I fast, not only because Torah tells me so, but it heals my heart to be obedient to Hashem. Looking back on Yom Kippur 2019/5780, things were different. Dr. Joel Grossman, my chemotherapist, told me I was forbidden to fast on Yom Kippur or on Tzom Gedalia. If I remember correctly, Yom Kippur was on […]
Bamidbar 12:01-03 – Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moshe because of the beautiful[1] woman whom he married, for he married a beautiful1 woman. And they said, “Has Hashem indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken, as well, through us?” And Hashem heard it. Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were […]
This was the very heap of stones that Lavan and Yaakov erected as a testament that, “I will not pass over this heap toward you, and you will not pass over this heap and this pillar toward me, for harm” (Genesis 31:52). Bilaam, who [descends from] Laban, was now violating this covenant by crossing the […]
The conversation regarding the mixing of meat and dairy existed prior to the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash Sheni. By the time of the second Century Tanna, R’ Yose, the discussion was reduced to whether one should protect against accidental mixing by disallowing meat and dairy on the same table [m.Chullin 8:1]. Prior to this, […]
b.Yoma 7a – The Cohen Gadol is told to be aware of the tzitz (headpiece) at all times. This is afforded by touching and adjusting it frequently. It uses a Kol vechomer from tefillin, where a state of awareness must be maintained, too. However, tefillin are worn by normal Jews, but the tzitz is worn […]
לְבִנְיָמִ֣ן אָמַ֔ר יְדִ֣יד יְהֹוָ֔ה יִשְׁכֹּ֥ן לָבֶ֖טַח עָלָ֑יו חֹפֵ֤ף עָלָיו֙ כָּל־הַיּ֔וֹם וּבֵ֥ין כְּתֵיפָ֖יו שָׁכֵֽן Of Benjamin he said: Beloved of the LORD, He rests securely beside Him; Ever does He protect him, As he rests between His shoulders. (Devarim 33:12) In b.Yoma 12a, The Gemara considers the dispute between Rabbi Yehuda and the other tannaim: What […]
In b.Yoma, the Rabbis discuss the length of time each Temple stood and the number of High Priests who served. We follow with a brief outline of each, and also give what we can surmise regarding the Mishkan, including the time the Tabernacle was in the Wilderness, until its destruction in Shiloh during Eli haCohein’s […]
A friend of mine, Dan, bought a cat. It’s a large cat with the coloring and hair length of a Siberian Husky (I think it may be a Maine Coon). I was supposed to come over with another friend for a Torah study; however, this other friend is very allergic to cats. I warned him, […]
Is Shmini Atzeret, by its very name, the Eighth Day, the continuation and conclusion of the seven days of Succos? Shmini Atzeret often is considered to be a part of Succos, yet is not part of it. • In the prayers for Shmini Atzeret, Succus is not mentioned. • We don’t eat in the Succah. […]
In order to argue with Albert Einstein about the Theory of Relativity, one must be able to understand the mechanics behind the theory, otherwise the argument is invalid. In like manner, those who want to argue against Talmud and Rabbinic Judaism yet misunderstand Talmud, are unable to formulate a proper argument. Their argument is invalid. […]
We see the tension between the Rabbis (formerly the Pharisees) and the Sadducees. The former believed Torah is understood as a community through a tradition passed down from Ezra and the Great Assembly, and in many cases, from Moshe Rabbeinu himself. The latter believed the Torah was complete enough to provide clues for the individual […]
In the Purim story, there is so much we miss. Why do we read about the Bidgei Kehuna in Tetzaveh on the Shabbos after Purim? Because when Achashverosh showed the riches of his glorious [kevod] kingdom and the honor of his excellent [tiferes] greatness,” R’Yosei bar Hanina said (b.Megillah 12a) this teaches that Achashverosh wore […]
The Talmud (b.Shabbos 30b) states Raba would tell his students a joke prior to learning Torah. The joke was designed to help take a person from Katnus (intellectually constricted) to Gadlus (desiring to learn and attach to Hashem). This also was the intent of the two comedians in b.Taanis 22a, who would bring joy to […]
It was a time of trouble and sorrow in the animal kingdom. A terrible plague was decimating the denizens of the forest, with the number of the sick and the dead rising from day to day. A royal proclamation was issued, and all the animals, large and small, were commanded to assemble in the great […]
In b.Pesachim 9a, we learn the concept of ספק מוציא מידי ודאי, does doubt remove an item from its definite status? In the example, we know for certain chametz has entered someone’s property, but one can only surmise that the chametz has been consumed, removed, or destroyed. Does the doubt surrounding the existence of the […]
This is a famous and wonderful story. Like all midrashim, we can get caught in the weeds. One of the most important takeaways from the story is (were I find two excellent brain changers), in spite of our seeming best intention, we must never hurt another human being with the words of our mouth. The […]
