Sh'mot

Exodus 1:1−6:1

By Rabbi Daniel J. Moskovitz, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com

Pharaoh Didn’t Know Joseph And Perhaps We Forgot Him Too

The textual reference to forgetting Joseph raises questions about the extent to which oppression is linked to a minority group's involvement and commitment to the larger society.

•     The new king of Egypt makes slaves of the Hebrews and orders their male children to be drowned in the Nile River. (1:1-22)
•     A Levite woman places her son, Moses, in a basket on the Nile, where he is found by the daughter of Pharaoh and raised in Pharaoh’s house. (2:1-10)
•     Moses flees to Midian after killing an Egyptian. (2:11-15)
•   Moses marries the priest of Midian’s daughter, Zipporah. They have a son named Gershom. (2:16-22)
•     God calls Moses from a burning bush and commissions him to free the Israelites from Egypt. (3:1-4:17)
•     Moses and Aaron request permission from Pharaoh for the Israelites to celebrate a festival in the wilderness. Pharaoh refuses and makes life even harder for the Israelites. (5:1-23)

Continue reading.

Follow us on   

Va-y'chi

Genesis 47:28–50:26

By Rabbi Rabbi Rabbi Yaakov Pollak, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com

What Is Your Blessing?

Jacob blessed his sons, not only according to each of their characters, but also with a unique piece of himself.

How much importance do we attach to blessings that we receive from others? How seriously do we take them? Our Sages established that "everything depends upon the one who gives the blessing and the one who receives it."

What if God Himself gives the blessing?

Continue reading.

Follow us on   

Vayigash

Genesis 44:18−47:27

By Rabbi Yitzchok A. Breitowitz, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com

Preparing For Exile

Joseph used his position of rulership to help his brothers develop coping skills for their upcoming exile.

Joseph’s interaction with his brothers is one of the most perplexing stories in the Torah, one that has puzzled generations of readers for thousands of years.

Why does Joseph conceal his identity? Why did he wait so long to tell his father that he was in Egypt?

Even if one follows the view of the Abarbanel (15th-century Spanish/Portuguese commentator), that, as a slave, Joseph had no means of informing Jacob and, after his ascension to political power, he still could not do so lest he be accused of disloyalty, questions abound.

Explaining His Actions

Continue reading.

 Follow us on   

 

Mikeitz

Genesis 41:1−44:17

The Deeper Meaning Of A Name

In naming his sons, Joseph communicates his thoughts on living in Egypt, alone and distant from his family.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com
Joseph’s transformation from imprisoned Hebrew slave to vizier is sudden and dizzying. Based on his initiative and his abilities as a dream-interpreter and adviser, he is taken from the dungeon of Pharaoh’s prison and placed at Pharaoh’s side as second-in-command. Pharaoh says:

"You shall be over my house, and according to your word shall all my people be sustained; only by the throne will I be greater than you" (Genesis 41:40).

During this critical period in Joseph’s life, the "master of dreams" (37:19) becomes the center of a world of public action. Pharaoh appoints him as supervisor of the national food collection and distribution project, and endows him with all the trappings of service to the king:

Continue reading.

Want to know more about Biblical Figures? Follow our board    page.

Vayeishev

Genesis 37:1−40:23

Leadership Traits

Yehudah merits the position of kingship because of his ability to acknowledge and overcome his mistakes.

By Rabbi Chaim Landau, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com
Upon reviewing the stories of two of Jacob’s twelve sons, Joseph and Judah, one may wonder why Judah’s descendants were ultimately crowned with the kingship of Israel rather than those of Joseph.

Stories regarding their chastity are told of both. After her first and second husbands died, both sons of Judah, Tamar dressed as a prostitute and seduced her former father-in-law. Joseph, on the other hand, when confronted by his master Potiphar’s wife, who propositioned him in the privacy of her mansion, ran away. Judah acceded to temptation; Joseph resisted.

Continue reading.

