Parshat Toldot תש"פ Yitzchak and Rivkah had been married for over twenty years and had not been blessed with children. They prayed fervently for children, Yitzchak in one corner and Rivkah in the other. HaShem listened to Yitzchak’s prayers,…
Chayei Sarah This week’s Torah portion, named Chayei Sarah, “Sarah’s Life,” begins as follows: (א) וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה מֵאָה שָׁנָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי שָׂרָה (ב) וַתָּמָת שָׂרָה בְּקִרְיַת אַרְבַּע הִוא חֶבְרוֹן בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן וַיָּבֹא אַבְרָהָם לִסְפֹּד…
Vayeira תש"פ In this week’s portion, Vayera, we learn about how HaShem destroyed the evil cities of Sodom and Gomorah. The Torah reports (Genesis 19:24,25): "וַה' הִמְטִיר עַל סְדֹם וְעַל עֲמֹרָה גָּפְרִית וָאֵשׁ מֵאֵת יְדֹוָד מִן הַשָּׁמָיִם. וַיַּהֲפֹךְ אֶת הֶעָרִים…
Parshat Lech Lecha תש"פ In this week's portion, we are introduced to Avraham Avinu, Avraham our forefather. Maimonides writes: רמב"ם הלכות עבודה זרה פרק א א כיון שנגמל איתן זה התחיל לשוטט בדעתו והוא קטן והתחיל לחשוב ביום ובלילה והיה…
Parshat Noach תש"פ Rashi commenced his Torah Commentary last week in Parshat Bereishit with Rabbi Yitzchak’s famous question: Why did HaShem begin the Torah with a description of Creation? If the Torah’s purpose is to convey to humanity its obligations…
Rosh HaShanah תש"פ Every Jewish holiday has its unique theme. Shabbat’s theme focuses on the Seven Days of Creation. Pesach focuses on the Jewish nation’s exodus from Egypt and its birth as a nation, and Shavuot focuses on receiving the…
Ki Tavo תשע"ט In the glorious days of the Holy Temple, every week, in cities all over the Land of Israel, one of the twenty-four families of Kohanim, and the Levites assigned to them, would meet to travel together to…
Parshat Ki Tetzei תשע"ט The boy was trouble from Day One. Even in the hospital, the nurses couldn’t figure out how to make him happy and stop his incessant crying. As he got older, the crying stopped, but the mischief…
Parshat Shoftim תשע"ט “Good fences make good neighbors,” goes the saying. When boundaries and limitations are visible and clearly defined, it is easy to respect others’ property. People run into trouble when it is unclear to them where their domain…
Parshat Re’eh תשע"ט This week’s portion, "ראה" starts with a bang. Moshe tells the Jewish people in the name of HaShem (Deuteronomy 11:26): "רְאֵה אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן לִפְנֵיכֶם הַיּוֹם בְּרָכָה וּקְלָלָה" “Look! I am placing before you today blessing and curse!”…