In b.Shabbos 127b, the rabbis discuss what can and cannot be carried on Shabbos, and in the end, whatever is considered most compassionate wins the day. The gemara breaks into examples of the supremacy of hospitality (a form of compassion). R’Yochanan says hospitality is as important as rising early to attend prayer and study at […]
b.Shabbos 113 informs us a person should (if possible) wear different clothes on Shabbos than those worn during the week. They should walk differently on Shabbos. They should speak differently on Shabbos. However, when R’Shlomo Zalman was asked about the practice of owning Shabbos shoes, he admitted he did not have a pair he only […]
In b.Shabbos 117, the rabbis discuss what can and cannot be rescued from a structure fire on Shabbos. We can rescue people, Sefer Torahs, many (or most) books of a religious matter, food to meet your family’s needs through Shabbos. We are expressly told we cannot extinguish the fire. Why would the rabbis create such […]
b.Shabbat 101b discussed when two boats are tied together, it is permitted to carry from one to the other. Each boat is a reshus hayachid (private domain) and the water under the boats is a karmelis (open domain). By tying the boats together, an eruv is created, enabling one to carry from one boat to […]
There is a thought that scholarship and the indwelling of the Ruach Hashem are somehow in conflict. Those who study the basis of Jewish Halacha (which discuss the application of Torah on daily life) are often depicted as lacking the ear to hear the indwelling presence of the Spirit of Hashem or to understand the […]
A Prayer Before Eating Chametz, written by Rabbi Aharon Yissachar (Bernard) Davids, Chief Rabbi of Rotterdam, Holland, possibly together with Rabbi Simon Dasberg of Groningen, in 1944 for the members of the Dutch Jewish community who had been interned at the Westerbork transit camp and then sent to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. “Before eating Chametz, […]
Why was Yaakov chosen and not Esav? Or more dramatically, why Yaakov and not Yaakov and Esav? There are three blessings given by Yitzhak. One would be well served to pay close attention to them: A blessing to Yaakov when Yitzhak thinks he’s speaking to Esav A blessing to Esav when Yitzhak knows it’s Esav […]
Does anything in the Prophets or the Writings or the Besorah [New Testament] supersede Torah? This is a very important question and it will define your relationship with the Torah as a lifestyle, it will define your relationship with the Jewish people, and it will intrinsically define [or limit] your access to the promises of […]
The Emperor was hunting in the woods and a storm came so he found a house to stay in for the night with an old couple. The sun was going down so the old couple lit their two candles for the Sabbath. The Emperor thought they were foolish and odd characters, but soon after he […]
Generally, The drash[1] you will hear throughout the English-speaking world will be about the word, Bo, and how it means come and not go. Do not worry, I will not bore you with that today. Instead, I would like to read you a portion of today’s Parsha that is usually ignored. It’s read, but not […]
“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” (Jonah 1:2) This is not the first time Jonah makes an appearance. During the reign of Jeroboam II the son of Yoash, it says Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet from Gat-hefer, prophesied that […]
A couple were having a bit of marital trouble. Near their wits’ end, they approached their Tzaddik and asked him, “Can you help us? We have prayed for patience toward each other and it seems to elude us.” Their Tzaddik jumped from his chair. “Get out!” He yelled. “I have no time for you!” He […]
I enjoy having my theology stretched or rocked off its foundations because it allows me to learn and to grow. It removes my complacency and replaces it with a desire to rekindle an equilibrium, which only comes from further study. If we’re convinced of our own brilliance and wisdom, and we think we’re always right, […]
Moshe said to G-d, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” [Hashem] said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you…[1]“ Most people stop here and use the old arm-in-the-shirt-turns-leprous miracle and the […]
Moshe comes and declares to the people all the words of Hashem, and all the mishpatim[1], and all the people replied in one voice, and said, “All the words Hashem has spoken we do.” And Moshe writes all the words of Hashem, and he rises early in the morning, and builds an altar under the […]
I went to a baby naming ceremony last Shabbos. I went to a congregation in the Tampa area for the first time. The people were pleasant and warm, but the service structure is not my cup of tea – which is not intended to be a negative critique. Simply stated, there are many expressions that […]
Numbers and Leviticus are antithetical. Leviticus is mostly law with a little narrative sprinkled for diversity, while Numbers is mostly narrative with some law intermingled. Parsha Naso, like the book of Numbers in which it resides, has narrative but it also has a few laws stuck in for added flavor. To get our best understanding […]