Follow us on   

Vayishlach

Genesis 32:4−36:43

By Rabbi Rabbi Avraham Fischer, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com

Living With Threat

Yaakov sends Esav the message that despite having lived with Lavan, he has managed to keep the commandments and learned to stand up to powerful figures.

The last time the twins were together, Esau was so consumed by his hatred for Jacob that he prayed, “May the day of my father’s mourning approach so I may kill my brother Jacob,” (Bereishit27:41). And so, Jacob left to learn in Yeshiva and then live with his uncle Laban in Padan-Aram, where he married and raised a family.

Now, more than 30 years later, how does Esau feel? Has his hatred subsided, or has it intensified? Returning home to such an ambiguous situation Jacob realizes that a confrontation with Esau is inevitable, and consequently prepares for whatever might happen.

Continue reading.

Follow us on   

 

Vayeitzei

 Genesis 28:10−32:3

By Rabbi  Avraham Fischer, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com

Blaming Society

We should strive to emulate Abraham and Isaac rather than emulating Laban, who compartmentalized his values.

Jacob had been involved in an act of deception, and now he becomes the victim of deception. After seven years of working for his uncle Laban, he wishes to marry Rachel, Laban’s younger daughter.

“And it was in the morning, that behold it was Leah. And [Jacob] said to Laban “What is this you have done to me?  Did I not work with you for Rachel? And why did you deceive me?” (Genesis 29:25)

Laban, the champion deceiver, tricked Jacob by switching Rachel with Leah.

Laban’s Excuses

Laban explains himself; after all, he is a recognized leader in the community. When he presents his excuses, he makes a not-so-veiled reference to Jacob’s own act of deception, in which he took the place of his older brother Esau in receiving their father Isaac’s blessing: “It is not done so in our place, to put the younger before the older.  Complete this one’s [Leah’s] week [of celebration] . . .” (Genesis 29:26-27)

Continue reading.

Want to know more about Biblical Figures? Follow our board    page.

Toldot

Genesis 25:19−28:9

Synthesizing The Physical And The Spiritual

Rather than dividing the spiritual and physical blessings between Jacob and Esau, Rebekah saw the need for Jacob to receive both.

By Rabbi Nathan J. Diament, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com

Parashat Toldot introduces our Patriarch Jacob as well as his brother Esau, and, from the outset, tips us off to the coming conflict between them. The Torah tells of their “struggle” within their mother’s womb, and, as young adults, describes them very differently.

Esau is “a hunter, a man of the field,” while Jacob is “ish tam,” (a simple/whole man) who sits in tents. These textual descriptions, Rashi and Ibn Ezra point out, indicate that Esau is a “trickster,” a man not to be trusted, while Jacob is a “simple” or “naive” shepherd, who spends his days studying Torah.

Who is the Victim?

Yet, the comments of these rishonim (medieval sages), which echo those of Chazal (rabbinic sages) seem to be at odds with the simple understanding of the narrative.

Consider, as events of the parashah unfold, who is the trickster and who is the victim. Even as they were being born, Jacob grasped Esau’s ankle, trying to force his way out of the womb first.

Continue reading.

Follow us on   

Haye Sarah / The Life of Sarah

Genesis 23:1−25:18

Sarah’s Legacy

The greatest tributes to Sarah's life were the achievements and character of her son Yitzchak.

By Rabbi Raphael Wizman, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com

The portion of Haye Sarah recounts the death of our Matriarch, Sarah, the purchase of a cemetery plot for her, and the marriage of her son, Isaac. Yet, this parashah is called Haye Sarah, the Life of Sarah, because, in truth, this portion tells the story of her life more than of her death.

Abraham and Isaac come to eulogize Sarah and to cry for her. Although the Torah doesn’t tell us what Abraham said in his eulogy, we know that her ultimate praise is her son, Isaac.

Abraham could have recounted the hard life that Sarah endured–that she was childless for 90 years, that she was held captive by both Avimelech and Pharaoh, and that she struggled to maintain a household that included Ishmael and Hagar. But all Abraham had to do was bring Isaac to her funeral.

