Plant a Tree from Israel – Parashat Terumah
“…And this is the contribution that you shall take from them …and acacia wood…” – Shemot 25:3 וְזֹאת הַתְּרוּמָה אֲשֶׁר תִּקְחוּ מֵאִתָּם . . וַעֲצֵי שִׁטִּים – שמות כה, ג-ה How did Bnei Yisrael have acacia wood in the desert? Some commentaries suggest that acacia wood may have been available for purchase from gentile merchants they encountered in the desert, […]
The People’s Mishkan – Parashat Terumah
“…And you shall place into the ark the testimony, which I will give you….” – Shemos 25:16 וְנָתַתָּ אֶל הָאָרֹן אֵת הָעֵדֻת אֲשֶׁר אֶתֵּן אֵלֶיךָ – שמות כה, טז The Talmud (Berachos 8b) teaches that contained in the Aron were the unbroken second Luchos, as well as the broken remnants of the first Luchos. These contents reflect three phases experienced […]
Far Be It From Me – Parashat Mishpatim
“….And he who did not ambush but G-d caused it to happen to him, I shall provide you a place to which he shall flee….” – Shemot 21:13 וַאֲשֶׁר לֹא צָדָה וְהָאֱלֹהִים אִנָּה לְיָדוֹ וְשַׂמְתִּי לְךָ מָקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יָנוּס שָׁמָּה – כא, יג The Arizal notes that the accidental murderer is at first referred to in the third person – […]
Same Law, Different Court – Parashat Mishpatim
“….And these are the ordinances that you shall place before them…” – Shemot 21:1 וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם – שמות כא, א The Talmud (Gittin 88b) learns from this verse that our civil disputes should be judged only “before them“—the Jewish courts, and not in the non-Jewish court system. This applies even in instances where the ruling of the […]
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