Now the man Moshe was very humble, more than all people who were on the face of the earth[1]. What made Moshe so humble? There are at least two reasons. First, he had a unique encounter with Hashem that no one else in the world had experienced. In the cleft of a rock, Hashem’s Splendor […]
There are two phrases that explain the psychology of Joseph. The first arrives soon after our introduction to the last hero of Genesis. In the opening story, he is given a coat to express the honor he finds in his father’s eye as the inheritor of the Birchas habechor[1]. The brother despised him because he […]
There is a uniqueness to Joseph we witness whenever he opens his mouth. His G-d consciousness is greater than any other in all of Chumash. He even surpasses the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and his father, Jacob. Even when he meets his brothers in Parshah Miketz[1], this tendency seems to create an uneasiness or tension, as […]
With the arrival of Jacob in the Biblical text, we have talked about the blessings: who got them, which ones did they get, and which ones did they not get. Today, I will deal with this topic again, but only in passing since this section of Torah closes the book on the heir of Birchat […]
Eleh toldot Yaakov, Yosef [1] These are the generations of Jacob, Joseph[2]. As a stand-alone phrase, this makes no sense because Jacob had 12 sons. It should read something similar to the generational list of Esau. The list of Esau’s progeny, this Eleh Toledot Esav [3] which begins in Genesis 36:9, is a list of […]
If you walk in My statutes, and keep My commandments, and do them[1]… There are three verbs in this verse: walk, keep, and do. What do they indicate? Rashi says they represent the study and performance of the commandments. Sforno says they represent the scrupulous observance of the commands from the motivation of love Ibn […]
Retrieve Precept Apology Receive Prehaps Anomaly Correct Buried A teacher wrote these eight words on the board, and most of the students either chuckled or murmured to each other. She asked, “Why are you laughing?” “You misspelled, ‘perhaps,’” said one student in a peal of laughter. The teacher kindly said, “And that’s the way of […]
Terah has three sons: Abram, Nachor, and Haran. Abram marries Sarai while Nachor [who was named after his grandfather] marries Milcah [Haran’s daughter] and they give birth to Iscah. Haran [before his death] has a son named Lot. Upon Haran’s death, it appears Abram “adopts” Lot. At or about the time Hashem split the One […]
And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming, And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor. The Raven, Edgar Allen Poe[1] [Noach] sent out […]
Bereshis[1] is about brothers; brothers who don’t get along. Schmuley and Ariel were both young talmidim in Brooklyn. Schmuley met Ariel when his father drove him to Brooklyn from their home a half dozen states away. Schmuley and Ariel became acquaintances because they became roommates, but there was always a tense uneasiness between them. In […]
Teshuvah and vidui[1] is not just about getting the record straight with God. It has to do with you and your relationships. During Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur, we read 40 lines in the Al Chet and most of them are sins we do to one another. By confessing specifically the types of sins we […]
For the last few weeks, we’ve witnessed a recurring theme in the weekly readings. From Nitzavim[1] and Vayalech[2] to Haazinu[3], we’re being encouraged to make short resolution to our sin, both individually and corporately. This indicates G-d understands we will succumb repeated ly to our selfish inclination; still, we must have the heart to abandon […]
When Moshe had finished writing the words of this law in a book to the very end, Moshe commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of Hashem, “Take this Book of the Torah and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of Hashem your G-d, that it may […]
We all live with the illusion we have the inalienable right to sin, and whenever we want, we can tell G-d, I’m sorry and I want you for forgive me. Is there ever a point we’ve gone too far and G-d says, No. Sorry. No forgiveness for you. There are two people in Gemara where […]
The secret things belong unto the LORD our God; but the things that are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law[1]. This verse is best understood within the context of judgment. Since we cannot see into the private areas of a man’s home […]
Parsha Ki Tetze[1] begins with a moral dilemma. The dilemma being, if you are part of the war effort and you see among the captives a comely woman and you desire to take her for yourself. Surprisingly, Torah does not say it’s an abominable act to desire a captive; instead, it puts controls on the […]
If someone is found fallen in the land that Hashem your G-d gives you to possess, lying in the field, and no one knows who killed him, then your elders and your judges shall come forth, and shall measure to the cities surrounding the fallen man[1]. These are the beginning verses of the Eglah Arufah, […]