What Was Her Legacy?

Continue reading.

Follow us on   

Vayeira

Genesis 18:1–22:24

By Lord Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

To Bless the Space Between Us

There is a mystery at the heart of the biblical story of Abraham, and it has immense implications for our understanding of Judaism.

Who was Abraham and why was he chosen? The answer is far from obvious.  Nowhere is he described, as was Noah, as “a righteous man, perfect in his generations”. We have no portrait of him, like the young Moses, physically intervening in conflicts as a protest against injustice. He was not a soldier like David or a visionary like Isaiah. In only one place, near the beginning of our parsha, does the Torah say why God singled him out:

 Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”

Continue reading.

Follow us on   

Lech L'cha

Genesis 12:1−17:27

Educating Against Egypt

Through his experiences with his nephew Lot, Abraham learns valuable parenting skills.

By Rabbi Jonathan Rosenblatt, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com

The birth of Yitzchak [Isaac] is anticipated with prayers, prophecies and Divine promises. Moreover, his birth and upbringing are prefigured by the trials and errors of his father’s two earlier son figures–one a nephew and the other a concubine’s child.

The patterns and mistaken assumptions that cost Abraham the fidelity of both Yishmael and Lot also served as parenting instructors. The course adjustments in the wake of these disappointments contributed to the excellence of the third attempt. And although there can be no doubting the primacy of transmission through Yitzchak, the Torah’s deference to Yishmael and to Lot’s descendants suggests that even a failed son of Abraham is esteemed.

A careful reading of a small passage in Lech Lecha may illustrate how a crucial element in faith-training is discovered.

Continue reading.

Follow us on   

Noach

Genesis 6:9−11:32

Lessons Of The Flood

The story of the Flood provides us with numerous insights into human nature and human relationships.

By Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com

Secular scholars speak of the story of the flood as if it were a myth, or a fairy tale. Not surprisingly, several ancient documents report striking parallels to the story of the flood.

Perhaps, the most famous document is the Babylonian “Epic of Gilgamish,” which tells the story of a man by the name of Utnapishtim. The gods decide to destroy the earth, there is a great flood, and because Utnapishtim is the favorite of one of the gods, Eau, he is saved.

Gilgamesh and Noah

Despite the parallels between the “Epic of Gilgamish” and the Torah’s story of Noah, they are strikingly different. In the Babylonian story, the gods arbitrarily decide to destroy the earth as if it were a plaything. Furthermore, the gods choose to save Utnapishtim only because he is a “favorite” of theirs, not because he is worthy of being saved.

Continue reading.

Want to know more about Biblical Figures? Follow our board    page.

B'reishit

Genesis 1:1−6:8

The Complexity Of Creation

Recognizing that Creation and many natural phenomena are clouded in mystery can actually enrich our lives with meaning.

By Rabbi Jonathan Glass, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com

Every child knows the story of Creation. The Torah gives us a day-by-day account, describing how God, in His omnipotence, benevolently brought forth all that we know–light and darkness, dry land and sea, trees and plants, stars and planets, animal and man.

The text reads so simply and orderly that one is tempted to skim through it to get to the “meat” of the parashah–the story of Adam and Eve. The story of Creation remains an introduction, one that poses little difficulty for believers.

But Rashi, the great commentator, does not see it that way. He says that the opening sequence cries out for interpretation. It cannot be that these verses are telling us about the chronology of Creation, he writes, for the Torah’s second verse tells of God’s Presence “hovering on the face of the water,” before any account of God’s creating water is given.

Continue reading.  

Follow us on   

Chol HaMo-eid Sukkot

by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

Sukkot is about the resilience of the human spirit

First came the tsunami in the South Pacific, then, less than 24 hours later, the earthquake in Sumatra,claiming hundreds of victims. The scenes have been devastating, of shattered buildings and broken lives. And our thoughts and prayers must be with the people of Samoa and Tonga and Padang as they struggle to come to terms with tragedy and loss.

