Shock and Awe – Parashat Yitro

Shock and Awe – Parashat Yitro

“…And it came to pass on the third day as morning dawned, there was thunder and lightning… and the entire nation that was in the camp shuddered…” – Shemot 19:16 וַיְהִי בַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי בִּהְיֹת הַבֹּקֶר וַיְהִי קֹלֹת וּבְרָקִים . . וַיֶּחֱרַד כָּל הָעָם אֲשֶׁר בַּמַּחֲנֶה – שמות יט, טז If to instill fear alone, the thunder and lightning storm that […]

January 22, 2019 at 1:11 AM 0 comments

Who Wouldn’t Want the Torah?

Who Wouldn’t Want the Torah?

“….And they stood at the bottom of the mountain….” – Shemot 19:17 וַיִּתְיַצְּבוּ בְּתַחְתִּית הָהָר – שמות יט, יז According to the Talmud, the words “at the bottom of the mountain” mean that G-d raised Mt. Sinai over Bnei Yisrael and said to them, “If you accept the Torah, that’s great. But if not, you will be summarily buried beneath […]

January 21, 2019 at 1:25 AM 0 comments

The Correct Response – Parashat Yitro

The Correct Response – Parashat Yitro

“….G-d spoke all these words, to say….” – Shemot 20:1 וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹקִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה לֵאמֹר – שמות כ, א The Midrash (Mechilta) explains that the word לאמר, to say, in the verse that introduces the sounding of the Ten Commandments, is not an instruction to those being addressed to repeat what they are being told to others, as […]

January 20, 2019 at 2:18 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

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

Redoing the Giving of the Torah

Redoing the Giving of the Torah

“…And they stood at the bottom of the mountain…” – Shemos 19:17 וַיִּתְיַצְּבוּ בְּתַחְתִּית הָהָר – שמות יט, יז The Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson, of righteous memory, would bless people before the holiday of Shavuos, “to receive the Torah b’simchauv’pnimiyus, joyfully and internally.” At the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, both of these qualities were […]

May 22, 2015 at 6:20 PM 0 comments

The Egyptian Me – Parashat Yitro

The Egyptian Me – Parashat Yitro

“….I am Hashem, your G-d, Who took you out of the land of Egypt…” – Shemot 20:2 אָנֹכִי ה’ אֱלֹקֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם  – שמות כ, ב Our Sages teach that the Ten Commandments that the Jewish nation heard at Mt. Sinai represent the sum total of the entire Torah; all 613 mitzvos are incorporated within these ten. Taking […]

February 6, 2015 at 4:26 PM 0 comments