Parshas Mishpatim 5786

And, Parshat Mishpatim starts off in a peculiar way. The Hebrew text begins with a “ו“, which translates as “And,” a word usually used to connect two ideas or concepts. But this is the beginning of a new portion!ספר שמות…

Continue ReadingParshas Mishpatim 5786

Parshas Beshalach 5786

This Shabbat, on which we read the Torah portion ofבשלח  (Beshalach), is called  שבת שירה  (Shabbat Shira),the “Shabbat of the Song,” because this sedra (portion) contains the song that the Jewish people sang to Hashem in appreciation for the salvation…

Continue ReadingParshas Beshalach 5786

Parshat Bo 5786

On Rosh Hashanah this year, the Jewish calendar year changed from 5785 to 5786 (Rosh Hashanah means the “head” or the “beginning” of the new year.) This number represents the years that have passed since man’s creation on the 1st…

Continue ReadingParshat Bo 5786

Parshas Vaera 5786

Vaera תשפ"ו In charging Moshe with his mission to take the Jewish people out of Egypt, Hashem told him (Exodus 4:17), (יז) וְאֶת הַמַּטֶּה הַזֶּה תִּקַּח בְּיָדֶךָ אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה בּוֹ אֶת הָאֹתֹת. 17) “And this staff you shall take in…

Continue ReadingParshas Vaera 5786

Parshat Shemot 5786

Parshat Shemot תשפ"ו Last week we completed the first book of the Torah, Bereshit (Genesis); this week we begin the second book, Shemot  (Exodus). In his preface to sefer Shemot, Nachmanides explains that Genesis is called the book of creation,…

Continue ReadingParshat Shemot 5786