This latest series of natural disasters has reminded us yet again of how small we are in the face of the elemental forces of nature. All our illusions of security can be shattered in a moment by the shifting of the earth’s tectonic plates, and people can find themselves vulnerable and homeless.

And in a strange way that is the message of the Jewish festival of Sukkot, tabernacles, that begins tonight. For the next week we’ll be leaving the security of our homes to live in huts in memory of the forty year journey of the Israelites in the days of Moses, through the Sinai desert on their way to the promised land.

Continue reading.

Check out Jvillage’s High Holiday+    page.

The High Holidays are upon us, check out our High Holidays Spotlight Kit

Haazinu

Deuteronomy 32:1–52

Remember Your Rock, Your Creator

Moshe poetically reminds the Children of Israel of the importance of remembering God who created them.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com

The panoramic poetry of Ha’azinu embraces all of the Jewish past, present and future. Israel is warned that sin will be punished through the scourge of the other nations, but that Hashem will never completely abandon His Chosen People. Rather than referring to specific incidents, the poem’s use of the imperfect tense alludes to repeated events, thus making it supra-historic–beyond the limits of history.

The multiple layers of meaning in Ha’azinu invite a variety of interpretations. The following is one such example (Deuteronomy 32:18):

tzur y’lad’cha teshi, vatishkach e-l m’chol’lecha

Although the second part of the verse is the subject of some discussion by the commentaries, a straightforward translation is possible:

. . . and you forgot G-d Who produced you.

Continue reading.

The High Holidays are upon us, check out our High Holidays Spotlight Kit

Shabbat Shuva Vayelech

Deuteronomy 31:1–30

Moses’s Approach Towards Death

Several commentaries interpret Moses's going to the people before his death.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com

Moses teaches Israel about the centrality of repentance (Ch. 30), and then he prepares for his final message to his people:

(1) And Moses went (vayelekh) and he spoke these words to all of Israel. (2) And he said to them, "One hundred twenty years old am I today; I am not able (lo ukhal) any longer to go out and to come in, and Hashem has said to me, ‘You will not cross this Jordan.’ (3) Hashem your G-d, He is the One Who passes before you; He will destroy these nations before you and you will possess them; Joshua, he is the one who passes before you, as Hashem has spoken. (4) And Hashem will do to them as He did to Sichon and to Og, the kings of the Emorites, and to their land, which He destroyed. (5) And Hashem gave them before you, and you shall do to them according to all the commandment that I commanded you. (6) Be strong and courageous; do not fear nor panic before them, because Hashem, your G-d, He is the One Who goes with you; He will not fail you nor forsake you."

Continue reading.

The High Holidays are upon us, check out our High Holidays Spotlight Kit

Nitzavim

Deuteronomy 29:9–30:20

Punishments, Land, And People

Even during their long exile from the land of Israel, the Jewish people will retain their covenant with God, despite the punishments God exacts against the land.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com

Moses spoke with frightening detail regarding the destruction that will befall the people of Israel if they are disloyal to Hashem. Siege, famine, poverty, war, exile, desolation–all these are part of the covenant between the people and Hashem.

Then, Moses provides us with a glimpse of the future, after the destruction:

(21) And it will say–the later generation, your children who will arise after you, and the stranger who will come from a distant land–and they will see the plagues of that land and its afflictions with which Hashem afflicted it: (22) "Sulfur and salt, the entire land burnt, not to be sown, nor to sprout, nor for any vegetation to come up on it–like the overthrow of Sodom, Amorah, Admah and Tzevoyim which Hashem overthrew in His anger and His wrath." (23) And all the nations will say: "For what did Hashem do so to this land? What is the heat of this great anger?" (24) And they will say: "Because they forsook the covenant of Hashem, the G-d of their fathers, which He made with them when He took them out of the land of Egypt, (25) and they went and served other gods and prostrated themselves to them–gods that they had not known, and which had not benefited them. (26) And the wrath of Hashem burned against that land, bringing upon it all the curse that is written in this Book. (27) And Hashem uprooted them from their soil, with anger, with wrath and with great fury, and He cast them away to another land, as at this day." (28) The hidden matters are for Hashem, our G-d, but the revealed matters are for us and for our children forever, to fulfill all the words of this Torah (Deuteronomy 29).