There is an overlying theme to Re’eh [Deuteronomy 11:26 – 16:17], and that is one of choice. Contrary to some belief systems, we do not live within a universal model of irresistible compunction of robotic procedures and algorithms. In a most succinct manner, R’Akiva says, All is foreknown (by Hashem) and free will is given[1]. […]
Last week at the Diplomat Wesleyan Church in Cape Coral. FL, R’Michael Schiffman of Tikvat Shalom discussed points regarding gentiles being grafted into the cultivated olive tree, and how [even with our differing expressions], Christians and Jews all worship the same G-d: the G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It even created a lively conversation […]
When man was created, he was placed in the Garden of Eden and he walked with G-d. Adam had a complete awareness of G-d. Consider the text that says, And they heard the sound of Hashem God walking in the garden in the cool[1] of the day[2]” the commentaries indicate this was a natural and […]
Parshah Vaetchanan begins with: And I pleaded with Hashem at that time, saying, ‘O Lord Hashem, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours? Please let me go over […]
Today is Tisha b’Av[1]. It’s a traditional day of mourning, and we read the beginning parsha of Devarim, where Moshe recaps the last forty years of our lives in the wilderness. We are reminded that we were not allowed to enter the land after we cried all night in response to the report of the […]
In the ninth chapter of Numbers, we are given the instruction to keep the Pesach[1]. This is the first memorial of many. If we can trust Hillel II’s calendar, we have celebrated Pesach 3,328 times. The first remembrance was in the year 2348 and we are now in the year 5776. Sadly, there were a […]
In the past, I have called the book of Bemidbar (Numbers) the Chronicles of Our Complaints. Perhaps this is why many people consider Numbers to be their least-favorite book of the Torah. It can be a bit painful to read what seems to be an endless catalogue of someone else’s mistakes. However, there is a thread […]
“And now, O priests, this command is for you. If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to My Name, says the L-rd of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you […]
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness.” – Matthew 6:22 – 23 NIV We […]
We count (a shiur for Bemidbar) We count six days and we get a Shabbat. We count seven weeks after Pesach and the next day is a holiday. We count seven years and the land gets a reprieve from direct ownership. We count seven sets of seven years, and the next year we all get to […]
Leviticus is a book of law with narrative; when narrative is found, we should ask ourselves why. Numbers, on the other hand, is a book of narrative with some law stuck in. In like manner, when we see law in Numbers, we should ask ourselves why it’s there. Parshah Chukkat begins with the ultimate Chok […]
The text says Moshe sent men to reconnoiter the land. They were instructed to “see the land, what it is; and the people who dwell there, (whether they are strong or weak, whether they are few or many); and what the land in which they dwell (whether it is good or bad); and what the […]
When you come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a shabbat unto Hashem. The year we entered the land, we neither plowed nor tilled. This was a year of rest for the Land. Every seventh year thereafter was supposed to be a rest as well, but we know how […]
And Hashem spoke to Moshe saying, “Speak to all the company of the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You are holy for I, Hashem your God, am holy.’” Most translations try to fix what appears to be a grammatical error in the text by saying something like, “You are to be holy because…,” […]
For those who have gone through the yearly cycle of Torah readings, I would like to give you an opportunity to show off your knowledge: In the Yom Kippur service proper (which excludes the daily morning and evening service), how many animals are used and how many are sacrificed? Answer: five animals are used, four […]
We have a tendency to view the torah portions as organic units, often being separate and complete in themselves. This is easy to do, considering we study a portion for a week and then move on to the next. However, sometimes the answers to our questions are found in adjacent passages, or even passages on […]
Most or many of the mitzvot associated with the Temple or Tabernacle service and those commands applicable especially in the land of Israel have to do with giving: Sacrifices to Hashem Bikurrim, or the first produce to the Kohen, Leviim, the sojourner who is among us, and the poor Leaving all the produce from the […]
When one thinks of the laws of purity, ritual uncleanness is the first thing that comes to mind. I posed the question, What is the worst kind of tumah (impurity)? When asked, most consider contact with the dead to be the worst; after all, physical death is the worst thing that can happen to the […]
Parsha Vayikra begins a series of ten parashiyot that most people find less than exciting. Torah, from the Creation story up to giving of the Torah or even the cheit haegel (sin of the golden calf), is an exciting source of stories. It’s easy to take the narratives and pull lessons from them. Passages like […]
