Plant a Tree from Israel – Parashat Terumah

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, […]

February 13, 2018 at 2:45 AM 0 comments

The People’s Mishkan – Parashat Terumah

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 […]

February 11, 2018 at 2:34 AM 0 comments

Far Be It From Me – Parashat Mishpatim

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 – […]

February 7, 2018 at 2:17 AM 0 comments

Same Law, Different Court – Parashat Mishpatim

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 […]

February 4, 2018 at 2:32 AM 0 comments

Ten for Ten – Parashat Yitro

Ten for Ten – Parashat Yitro

“….And G-d spoke all these words, to say….” – Shemot 20:1 וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹקִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה לֵאמֹר – שמות כ, א The phrase “וַיְדַבֵּר…לֵאמֹר “, “And He spoke… to say”, is typically used in the Torah when the person being spoken to is being instructed to repeat what he is being told to a third party. For example, when […]

January 31, 2018 at 1:45 AM 0 comments

Praying for a Living – Parashat Beshalach

Praying for a Living – Parashat Beshalach

“…And B’nei Yisrael cried out to G-d…” – Shemot 14:10 וַיִּצְעֲקוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל ה’ – יד, י Seeing Pharaoh and his army rapidly approaching them, the Jews became frightened and cried out to G-d. Rashi comments that the Jews’ reaction was not unusual; rather, “they seized the craft of their ancestors.” For Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, calling out to […]

January 21, 2018 at 1:37 AM 0 comments

When the Gates of Teshuvah Close

When the Gates of Teshuvah Close

  If G-d hardened Pharaoh’s heart, effectively removing any chance he had to regret and abandon his past decisions, then why was Pharaoh punished? He was not given a chance to mend his ways! Rav Shimon ben Lakish answers this question in the Midrash (Shemos Rabbah 13:3). He explains that Pharaoh was “struck” by G-d with remorselessness only because he […]

January 14, 2018 at 2:05 AM 0 comments

The Fathers – Parashat Va’eira

The Fathers – Parashat Va’eira

“….And I appeared to Avraham, to Yitzchok and to Yaakov….” – Shemot 6:3 ״…וארא אל אברהם, אל יצחק ואל יעקב….״ – שמות ו, ג In this verse and the verses that follow, G-d tells Moshe that He will now fulfill the promise He made when He appeared to Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, namely, to redeem their children from Egypt. In […]

January 8, 2018 at 2:29 AM 0 comments

Don’t Mind Your Own Business

Don’t Mind Your Own Business

“….And the king of Egypt said to them, “Why, Moshe and Aharon, do you disturb the people from their work? Go to your own labors.” – Shemot 5:4 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם לָמָּה משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן תַּפְרִיעוּ אֶת הָעָם מִמַּעֲשָׂיו לְכוּ לְסִבְלֹתֵיכֶם  – שמות ה, ד The commentaries note that Pharaoh instructed Moshe and Aharon to return to their own labors, […]

January 5, 2018 at 3:28 AM 0 comments

Hands Down – Parashat Shemot

Hands Down – Parashat Shemot

“….He went out on the second day, and behold, two hebrew men were quarreling. he said to the wicked one, “why will you strike your friend?…” – Shemot 2:13 ״….ויצא ביוםהשני והנה שני אנשים עברים נצים ויאמר לרשע למה תכה רעך….״ – ב,יג Moshe reprimanded the quarrelers even before their fight came to actual blows, as indicated by the future […]

January 1, 2018 at 12:20 AM 0 comments

Save Your Children from Pharaoh’s Decree

Save Your Children from Pharaoh’s Decree

“….You shall cast every boy who is born into the nile, but every daughter you shall keep alive…” – Shemot 1:22 ״….כל הבן הילוד היאורה תשליכוהו וכל הבת תחיון…״ – א, כב At first glance, Pharaoh’s decree seems to have targeted only the Jewish baby boys and spared the girls. The conclusion of the directive, however, which states the obvious […]