Continue reading.

The High Holidays are upon us, check out our High Holidays Spotlight Kit

Ki Tavo

Deuteronomy 26:1–29:8

Twice Warned

The two extended warnings for breaking the covenant reflect the changing relationship between the people of Israel and God as well as the two different exiles.

By Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com
The Tokhackah, G-d’s stern warning to the Jewish people of what will befall them should they stray from His commands, appears twice in the Torah, first in Parashat B’hukotai and again in this week’s parashah. This follows the ruling of the prophet Ezra, "that they read the curses in Torat Kohanim (Leviticus) before Atzeret (Shavuot) and the ones in Mishneh Torah (Deuteronomy) before Rosh Hashanah."

The link between the Tokhakhah and Shavuot–the anniversary of our acceptance of the Torah–is readily understandable. But what accounts for the connection between this week’s Tokhakhah and the start of the New Year?

The new year includes Yom Kippur, Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, Z"tl (may his memory be a blessing) notes, which is also Zeman Matan Torateinu (the time of the giving of the Torah)–it is the date on which Moses brought down the second lukhot (tablets) from Sinai.

Continue reading.

Follow us on   

The High Holidays are coming up, check out our High Holidays Spotlight Kit

Ki Teitzei

Deuteronomy 21:10–25:19

And Your Camp(s) Shall Be Holy

The laws regarding the purity of the Tabernacle and the purity of military camps remind us to ensure the sanctity of all of our dwelling places.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com

Shortly, the people of Israel will begin its national life, including the conquest and settlement of the land. And when Israel goes to war, Moses teaches, the Torah continues to maintain its concern for sanctity:

(10) When you go out as a camp (mahaneh) against your enemies, you shall be on guard against any bad thing. (11) If there will be among you a man who will not be pure because of an incident of the night, he shall go forth outside of the camp (la’mahaneh); he shall not come inside the camp (ha’mahaneh). (12) And it shall be towards evening, he shall wash in water, and when the sun has set he may come into the camp (ha’mahaneh). (13) And a designated place shall you have for yourself outside of the camp (la’mahaneh), and you shall go there outside. (14) And a spade shall you have for you with your implements; and it shall be when you sit outside, you shall dig with it, and you shall turn back and cover your discharge. (15) For Hashem, your G-d, walks in the midst of your camp (mahanecha), to save you and to deliver your enemies before you; and your camp(s) shall be (v’haya mahaneycha) holy; and He will not see in you any indecent thing, such that He will turn from behind you (Deuteronomy 23).

Continue reading.

Follow us on   

Shoftim

Deuteronomy 16:18–21:9

Wary Of War

The understanding that Israelite troops were addressed on two different occasions before they entered war reflects the idea that our reactions to war often depend on its imminence.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com
Judges and the judiciary system, the king, the kohanim (priests), and the prophet–each contributes to the nation, each interacts with the other, so that the Children of Israel can function as the nation of the Torah.

When the Children of Israel goes to war, all segments of the realm are involved, both on the military and the spiritual level. Before the battle, the kohen (priest) who has been anointed for war (mashuach milchamah) addresses the troops:

(1) When you go out to battle against your enemy and see horses and chariots, a people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them, for Hashem, your G-d is with you, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt. (2) And it shall be, when you come near unto (k’karov’chem el) the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people. (3) And he shall say to them: "Hear, O Israel, you are coming near to (kreivim . . . l’) the battle today against your enemies, let not your hearts falter, fear not, do not panic nor become terrified before them. (4) For Hashem, your G-d, is He Who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you" (Deuteronomy 20:1-4).

Continue reading.

