Parshat Naso 5782

Parshat Naso These were exciting times for the Jewish people. Almost a year had passed, and it was again Rosh Chodesh Nissan, the month in which they left Egypt. So much had happened in such a short time.  First, they walked…

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Shavuot 5782

Shavuot  The president of the local JCC was once confronted by an angry board member at a meeting. This person was upset because the JCC was closed on all Jewish holidays, including Shavuot.  “I understand the JCC being closed on the…

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Parsha Bechukotai 5782

Bechukotai תשפ"ב             When the Jewish people committed the sin of the golden calf, Hashem said to Moshe (Exodus 32:9,10):  (ט) וַיֹּאמֶר יְדֹוָד אֶל משֶׁה רָאִיתִי אֶת הָעָם הַזֶּה וְהִנֵּה עַם קְשֵׁה עֹרֶף הוּא: (י) וְעַתָּה הַנִּיחָה לִּי וְיִחַר אַפִּי בָהֶם וַאֲכַלֵּם…

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Parshat Behar 5782

Behar תשפ"ב The first verse in this week’s parsha, Behar (Leviticus 25:1), begins in a peculiar way. א) וַיְדַבֵּר יְדֹוָד אֶל משֶׁה בְּהַר סִינַי לֵאמֹר                 1) And Hashem spoke to Moshe on Mount Sinai saying. Why, here, does the…

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Parshat Kedoshim 5782

Kedoshim תשפב The third verse in this week’s portion Kedoshim (Leviticus 19:3) tells us: (ג) אִישׁ אִמּוֹ וְאָבִיו תִּירָאוּ וְאֶת שַׁבְּתֹתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ אֲנִי יְדֹוָד אֱלֹקֵיכֶם 3) Every man, your mother and father, you shall fear, and my Shabbats, you shall…

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Acharei Mot 5782

Acharei Mot תשפב  Last week we celebrated the Festival of Passover, commemorating the Jewish nation’s exodus from 210 years of Egyptian slavery. In this week’s portion, Acharei Mot, the Torah instructs us (Leviticus 18:3): (ג) כְּמַעֲשֵׂה אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם אֲשֶׁר יְשַׁבְתֶּם בָּהּ לֹא…

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Pesach 5782

Pesach The Festival of Pesach is, by far, the most celebrated holiday in the Jewish calendar. In terms of popularity, it trumps even Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the “High Holidays.” The theme of freedom that we celebrate on Pesach…

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Pesach 5782

Pesach תשפב The Pesach holiday which commemorates the release of the Jewish nation from 210 years of slavery in Egypt, is celebrated for seven days (in the diaspora 8) beginning the 15th of the month of Nissan. Nevertheless, we are commanded to…

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Parshat Tazria 5782

Shabbat eve, the 15th day of the month of Adar (March 18, 2022), Rabbi Chayim Kanievsky זצ"ל, the world’s holiest Torah sage, returned his soul to his Maker. The loss of this Torah giant constitutes a massive, immeasurable blow to…

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