Parshat Tetzaveh 5779

Parshat Tezaveh תשעט Parshat Tezaveh is the second of the Torah’s four portions that deal with the Tabernacle’s construction. Parshat Terumah, which we read last week, provided the instructions for the Tabernacle’s structure, its curtains, coverings and vessels for the…

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Parshat Terumah 5779

Terumah תשע"ט The Tabernacle, that is, the portable sanctuary that accompanied the Jewish people during their 40-year trek in the wilderness, was built through the donations of the Jewish people who donated all of the necessary building materials. The Torah…

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Parshat Mishpatim 5779

Mishpatim תשע"ט A משפט  (mishpat- mishpatim is the plural) in the Torah refers to a specific type of law, one that is logical, such as don’t steal, or that one must pay damages for injuring someone. Mishpatim are common sense…

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Parshat Yitro 5779

Yitro תשע"ט א) וַיִּשְׁמַע יִתְרוֹ כֹהֵן מִדְיָן חֹתֵן משֶׁה אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֱלֹקִים לְמשֶׁה וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַמּוֹ כִּי הוֹצִיא יְדֹוָד אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם 1) And Yitro, the Priest of Midyan, father in law of Moshe, heard all that Hashem did…

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Parshat Bo 5779

Parshat Bo תשעט The Egyptians have suffered through seven of the ten plagues, and after three more they will send the Jewish people out of Egypt. The time has come to prepare the Jewish people for the holiday of Pesach.…

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Parshat Va’eira 5779

Parshat Vaera תשעט Moshe precisely followed Hashem’s instructions, yet things seemed to have backfired: Instead of Pharaoh listening to Moshe to release the Jewish people, Pharoah increased their work load. The Jewish slaves would now have to procure their own…

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Parshat Shemot 5779

Parshat Shemot תשעט This coming Shabbat we begin reading the second book of the Torah, Sefer Shemot. The רמב"ן, (Ramban) Nachmanides, calls this second book of the Torah ספר הגאולה - “The Book of Redemption.” It seems easy to understand…

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Parshat Vayechi 5779

Parshat Vayechi תשעט This week’s portion is the portion of blessings. In it, our forefather Yaakov bestows blessings on Yosef’s two sons, Ephriam and Menashe, and on all of his own sons, the 12 Tribes of Israel. As we look…

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