Follow us on   

Re'eh - Rosh Chodesh 1

Deuteronomy 11:26–16:17

The Second Tithe and the Making of a Strong Society

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks

Biblical Israel from the time of Joshua until the destruction of the Second Temple was a predominantly agricultural society. Accordingly, it was through agriculture that the Torah pursued its religious and social programme. It has three fundamental elements.

The first was the alleviation of poverty. For many reasons the Torah accepts the basic principles of what we now call a market economy. But though market economics is good at creating wealth it is less good at distributing it equitably. Thus the Torah’s social legislation aimed, in the words of Henry George, “to lay the foundation of a social state in which deep poverty and degrading want should be unknown.”

Continue reading and/or listen.

Follow us on   

Eikev

Deuteronomy 7:12–11:25

Empowering Fear

Moshe teaches the people that their achievement of true fear of God will allow them to not fear any enemy.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com

In preparing the Children of Israel for the conquest of the land of Canaan, Moshe anticipates the people’s trepidation, and he promises Hashem’s ongoing support:

Perhaps you might say in your heart, "These nations are more numerous than I; how can I dispossess them?" You shall not be afraid (lo tira) of them. You shall surely remember that which Hashem, your God, did to Pharaoh and to all of Egypt: The great tests which your eyes saw, and the signs and the wonders, and the strong hand, and the outstretched arm whereby Hashem, your God, brought you out–so will Hashem, your God, do to all the nations before whom you are afraid (yarei). Furthermore, Hashem, your God, will release the hornet against them, until the destruction of those who are left and those who hide themselves before you. You shall not be intimidated/frightened (lo ta’arotz) before them, because (ki) Hashem, your God, is in your midst, a God Who is mighty and feared (nora) (Devarim 7:17-21).

Continue reading.

Follow us on   

Shabbat Nachamu

Va-et'chanan Deuteronomy 3:23–7:11

“Answering Unanswered Prayers”

Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb for The OU

Did you ever really pray for something you wanted? I mean, really fervently, desperately, pray hard for something that was vitally important to you?

If you did, and I think we all pray this way at moments of urgency, you violated an anonymous piece of wisdom:

“Be careful what you pray for, because you just might get it.”

I have not been able to determine who said that. But I know clearly what he meant. In my own life, I have had more than one occasion to look back at answered prayers, which achieved what turned out to be very trivial objectives. And I have certainly been disappointed in prayer, only to learn that in the long run, I was much better off without the benefits of whatever I prayed for so earnestly.

Continue reading.

Follow us on   

Shabbat Chazon

Devarim, Deuteronomy 1:1–3:22

Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb for The OU

The Path to Eloquence

It is an experience common to all freshmen. One comes to a new campus, knows no one, and tries to orient himself by identifying the senior students who seem to have prestige. Then, he tries to connect with these campus big shots.

This was my experience precisely when, many years ago, I explored a new yeshiva at a transition point in my life. I was barely 19 years old, and I was trying to decide whether I would pursue an exclusively Talmudic education or combine my Talmud studies with college courses. I decided to spend the spring semester in an elite institution devoted only to Talmud, and to determine whether this approach suited me.

I quickly came to learn that the senior students were organized in a kind of hierarchy which reflected their respective degrees of erudition and their relationship to the world-famous dean of the school. I was somewhat impressed by all of them, but one in particular stood out for me. I do not recall his name now, but I can close my eyes and easily conjure up an image of him.

Continue reading.

Follow us on   

Matot-Mas'ei

Numbers 30:2-36:13

The Nature of a Vow

By Rabbi Bernie Fox for OU
“And Moshe spoke to the heads of the tribes saying, “This is the matter that Hashem commanded” (BeMidbar 30:2)

This pasuk introduces the most comprehensive discussion in the Torah of the laws governing vows. What is a vow? A vow is a means by which a person creates a personal obligation or restriction. One reason a person makes a vow is to obligate oneself to offer a sacrifice. This person would verbalize a commitment to bring an Olah sacrifice. Once this commitment is verbalized as a vow, the person is obligated to bring the offering. Failure to bring the offering is a violation of a binding Torah obligation.