In Parsha Terumah, Tetzaveh, and Ki Tisa, which begins in Exodus 25 and runs through the end of chapter 34, Hashem gives Moshe the instructions for building the Mikdash (the Sanctuary or the Temple), yet in the very same verse it uses the term haMishkan (the Tabernacle). Additionally, Moshe is given the instructions for the […]
There is a theme that is very similar to another earlier in the Torah. Below is the passage from Parsha Tetzaveh: …These are the garments they shall make: a breast piece, an ephod, a robe, a coat of checker work, a turban, and a sash. They shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and […]
…You shall not wear a garment of cloth made with two different kinds of thread [or, two kinds of stuff] mingled together[1]… I know this passage regarding shatnez [command regarding wearing clothing of mixed fibers] comes from Parsha Kedoshim, which we shall read on the 14th of May 2016. Until this week, I considered the […]
Altar – jewishencyclopedia.com And if you make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones; for if you lift up your tool upon it, you have profaned it. Neither shall you go up by steps to My altar, that your nakedness will not uncovered on it[1]. These two verses […]
The Torah Portion for this week, Yitro, can be separated into five sections. Yitro arrives and gives Moshe advise[1]. The Children of Israel prepare for Matan Torah [the giving of the Torah][2]. Matan Torah[3]. The people declare Moshe to be the sole ear to Hashem’s voice[4]. A slight return to the second commandment and rules […]
The table below is an attempt to list the major events of Torah in chronological order, with Creation being Year 0, and our eventual entrance into the Land in the year 2488. A 14-year discrepancy is found in the chronology, and the best place to put these missing years is after Rebecca and Isaac sent […]
And Jacob went out from Beersheva, and went toward Charan. And he came upon the place, and stayed there all night because the sun had set; and he took one of the stones of the place, and put it under his head, and lay down in the place to sleep. And he dreamt, and behold a […]
When we first look at the parsha, we see a stark difference between it and passage from last week. Last week, the text says: These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, innocent in his generation. Noah walked with God… …And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end […]
The story of Noah begins earlier than the start of our Torah portion. In Genesis 5, Lemech fathers a son and names him Noach. What’s interesting, is he is the fourth to be given a name of significance. Chavah is named by Adam because she is the mother of all living. Cayin is named by […]
Recently, I asked several people for their opinion. I asked, What, to you, is circumcision of the heart? Some of the most common answers I received are: Inward showing of the covenant. I’m assuming you are referring to Deuteronomy 30:6 And the Lord your G-d will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, […]
Simchah, while often translated as “joy” is best described as “happiness.” Simchah is mentioned three times in our parsha (Deuteronomy 26:11, 27:7, and 28:47). This makes Ki Tavo the most simchah-laden passage in Devarim. In fact, there is more simchah in Ki Tavo than in Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus combined. It also has more simchah […]
The Torah tells us in this week’s Parshah, And you shall come to Priests, Levites, and the Judge who will be in those days, [Deut 17:9] to seek guidance in legal matters. Rashi takes special note of the expression, in those days, and comments that even if he is not like the Judges who came […]
This week we read Mattot and Massei, the last two Torah portions of Bemidbar [Numbers]. Whenever I’ve had the privilege to teach on these portions, I’ve avoided Massei [which begins at Numbers 33:1] because it’s rather difficult to teach about Zelophechad, the cities of refuge, or the travelogue of the camps. It can be difficult […]
In every generation, the world produces exceptional men and women who make a positive impact on the world. In life and in death, these people are honored. In fact, the tzaddikim are honored for years at their yartzeits, which are yearly remembrances for us to recall the contributions they made, not only on our lives, […]
A friend of mine asked, “Why do you study the Old Testament? All that happens is the Israelites sin, they moan and complain, they sin, G-d punishes them, and the cycle begins again.” I responded, “It’s because no matter how often we fail, G-d still loves us and He still keeps His promise to us. […]
In older times, Numbers was called Chumash Hapekudim or the Chumash of the Countings. However, since the first significant word in the book’s first Parashah is bamidbar, this gives the book its Hebrew name and the the name of the first of ten reading portions of the book. Bamidbar is often translated in the desert, […]
