You’ve got keep your head up
In the beginning of this week’s parsha Yosef finally reveals himself to his brothers. After disclosing to his brother’s his true identity he explains to them that they should not feel bad that they...
View ArticleTogether we can change the world
Midway through this week’s parsha Yaacov Avinu, shortly prior to his death, gathers his 12 sons together to bless them. As an introduction to blessing his sons he informs them that he is to gather them...
View ArticleBe That Person!
There is a mishna in Pirkei Avot which teaches the following: “In a place where there are no people try and be that person” (Pirkei Avot 2:6). In other words, this Mishna is teaching us that we cannot...
View ArticleIt’s all about that Group
At the beginning of this week’s parsha GOD commands the Jewish people to build the Mishkan. When GOD commands Moshe to instruct the Jewish people to build the Mishkan GOD does so by using the language...
View ArticleThe Path of Growth
Lileui Nishmat the 6,000,000 Kedoshim (Holy Jews) that died in the Holocaust that we commemorated on Yom Hashoa (Holocaust Memorial Day) this past week This week’s parsha (for those of us outside of...
View ArticleGotta get that kedusha
The parsha that is read this week outside of Israel is a double parsha consisting of both parshat Acharei Mot and Kedoshim. The second of this week’s parshiyot, Kedoshim begins with GOD telling Moshe...
View ArticleA very special blessing
One of the topics discussed in this week’s parsha is birchat kohanim or the priestly blessings which HASHEM tells Moshe to command the Kohanim to bless Bnei Yisrael with. There are three priestly...
View ArticleJustice for all
This week’s parsha begins with Moshe giving over his last speech to the Jewish people before he is about to die and they are about to enter Eretz Yisrael. As part of this speech Moshe gives over to...
View ArticleFear not
In this week’s parsha Moshe gives the Jewish people words of comfort designated for when they are to go out to war. Specifically Moshe focuses on how the Jewish people shouldn’t be afraid because GOD...
View ArticleIt just goes on and on and on
This week’s parsha contains a variety of different types of mitzvot. One of them is sending away the mother bird when taking her eggs. This mitzvah is immediately followed by the mitzvah of making a...
View ArticleBrotherly love: Lessons in how to improve our relationships with our fellow...
Yom Kippur. The Day of Atononement a day that the Torah says cleanses us of all our sins before GOD. However, the Talmud in Tractate Yoma 87b states that Yom Kippur does not automatically atone for the...
View ArticleParshat Vezot HaBracha/Simchat Torah: When We Stand Together
Liluei Nishmat Rav Eitam And Naama Henkin as well as the other recent victims of terroist attacks in Israel H’’yd Tomorrow in Israel (or Tuesday in the diaspora) we will be reading the last parsha in...
View ArticleIt Starts with….. Thoughts on the first Rashi on the Torah
In his commentary, on the first verse of the Torah, Rashi is famous for asking the question of why does the Torah begin with the book of Bereisheit detailing the creation of the world, the flood, our...
View ArticleBeyond the Call of Duty: Thoughts on Parshat Noach and the Current situation...
Lileui Nishmat my dear Rav, Rav Binyamin Bein Yitzchak Yehuda whose Yahrtzeit was Rosh Chodesh Mar Cheshvan, Mar Cheshvan 1 this past Wednesday In his weekly parsha blog, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks quotes an...
View ArticleGo From Yourself: Thoughts on the Parsha, the current situation in Israel and...
Liluei Nishmat Rebbetzin Henny Machlis In the beginning of this week’s parsha the story of our people begins when God commands our forefather Avraham to leave his homeland behind and go to “ the land...
View ArticleKeeping the Faith Amongst Tragedy thoughts on Vayishlach and the Past Few Weeks
At the beginning of this week’s parsha, Yaacov prepares for an encounter with his brother Eisav whom had previously set out to kill him. As the first step in his preparations Yaacov sends messengers to...
View ArticleThis is Your Time! Thoughts on Parshat Bo
This week’s parsha contains the first mitzvah given to the Jewish people as a whole the mitzvah of Kiddush Hachodesh or sanctification of the new month. The sanctification of the new month gives us the...
View ArticleIt’s All Religious Law! Thoughts on Parshat Mishpatim
The bulk of this week’s parsha discusses laws between man and his fellow man. For example, damages to others property, borrowing items etc. The parsha introduces these laws as “And these are the laws…”...
View ArticleRemembering the Righteous Gentiles on Purim, Then and Now
Every year on Purim, following the reading of the Megillah, we sing the song, “Shoshanat Yaacov.” In this song we praise the heroes of the Purim story and curse the victims. While most of the heroes...
View ArticleTrust Based on Speech Thoughts on Parshat Metzora
This week’s parsha continues to describe the laws of the metzorah or the “ lepper” afflicted with Tzarat. As I mentioned in my D’var Torah last week however, our sages point out that Tzarat is not only...
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