“…And he shall confess upon it all the willful transgressions of Bnei Yisrael…” – Vayikra 16:21 וְהִתְוַדָּה עָלָיו אֶת כָּל עֲוֹנֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל – ויקרא טז, כא One of the essential components of the Yom Kippur service – the Kohen Gadol’s as well as the individual’s – is Vidui, to confess one’s sins verbally before G-d, asking for His forgiveness. […]

“…Return, you mischievous children…. (Yirmiyahu 3:22) ״….שובו בנים שובבים….״ – ירמיהו ג,כב׳   The Talmud (Yoma 86a) interprets this verse as saying that if you return to G-d out of love, your sins of the past will be reckoned by G-d as mere immaturity and foolish mischief. Commenting on this passage, Rashi observes that the effects of teshuva, repentance, are […]

“….Seek G-od when he is found, Call him when he is near……” (Yeshayahu 55:6) ״….דרשו ה׳ בהמצאו קראהו בהיותו קרוב….״ – ישעיהו נה׳, ו׳ The Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 18a) states that the time when “G-d is found” (which is thus the best time to “seek Him”) is the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Simply understood, this means […]

“…And g-d spoke to Moshe on that very day, saying. ascend this mount Avarim [to] mount Nevo…” –  (Devarim 32:48-49) וַיְדַבֵּר ה’ אֶל משֶׁה בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה לֵאמֹר: עֲלֵה אֶל הַר הָעֲבָרִים הַזֶּה הַר נְבו.ֹ.. – דברים לב, מח-מט Rashi notes that in three places the Torah employs the phrase, בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, which literally means, “at the strength of this […]

“…But I, hide, I shall hide my face on that day…” – Devarim 31:18    ואנכי הסתר אסתיר פני ביום ההוא – דברים לא, יח In Parshas Vayelech, G-d foretells that the Jewish people will one day stray after foreign gods, and His fury will rage against them and many troubles will befall them. “But I, hide, I shall hide My face […]

“…But not only with you am I making this covenant and this oath, but with those standing here with us today before Hashem our God, and with those who are not here with us, this day…” – Devarim 29:13-14 וְלֹא אִתְּכֶם לְבַדְּכֶם אָנֹכִי כֹּרֵת אֶת הַבְּרִית הַזֹּאת וְאֶת הָאָלָה הַזֹּאת: כִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר יֶשְׁנוֹ פֹּה עִמָּנוּ עֹמֵד הַיּוֹם לִפְנֵי ה’ […]

“…..You are all Standing today before G-od, your G-od: the leaders of your tribes, your elders and your officers, every man of Israel, your young children, your women, and your convert who is within your camp, both your woodcutters and your water drawers.

“…G-d has set you apart this day to be His treasured people, just as He spoke concerning you…” – Devarim 26:18 וה’ האמירך היום להיות לו לעם סגלה… ולהיתך עם קדש לה’ אלקיך כאשר דבר” – דברים כו, יח” What is the meaning of G-d setting the Jewish people apart as His “am segulah,” “His treasured people”? Rashi (on Shemos […]

“…And you shall come to the kohen who will be in those days, and say to him, “I declare today to Hashem, your G-d, that I have come to the land that G-d swore to our forefathers to give to us…” – Devarim 26:3 וּבָאתָ אֶל הַכֹּהֵן אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו הִגַּדְתִּי הַיּוֹם לַה’ אֱלֹקֶיךָ כִּי בָאתִי אֶל […]

“…Safeguard the month of spring and offer a Pesach to Hashem, your G-d; for in the month of spring, Hashem, your G-d, brought you out of Egypt at night…” – Devarim 16:1 שָׁמוֹר אֶת חֹדֶשׁ הָאָבִיב וְעָשִׂיתָ פֶּסַח לַה’ אֱלֹקֶיךָ כִּי בְּחֹדֶשׁ הָאָבִיב הוֹצִיאֲךָ ה’ אֱלֹקֶיךָ מִמִּצְרַיִם לָיְלָה – דברים טז, א The Torah commands us to structure the calendar […]

As much as you generously give… Each man according to his ability to gift, according to the blessing of G-d, your G-d. (Devarim 16:10-17) The Torah speaks here of two different donors, one who is being instructed to give as much as his generosity allows, and the other according to his gift-giving abilities. These two donors are people of different […]

“…When Hashem, your G-d, expands your borders, as He has spoken to you, and you say, “I will eat meat,” because your soul desires to eat meat… However, be strong in not eating the blood…” – Devarim 12:20-23 כִּי יַרְחִיב ה’ אֱלֹקֶיךָ אֶת גְּבֻלְךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לָךְ וְאָמַרְתָּ אֹכְלָה בָשָׂר כִּי תְאַוֶּה נַפְשְׁךָ לֶאֱכֹל בָּשָׂר בָּשָׂר . . רַק חֲזַק […]

“…He will bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your soil, your grain, your wine, and your oil, the offspring of your cattle and the choice of your flocks…” – Devarim 7:13 וּבֵרַךְ פְּרִי בִטְנְךָ וּפְרִי אַדְמָתֶךָ דְּגָנְךָ וְתִירשְׁךָ וְיִצְהָרֶךָ שְׁגַר אֲלָפֶיךָ וְעַשְׁתְּרֹת צֹאנֶךָ – דברים ז, יג A task’s value and significance is reflected in its […]

“…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 […]

The laws of the fast, what you can and can not do   Duration of class:50:16          

“… Six cities of refuge shall serve for you…” – Bamidbar 35:13 שֵׁשׁ עָרֵי מִקְלָט תִּהְיֶינָה לָכֶם – במדבר לה, יג The Sefer Hachinuch enumerates six mitzvos that are obligatory constantly; “their obligation does not depart from the person for a single moment throughout his lifetime.” These are: 1) To believe in G‑d. 2) Not to believe in any power […]

“…Command the Bnei Yisrael and say to them: When you arrive in the land of Canaan, this is the land that will fall to you as an inheritance, the land of Canaan according to its borders…” – Bamidbar 34:2 צַו אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם כִּי אַתֶּם בָּאִים אֶל הָאָרֶץ כְּנָעַן זֹאת הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר תִּפֹּל לָכֶם בְּנַחֲלָה אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן לִגְבֻלֹתֶיהָ […]

“…If a man makes a vow… he shall not profane his word…” – Bamidbar 30:3 אִישׁ כִּי יִדֹּר נֶדֶר . . לֹא יַחֵל דְּבָרוֹ – במדבר ל, ג The Torah expresses the prohibition of violating your vows with the words, לֹא יַחֵל דְּבָרוֹ. Rashi explains that the Hebrew word יַחֵל is akin to the word יְחַלֵּל, and should be understood […]

“…And Moshe spoke to the heads of the tribes of Bnei Israel…” – Bamidbar 30:2 וַיְדַבֵּר משֶׁה אֶל רָאשֵׁי הַמַּטּוֹת לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל – במדבר ל, ב The Torah refers to the tribes of Bnei Yisrael here as מטות, matos, each individual tribe called a mateh. Elsewhere, the tribes are called shevatim, each tribe known as a sheivet. Mateh and sheivet are […]

After naming the families of the tribe of Reuven that would enter the Land of Israel, the Torah recounts that Dasan and Aviram (who were from the tribe of Reuven) perished along with Korach when they incited a rebellion against Moshe and were swallowed by the earth. The Torah then notes that the sons of Korach did not die in […]