The haftarah portion (for Parashah Behar on leap years) chronicles Jeremiah and the purchase of a field in Anatot. A striking detail that cannot be overlooked is the Babylonian army was preparing her siege machines to take the holy city. In the midst of the famine, G-d provides a promise of redemption using His prophet: […]
Sometimes the Torah is very specific and other times it is more generalized. For instance, in reference to the story of the Exodus, Torah states, “That you may tell in the hearing of your sons’ sons.[1]” Yet in reference to the Seder, it is written, “And when your children [b’neichem] ask you, ‘What is the […]
I asked a question once in a forum in which I no longer participate. That question was, “Does One Law believe that the whole of Torah is for the people of G-d — whether Jew or Gentile — and that the adoption of the Torah is a sign that one has become a member of […]
We recently finished the Sephirat haOmer, which is the Counting of the Omer. It begins on the second day of Pesach and ends the day before Shavuot. While we may understand the mechanic behind the mitzvah, we often fail to see a reason behind the act. Chabad sees the counted days as a daily improvement […]
Exodus spends a great deal of time discussing the construction of the Mishkan[1]. We’re introduced to Moshe’s chief artisan when the text states, “I have called, in name, Betzalel son of Uri son of Hur of Mattah Judah; I have filled him with a G-dly spirit, with wisdom, insight, and knowledge…[2]” During the time of […]
וְהָאִ֥ישׁ מֹשֶׁ֖ה ׳עָנָו׳ ״עָנָ֣יו״ מְאֹ֑ד מִכֹּל֙ הָֽאָדָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ Veha’ish Moshe anav me’od mikol ha’adam asher al-peney ha’adamah. Moses, however, was very humble, more so than any man on the face of the earth. Numbers 12:3 is found in Parashah Beha’alotecha, which is the third Torah portion of Numbers, but this verse informs much […]
“You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall reprove your fellow and do not bear a sin because of him.” Leviticus 19:17[1] The sentence preceding the “Golden Rule” deals with the prohibition of an emotion: we’re not to harbor hatred [in our hearts] for our fellow man [from a wrong done]. These […]
[Ishmael #13] Shenei ketuvim hamakchishim zeh et teh as sheyavo hakatuv hashelishi veyachria beineihem This verse allows two Biblical passages that are in conflict, to have the contradiction in question resolved by referencing a third passage. This first example for this rule is in the first verse of the Torah. “In the beginning G-d created […]
[7] Davar Halamad Meniano [Davar halamed meniano vadavar halamed misofo, #12 Ishmael] The easiest term I’ve seen for this rule is deduction from context. In less-than-simple terms from R’Ishmael but a bit more accurate, the rule allows a passage to be deduced from its context [meniano] or from a later reference in a following […]
[6] Kayotze Bo Mimechom Achar Often called, “Like that in another place,” Hillel’s Sixth Rule [while very similar to R’Ishmael’s Thirteenth rule, does not require the verses to be contradictory], allows one Biblical passage to explain another through their similar content. For instance, in 1 Samuel 1:11, Hannah prayed at the Mishkan while it was […]
Hillel’s Fifth Rule is not as cut-and-dry as Ishmael’s rules, for Ishmael takes the basic uferat ukelal logical argument and splits it up into seven basic logical arguments. Therefore, I have taken Hillel’s fifth middah and placed all of Ishmael’s variations under it. [5a] Uferat ukelal [#5 Ishmael] The uferat ukelal [particular and general or […]
[4] Binyan av mishene ketuvim [#3b Ishmael] This principle may be translated from a General Principle Found in Two Verses. Additional information regarding this principle can be found above in binyan av mikatuv echad. Here, however, a single verse is insufficient to apply its rule elsewhere in Torah. In b.Bava Kamma 6a, we’re given an […]
[3] Binyan av mikatuv echad [#3a Ishmael] This principle may be translated from a General Principle Found in One Verse. This allows the inference of a rule [herein called the Av or father], from a single passage of Scripture, for all similar passages or cases. For instance, a binyan av tells us that just as […]
[2] Gezirah shavah [#2 Ishmael, #7 Eliezer] Gezirah Shavah [equivalent expressions or argument by analogy] is a hermeneutic rule that allows us to understand aspects of a particular command when certain details are left unspecified. Since Gezirah means, law, [see Daniel 4:14] the principle is used to compare two similar laws. For instance, we were […]
This is the first of a multi-part delivery featuring the Middot of Hillel. Since it’s a sixteen-page document this far, I felt it was best to provide this in smaller, more palatable chunks. I will provide the bibliography at the end of the series. Hillel, a Rabbi known for his liberal approach to Torah interpretation, […]
According to the Talmud [Masechta Rosh Hashanah 2b-8a] there are four New Years, though there are discussions that increase the number to far greater! According to the authority in respect to holidays, R’Shimon, the first of Tishri is the New Year, not only of years, but of release and Jubilees. Of release! Since the first […]