A person might also make a vow to donate a certain sum to charity. However, vows can also relate to issues that are more mundane. A person eager to control one’s diet might make a vow to eat at least one vegetable each day.

Continue reading.

Follow us on   

Pinchas

Numbers 25:10−30:1

A Count Of Love

The census that occurs immediately after the plague for the sin with Midian reassures the Children of Israel that they are still God's partners in the covenant.

By Rabbi Reuven Spolter, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for  MyJewishLearning.com

After outlining the reward that Pinhas was to receive for his zealotry, God commands Moshe to attack and punish the nation of Midyan for enticing the Jewish people to sin and for causing the plague that nearly consumed them. Yet, immediately following this command, the Torah abruptly changes direction, stopping in mid-sentence to begin a new count of the people.

Several questions arise from this strange turn in the text. Why does the Torah end the story of the strife with Midyan so abruptly? What is the function of the new census? And why is it connected to (and then disconnected from) the story of Pinhas?

Continue reading. 

Follow us on   

Balak

Numbers 22:2−25:9

This week we have an audio drash from Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, who had his term reinstated by the Chief Rabbinate.



 


Follow us on   

Chukat

Numbers 19:1−22:1

Facing Long-Standing Foes

Several commentators identify the Canaanites with whom the Israelites fought as the nation of Amalek, continuing the Israelites struggle against their age-old enemy.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com

Imperceptibly, the Torah has skimmed over nearly 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. The generation of the Exodus has expired, and the generation of the wilderness has taken its place. Two beloved leaders of the Exodus generation–Miriam and Aharon–were taken from them. A new reality crystallizes: this will be the generation that will conquer and settle the Land of Israel, and will establish a society based upon the Torah.

The wilderness generation will fight many wars. Their parents had fought only once against Amalek in Refidim (Exodus 17:8-16). And when they themselves are faced with the threat of war against Edom, they are constrained to withdraw:

And Edom refused to allow Israel to cross his border, and Israel turned away from him (Numbers 20:21).

But now, on the edge of the land of Edom, the new generation of the Children of Israel are about to encounter their first war:

Continue reading.

Follow us on   

Korach

Numbers 16:1−18:32

Causing Crisis

Korah's rebellion was unforgivable because he created disunity among the Jewish people.

By Rabbi Marc Penner, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com
The rebellion of Korach and his followers brings out a side of Moshe Rabbeinu (our teacher) that has not yet been seen. Moshe’s role is usually that of caring shepherd and intercessor for Klal Yisrael (congregation of Israel) when they sin. On their journey from Mitzrayim (Egypt) to Eretz Yisrael (land of Israel), Moshe always pleads with Hashem to be understanding and merciful, to forgive the offenses committed against Him.

Now, however, Moshe’s attitude seems to change. When Korach questions his authority, Moshe seeks only justice! Why, asks Rabbeinu Bachya (14th-century Spain), does Moshe respond differently than he did by the sin of the golden calf and the sin of the spies, when God’s supremacy was challenged?

It is possible that Moshe is more protective of his own honor than of Hashem’s?

Continue reading.

Follow us on   

Sh'lach

Numbers 13:1−15:41

Sticks And Stoned

The person who gathered wood on Shabbat in Parashat Shlah violated the atmosphere of tranquility, essential to experiencing the full spirituality of Shabbat.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com

After the tragic incident of the scouts (Meraglim), as a consequence of which the generation of the Exodus is sentenced to live out the rest of its existence in the wilderness, we learn of the Mekoshesh, the one who collected wood on the Shabbat day:

"And the Children of Israel were in the desert, and they found a man who collected wood on the Shabbat day. And those who found him collecting wood bought him [close] to Moshe and to Aharon and to all the congregation. And they placed him in the jail, because it was not explained what should be done to him" (Numbers 15:32-34).

Rashi, quoting the Talmud (Sanhedrin 41a), says that the Mekoshesh was warned by witnesses, yet he ignored them and continued collecting wood. Although it was known that a Shabbat desecrator is sentenced to death, thus far the manner of execution had not been taught. Hashem instructs them to stone him, and the sentence is carried out.