December 31, 2017 at 1:24 AM 0 comments

The Testimony

The Testimony

22″…These are the accounts of the Mishkan, the Mishkan of the testimony…” – Shemot 38:21 אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת – שמות לח, כא What is the “testimony” to which the Torah refers when calling the Mishkan, “The Mishkan of the Testimony”? Rashi explains that the Divine Presence resting in the Mishkan was itself the testimony: “It served as testimony for the […]

March 22, 2017 at 1:53 AM 0 comments

A Conflict of Interest

A Conflict of Interest

“…And now, if you forgive their sin… but if not, erase me now from your book that you have written…” –  Shemot 32:32 ‬‫וְעַתָּה אִם תִּשָּׂא חַטָּאתָם וְאִם אַיִן מְחֵנִי נָא מִסִּפְרְךָ אֲשֶׁר כָּתָבְתָּ – שמות לב, לב Moshe’s life was defined by two passions: his passion for the Torah and his passion for Bnei Yisrael. On the one hand, Moshe […]

March 14, 2017 at 11:56 AM 0 comments

Parashat Mishpatim – How to deal with hate?

Parashat Mishpatim – How to deal with hate?

Even though the Torah instructs us not to hate anyone, unfortuantly sometimes we do. More than that, sometimes people hate us. How does one needs to deal with hate? – find out in this class about the Parasha Duration of class: 56:34              

February 20, 2017 at 3:10 PM 0 comments

Parashat Yitro – Can one really control their thoughts?

Parashat Yitro – Can one really control their thoughts?

In this weeks Parasha we receive the Ten Commandments. The last one… #10 “You shall not covet” – which also requires us not to be jealous and/or envy, but even in our thoughts… why? is it so bad to have a bad thought? and can one really controls theirs thoughts?? – find out in this class about the Parasha Duration […]

February 12, 2017 at 5:57 PM 0 comments

A Tale of Two Unities

A Tale of Two Unities

“…And there Yisrael encamped opposite the mountain…” – Shemos 19:2 וַיִּחַן שָׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶגֶד הָהָר  – שמות יט, ב Bnei Yisrael’s encampment opposite Mount Sinai is described by the Torah using the singular verb form וַיִּחַן, meaning, “and he encamped.” Rashi explains that the singular form used here denotes that Bnei Yisrael camped at Sinai “as one man, with one […]

February 12, 2017 at 2:00 AM 0 comments

Speaking of Nature – Parashat Mishpatim

Speaking of Nature – Parashat Mishpatim

“….If a bull gores…” – Shemot 21:28 וְכִי יִגַּח שׁוֹר – כא, כח The Torah demonstrates one’s liability for the damages caused by his animals with a case of someone’s bull goring killing a person or causing damage to someone’s property. In truth, however, these same laws also apply if any other animal or bird did the damage. But, as […]

February 8, 2017 at 1:37 AM 1 comment

Stop, Drop, and Care – Parashat Beshalach

Stop, Drop, and Care – Parashat Beshalach

“….And G-d said to Moshe, “Why do you cry out to Me? Speak to the B’nei Yisrael and have them journey forth….” – Shemot 14:15 וַיֹּאמֶר ה’ אֶל משֶׁה מַה תִּצְעַק אֵלָי דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִסָּעוּ – שמות יד, טו The Jewish people were surrounded by peril in all directions, and their leader Moshe called out to G-d in […]

February 6, 2017 at 2:03 AM 0 comments

Parashat Beshalach – How can we have trust in G-d

Parashat Beshalach – How can we have trust in G-d

The Torah requires us to trust in G-d and believe that everything that G-d does is for the best, but how really can one trust G-d fully and can it really be done knowing that bad things do happen? – find out in this class about the Parasha Duration of class: 1:09:20              

February 5, 2017 at 6:08 PM 0 comments

Parashat Bo – mind over heart

Parashat Bo – mind over heart

Everyday we fight our thoughts and desires. Will I ever win? Can I even win? how can I fight and control these thoughts? – find out in this class about the Parasha Duration of class: 1:03:46              

January 29, 2017 at 10:49 AM 0 comments