“Sing aloud until G-d our Strength; blow the shofar unto the G-d of Jacob” [Psalms 81:2][1]. Why does the Psalmist ask that it be blown only to the G-d of Jacob and not the G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? The Shofar is blown to Rosh Hashanah so that G-d will judge the land […]
I was given a puzzle by someone who was concerned for me. I was told that the Newer Testament cannot be trusted because it contradicts Torah. In response I said that contradictions in Torah are in interpretation, not in the text itself. To prove the point, I was given two passages: one in the Newer […]
The fateful deal between the paternal twins Jacob and Esau – the birthright sold for a bowl of pottage – has provoked many an uncomfortable commentary[1]. Unfair as they are, their interpretations are not the focus of my commentary. Instead, I would like to have another look the texts surrounding the sons of Isaac and […]
Have you heard this one? “Find a common enemy and find a fast friend.” How about, “Gain a new friend based upon a mutual hatred?” If you haven’t heard those axioms before you’re not alone. I just made them up, but they’re based upon years of experience as the perpetrator, victim, and observer. We can […]
We have a tendency to take lists and break them down into categories and sub categories. F LaGard Smith, a Christian commentator, separates the “Laws of Moses” into nine categories[1]. In Pirkei Avot 1:1, the members of the Great Assembly tell us we are to be deliberate [persistent and thoughtful] in judgment, establish many disciples […]
Every year arguments against the traditional Jewish calendar are raised, and one group or another produces a more accurate or a more Biblical calendar for people to follow. This year is an exception. It seems everyone was in agreement. While many factors control the disagreements, I will concentrate on one: “When should the counting of […]
[1] A Sefer[2] Torah is made from parchment purposefully created for a Sefer Torah, written with ink manufactured for the sole purpose of writing a Sefer Torah, Mezuzot, and Tefillin. A Jew who trained specifically for this purpose writes the Sefer. Nothing mundane is used and this attests to the holiness of the object. In fact, […]
“…He said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and numerous, and I will make you into an assembly of nations.[1]‘” Rashi comments that Jacob is recalling the blessing G-d bestowed upon him in Genesis 35:11, and I agree. This blessing, however, is not quoted word for word by Jacob. At that time, the […]
In our world, it’s easy to assume there are more grumpy people than those of cheerful disposition. However, when I look at my fellow man, I see something quite opposite. I see an overabundance of positiveness. Let me explain Some distant relatives are dealing with the terminal illness of the family’s Matriarch. She has cancer […]
Macroevolution and Scripture cannot exist together and do not complement each other. Torah says Hashem commanded the creatures to be fruitful and multiply lemino [after its/his kind]. This phrase, or derivatives thereof, occurs nine times[1] in the Creation Account. Lemino excludes the possibility that all life began from a single pool of primordial ooze. Lemino […]
A comment regarding Parashah[1] Toledot[2] “And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham fathered Isaac.” My rabbis have taught me that repetition in the Bible is not repetition. Each time a similar phrase or a redundancy appears in the text, it is neither a repetition nor a redundancy. Instead, each is a separate […]
“The highest peace is the peace between opposites[1].” This week’s parashah provides a look at some drastically different personalities. Those who are righteous must meet, interact, and tolerate those who are not. Eliezer: His master, Abraham, sent him on a journey back to Haran to find an appropriate wife for Isaac[2]. He heads toward this […]
Taken from Parashah Lech Lecha [Genesis 12:1 – 17:27] In the Talmud[1], R’ Yitzchak makes a dual statement that I found to be very profound, not only for my life, but for this week’s parashah. The intertwining commentary has been removed for ease of reading: R’ Yitzchak said, “Three things cause a person’s sin to […]
An Unfair Rap[1]? Noah is not found in the FBI files, but in most religious circles[2], Noah still has a bad rap. He is known[3] as a drunk[4]. I hope to discuss whether this is a fair assessment of Noah’s overall character. This week’s parashah, Noach [5] [Genesis 6:9 – 11:32], begins thusly: “These are […]
In the Creation text, the phrase “and it was good[1]” occurs seven times: 1:4 – G-d saw that the Light was good [Day 1] 1:10 – The separation of waters from the dry ground was good [Day 3] 1:12 – The vegetation was good [Day 3] 1:18 – The heavenly luminaries are good [Day 4] […]
When I plugged myself into the World Wide Web, there were a number of fee-based services available: AOL [America Online], Genie, CompuServe, and Prodigy. When you used your telephone service, your modem dialed a local number; you supplied a user name with a password, and AOL connected after a series of progress bars. Thereafter, you […]