Many details of this incident are shrouded in mystery:

Continue reading.

Follow us on   

B’ha’alotkha

Numbers 8:1-12:16

How The Trouble Began

The Israelites' troubles, and indeed our own troubles, begin when we turn away from God.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com

In the aftermath of a national calamity, we try to reconstruct the events that led to the tragedy. We try to locate the turning point, in the belief that there was a precise moment at which, had we been aware, we might have prevented the catastrophe.

To be sure, the Children of Israel were sentenced to die in the desert because of the sin of the scouts (Meraglim), as we will read in Parshat Shlah Lekha. However, the first signs of dissolution emerge in B’ha’alotkha.

The verses, “And it was, when the ark set forward, that Moshe said, ‘Rise up, Hashem, and let Your enemies be scattered, and let them that hate You flee before You.’ And when it rested, he said, ‘Return Hashem to the myriads and thousands of Israel.’” are set off with two inverted letters–n’oon to mark the end of the idyllic condition described at the beginning of the book of Bamidbar (ch. 1-10)–the order, purposefulness and unity–and the onset of deterioration:

Continue reading.

Follow us on   

Naso

Numbers 4:21−7:89

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com

The Service Of Song

The duty of the Levites to accompany the Tabernacle service with music and song reminds us to serve God with joy.

The G-d-centric, Torah-centric, Mishkan (Tabernacle)-centric Israelite camp described in the opening section of the Book of B’midbar [Numbers] is ordered, sanctified and serene. A census of the population is taken. The tribe of Levi is counted separately, and their holy tasks in the Mishkan are assigned:

All those that were numbered, whom Moshe and Aharon and the princes of Israel counted of the Levites according to their families and according to their fathers’ houses; from thirty years old and upward, until fifty years old, all those who come to perform service to a service (avodat avodah) and the service of carrying in the Tent of Meeting. Their accounts were 8,580. According to the word of Hashem through Moshe did he appoint them, each one to his service and to his burden, and those that were numbered constituted that which Hashem had commanded Moshe (Bamidbar 4:46-49).

Continue reading.

Follow us on   

B'midbar

Numbers 1:1−4:20

Questioning Chronology

The lack of chronological order in Parashat B'midbar allows expressions of God's love for Israel to precede the trials and tribulations of desert wandering.

By Rabbi Avraham Fischer, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com

It is surprising that the sometimes tumultuous book of B’midbar commences with such a prosaic passage as the taking of a census:

And Hashem spoke to Moshe in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year of their coming out from the land of Egypt, saying: Take a census of all the congregation of the Children of Israel by their families, by their fathers’ houses, with the number of names, every male by their head count (B’midbar 1:1-2).

Censuses, here and later (chapter 26), give this book its Rabbinic name Pekudim (accounts), and its English name (based on the Septuagint), Numbers. Nevertheless, when we look ahead to what will transpire in this book–the conflicts, the rebellions, the instabilities and the crushing disappointments–we are struck by the uncharacteristic placidity of its opening section, discussing the census and the careful ordering of the encampments.

Continue reading.

Follow us on   

B'har/B'chukotai

Leviticus 25:1-26:2 / 26:3-27:34

A New World

The reinterpretation of the term 'forever' encourages us to strive for new realities within our own lifetimes.

By Rabbi Asher Brander, provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox Congregations for MyJewishLearning.com

The primacy of the Oral Law has always been the bedrock of our belief system. Torah Shebichtav (Written Law) without Torah Sheba’al Peh (Oral Law) is likened to a body without a soul. Thus, when Oral Law seems to contradict the Written Law our sense of textual loyalty seems violated.

Our parshah is home to one of the classic examples of this apparent incongruity. The Torah states, “You shall sanctify the 50th year and proclaim freedom throughout the land for all of its inhabitants; it shall be the Jubilee year (Yovel) for you.”

What are the implications of this freedom?

Continue reading.

Follow us on