June 24, 2016 |
G-D's Way (Not My Way) .: Viewed: 1920 times :.
Frank Sinatra had a hit song called "Doing It My Way". But the Torah teaches us in this week's Parasha to do it G-D's Way! "And the Children of Israel did according to all that G-d commanded Moshe, so they did exactly" (Shemot 39).
Why does the Torah repeat in detail all the directions concerning the building of the Mishkan? And why does it mention whenever an aspect of the work...
Published: March 1, 2016 |
G-D’s Kiss of Death .: Viewed: 1290 times :.
"And Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aaron, took both of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense, and offered strange fire before Hashem, which He did not command them. And there went out fire from Hashem, and devoured them, and they died before Hashem." (Vayikra 10:1-2). Many Torah commentators have pondered why Nadav and Avihu died.
Was the "strange fire" sufficient cause for...
Published: March 18, 2019 |
G-d’s Mishpatim - REINCARNATION! .: Viewed: 1572 times :.
“And these are the JUDGEMENTS you shall place before them.” (Shemot 21:1) Parshat Mishpatim begins with a litany of human suffering, misery, afflictions, poverty and slavery. Why does life contain so much tragedy?
The Zohar states that the answer to this profound question lies with our verse “And these (human tragedies), are G‑d’s JUDGEMENTS for a person’s...
Published: February 13, 2020 |
G-d’s Reply to Moshe’s Cry .: Viewed: 1362 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 |
G-d’s Order To Moshe: DON’T PRAY! .: Viewed: 1398 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 |
Get a Life .: Viewed: 1328 times :.
“Now Korach took upon himself (to mutiny against Moshe)…..along with ON ben Pelet…” ON ben Pelet also was a member of the Korach mutiny against Moshe. But then he completely and totally disappears from the scene. What happened to him? The Talmud in Sanhedrin relates that his wife talked him out of it and saved him from his mad folly.
The Talmud explains that the...
Published: June 19, 2019 |
HaChodesh: The Mitzva to Re-JEW-venate .: Viewed: 2847 times :.
Why was Rosh Chodesh the first mitzva given to Israel as a nation while still in Egypt? Why is Parshat HaChodesh so important that it precedes the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai?
The Zohar, in explaining the importance of the new moon and our celebration of its renewal each month, states: "The Jewish nation is com- pared to the moon. Just as the moon wanes and seems to disappear into...
Published: May 24, 2011 |
Haman’s Anger Management .: Viewed: 1572 times :.
Of all the abilities that human beings possess, perhaps none is as mysterious as our talent for compartmentalization. Each of us is multiple people, and different ones emerge in different circumstances and relationships.
If we can never fully know somebody, it's not simply because his exterior does not match his interior. It's because we have so many chambers inside, and some are more...
Published: March 6, 2019 |
Holy Rebels .: Viewed: 1254 times :.
G‑d told Moshe to conduct a test that would demonstrate the error of Korach and his fellow rebels against Moshe. Offering up incense is part of the Mishkan service that was allowed to be performed only by the Kohanim and only at specific times.
The Jewish People had previously witnessed how Aaron’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, had died on account of having offered up an unauthorized incense...
Published: June 9, 2020 |
Hope in the Midst of Despair .: Viewed: 2375 times :.
Can we imagine what it was like when Jerusalem and the Beit Hamikdosh were destroyed? Can we picture the devastation, the carnage and the slaughter? It was the original Holocaust. As the surviving starving captives were being marched off to Babylon, they must have felt that G-d had abandoned them. They must have thought that G-d doesn't care about us anymore.
The Zohar, however, gives...
Published: June 18, 2013 |