“…And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for a reminder between your eyes…” – Devarim 6:8 וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת עַל יָדֶךָ וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ – דברים ו,ח The Torah commands us to wear Tefillin, comprised of the Tefillin shel Yad tied on the arm, and the Tefillin shel Rosh worn on the […]

“…He drove out the enemy from before you, and said, ‘destroy!’…your enemies will deny [their identities] to you, but you will tread upon their heights…” – Devarim 33:27-29 וַיְגָרֶשׁ מִפָּנֶיךָ אוֹיֵב וַיֹּאמֶר הַשְׁמֵד . . וְיִכָּחֲשׁוּ אֹיְבֶיךָ לָךְ וְאַתָּה עַל בָּמוֹתֵימוֹ תִדְרֹךְ – דברים לג, כז-כט In Moshe’s blessings to the Jewish people, we find two distinct attitudes toward the […]

“…And to Zevulun he said: “rejoice, Zevulun, in your departure, and Yissachar, in your tents…” Devarim 33:18     ולזבולן אמר שמח זבולן בצאתך ויששכר באהליך – דברים לג, יח Moshe’s blessing to Zevulun and Yissachar distinguishes itself by its emphasis on their roles being a source of joy, “Rejoice, Zevulun, in your departure, and Yissachar, in your tents.” This can be […]

“…And Moshe came and spoke all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he, and hoshea son of nun…” – Devarim 32:44     ויבא משה וידבר את כל דברי השירה הזאת באזני העם הוא והושע בן נון – דברים לב, מד The Torah recounts the first time that Moshe and Yehoshua jointly addressed Bnei Yisrael: “And Moshe came […]

“…He found them in a desert land…” –  Devarim 32:10 ימצאהו בארץ מדבר – דברים לב, י Rashi explains this verse as praise of the Jewish people: “G-d found them faithful to Him in a desert land, for they accepted His Torah, His sovereignty and His yoke upon themselves.” Why does the Torah refer to the Jewish people’s faith as something […]

“…Listen, o heavens, and i will speak; and let the earth hear the words of my mouth…” – Devarim 32:1     האזינו השמים ואדברה ותשמע הארץ אמרי פי – דברים לב, א The Sifri observes that when Moshe addressed the heavens, he said הַאֲזִינוּ, which means, “listen,” whereas when he addressed the earth, he said וְתִשְׁמַע, which means, “hear.” The […]

“….Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, and i will speak these words into their ears…. (Devarim 31:28)

“Assemble the people… in order that they hear, and in order that they learn and fear Hashem, your G-d, and they will be careful to do all the words of this Torah. …and now, write for yourselves this song, and teach it to the children of Israel; place it into their mouths…” – Devarim 31:12-19 הַקְהֵל אֶת הָעָם . . […]

….Assemble the people: The men , the women and the children, and your strangers in your cities, in order that they hear, and in order that they learn and fear G-od, your G-od and they will observe to do all the words of this Torah…. (Devarim 31:12)   Hakhel is observed every seven years, in the year following Shemitah. Why […]

“….This day I am one hundred and twenty years old, I can no longer go or come…..”(Devarim 31:2) The Talmud (Kiddushin 38a) explains: ‘This day’ need not be stated; why then is it stated? It teaches that G-d sits and completes the years of the righteous from day to day and month to month. The Tanya (Igeres Hakodesh 27) teaches […]

Parashat Ki Tavo “…..Yet until this day, g-d did not give you a heart to know, eyes to see, and ears to hear. i led you through the desert for forty years… you must safeguard the words that constitute this covenant….” (Devarim 29:3-8) …ולא נתן ה’ לכם לב לדעת ועינים לראות ואזנים לשמוע עד היום הזה; ואולך אתכם ארבעים שנה במדבר.. […]

“….And he went down to Egypt and sojourned there with a small number of people ….” (Devarim 26:5) וַיֵּרֶד מִצְרַיְמָה וַיָּגָר שָׁם בִּמְתֵי מְעָט – דברים כו, ה And he went down to Egypt – forced by Divine decree. —Passover Hagaddah If Yaakov’s descent to Egypt was by Divine instruction, why did Yaakov feel forced? Could it be that Yaakov, […]

“……..When a man takes a wife… “(Devarim 24:1) כי יקח איש אשה ובעלה והיה – דברים כד, א Once the Torah was given, the Jews were commanded that when a man desires to marry a woman, he must acquire her as a wife in the presence of witnesses and only after this does she become his wife. This is stated in […]

“….You may offer interest to a gentile, but to your brother you shall not offer interest….” (Devarim 23:21) לנכרי תשיך ולאחיך לא תשיך – דברים כג, כא Offering – and taking – interest from “your brother” is prohibited; from people at large, by contrast, it is permitted. It is a positive mitzvah to lend money to a gentile at interest, […]

“….You shall set up judges and law enforcement officials for yourself in all your cities….” (Devarim 16:18) Effective governance relies on judges to establish the law, and law enforcement officials to ensure that the law is being upheld by all the citizens. Yet, of the future era of Moshiach, the prophet Yeshayahu (1:26) prophesied, “And I will restore your judges […]

“…And all the mighty hand, and all the great awe, which Moshe performed before the eyes of all Israel…” – Devarim 32:10 The final verses of the Torah describe the remarkable person of Moshe, his unparalleled level of prophecy and his unmatched accomplishments. Rashi adds that the words, “which Moshe performed before the eyes of all of Israel,” refer to […]

“…..As an eagle awakens its nest, hovering over it’s fledglings, it spreads it’s wings when taking them and carrying them on it’s wings…” – Devorim 32:11 ״…. כנשר יעיר קנו על גוזליו ירחף יפרש כנפיו יקחהו ישאהו על אברתו…״ – דברים לב, יא Angels are spiritual beings, invulnerable to physical harm by arrows and stones. How then can an angel […]

“….When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a bundle in the field, you shall not go back to take it; it shall be for the stranger, the orphan, and the widow, so that G-d, your G-d, will bless you in all that you do……” (Devarim 24:19) כִּי תִקְצֹר קְצִירְךָ בְשָׂדֶךָ וְשָׁכַחְתָּ עֹמֶר בַּשָּׂדֶה לֹא תָשׁוּב לְקַחְתּוֹ לַגֵּר […]

“…A stone that is chipped to the extent that it can be sensed by a fingernail… is disqualified for use in the altar or the ramp, as [Devarim 27:6] states: “You shall build the Altar of G-d with whole stones”… If a stone was damaged or touched by iron after it was built into the Altar or the ramp, that […]