… what a long, strange trip it’s been… For those who’ve had an opportunity to open and read from the Talmud, the Babylonian Talmud, specifically, you’ve seen how the Rabbis discuss topics of halacha or law. They often wrestle with words and phrases in order to come to a proper understanding of a text relative […]
In today’s Parashah[1], Moshe tells the Children of Israel that we are to restrain from performing certain acts against our G-d[2]. The first three verses of Chapter 12 have a laundry list of articles to consider: Demolish, yes; demolish all their [sacred] places Wreck their slaughter sites Smash the memorial statues Burn their Asherot [sacred […]
Our Jewish sages call the book of Deuteronomy, “Devarim” [de-var-REEM], which means, “words.” The book begins with, “These are the words that Moshe spoke to all Israel.” Within Deuteronomy, we note one item of interest immediately: the text lacks the phrase, “And Hashem spoke to Moshe saying, „Speak to the Children of Israel and say […]
The commands in Torah are not a sledgehammer to be used against your neighbor
slade’s digression into a scriptural “anomaly”
Seder Vayikra [the first of the 10 weekly portions of Leviticus] opens with a statement that causes us to ask a question: “Who?” By saying “And he called,” we must discover who called. “And he called to Moshe, and Hashem spoke to him from [within] the Tent of Meeting and said…” The verse [pasuk in […]
In this week’s Parashah[1], the dialogue between the intercessor [Moshe] and the people of Israel continues. The most interesting thing I’ve discovered was at the end of both last week’s and the previous week’s Torah portions: “You speak to us, and we will listen.[2]” “Everything that Hashem has spoken, we will do, and we will […]
The word, Hora’ah, means “teaching.” From this word, we derive another: Torah. From this association we know that Torah, which is the first five books of the Tanach and the Older Testament, is designed to teach in all its forms, be it a narrative, a poetic piece, a legal section, or an historical account. Often […]
Short and Sweet I’ve been studying the origins and purpose of the Kaddish prayer the last few weeks, and I’m amazed at the growth of the prayer’s importance to Judaism through the last millennia. ‘May His great Name grow exalted and sanctified [Amen] in the world that He created as He willed’ This is how Kaddish […]
Near the end of last week’s narrative[1], Jacob purchases a homestead and builds a home in 33:17. Therefore, the parashah begins with an interesting dichotomy: And he, Jacob that is, settled in the land of his father sojourning, in the land of Canaan[2]. Isaac sojourned while Jacob dwelled. Jacob purchased land and remained in Canaan […]
The words of Torah are as a hammer splitting the rock into many different pieces, admitting many different explanations. This is the most powerful thing about studying Torah: we all can study the passage for decades, and every week a new insight always creeps into our reading. Today’s Torah portion, Vayishlach, runs from Genesis 32:4 […]
Q: […] I was wondering what the deal was in Matthew 23 when Yeshua was talking about not calling anyone Father, Rabbi, and the like. I have my suspicions that it really has to do with the people who are desiring such a title; however, there may be more to the explanation. I ask because […]
I go to a synagogue that is home to a lot of intelligent people. I say that, not intending to insult any other synagogue, because the synagogue by its very nature attracts and keeps the intelligent. In my synagogue, the head Rabbi is a professor at a local Yeshiva and many members attend classes. This […]
The least-read blog on the ‘net continues… For the longest time, I always wondered why the rabbis always quote Mishnayot in the name of another rabbi. For instance, Chullin 104b states, “Agra, the father-in-law of R’ Abba taught a baraita…” or as it says in b.Pesachim 94b, “R’ Yitzchak Bar Rav Yosef said…” I appreciate […]
By indicating, “when you go out,” [“Ki Tetze“] b.Sotah 35b indicates the Torah is automatically excluding the seven nations inhabiting the land… the seven nations that are to be obliterated as the Jews take over the Promised Land. In that way, no Israelite is permitted to marry into one of these seven nations, even if […]
I enjoy being able to sit at Ohr Chadash’s Erev Shabbat’s Oneg and discuss and wrestle with the Biblical text. I miss that as much as I do the collective prayer time and the Drash when I’m not able to attend. One such evening, we had a great discussion that caused many of us to […]
On the opening words of parashah Ekev [Deuteronomy 7:12 – 11:25], Rashi comments that people pay more attention to the mitzvot and prohibitions that appear to carry greater weight, while neglecting or trampling underfoot those holding a lesser consequence. Determining which commands are greater and which are lesser is often beyond our understanding. For instance, […]
According to Ibn Ezra and Chizzkuni, the beginning of Parashah Mattot occurs immediately after the war with Midian in chapter 31 [which means this passage is out of chronological order similar to Numbers 1:1 and 9:1]. I concur with this perspective for two reasons. First, it provides a very important juxtaposition that teaches whoever vows […]
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