Click here to download PDF What’s Lavan doing in the Haggada? In the Hagaddah of Pesach we quote the Pasuk, “Arami Oved Avi vayered Mitzrayma” (Devarim 26:5) which the Baal HaHagaddah explains that Lavan was even worse than Pharaoh. Pharaoh … Continued
Click here to download PDF On the Ruins of the flood “And the whole earth was one language and singular/uniform terms. When they traveled from the east they found a valley in the land of Shinar and they settled there”(11:1-2). … Continued
Click here to download PDF A Tribute to my Mother Z”L on the occasion of her first Yahrtzeit Twenty Generations of Anger “There were ten generations from Adam until Noah to make us aware how much patience Hashem has as … Continued
Click here to download PDF Shabbos & Teshuva To understand the source for Shabbos Shuva, how it is a fundamental landmark in the Aseres Yemei Teshuva, and how it is what empowers Yom Kippur: The Midrash (Bereishis Rabba 22:28) says … Continued
Click here to download PDF Eyes for Today? “On this day Hashem your Lord commands you to do all these statutes….” (26:16) Rashi brings from Chazal “this day means that it should be in your eyes as if today you … Continued
Click here to download PDF Faulty Weights & Amalek In this week’s Parsha, we have the obligation to maintain only accurate weights and measures and the prohibition to produce or to have inaccurate weights and measures even if they will … Continued
Click here to download PDF City Court The Parsha opens with the Mitzvah to set up Batei Dinim in all the tribes and all the major cities. It is interesting to note that this strict halacha of a Beis Din … Continued
Click here to download PDF Special edition marking the conclusion of Kaddish for my Mother Z” L Meat In this week’s Parsha we learn about a drastic change in our personal lives that will go into effect in the land … Continued
Click here to download PDF Affliction & Hunger?!? “And He afflicted you and He starved you and He fed you the “Mann” that you did not know and was unknown to your forefathers in order to make you know that … Continued
Click here to download PDF Moshe Yishayahu Yirmiyahu “Eicha” – How can I carry by myself your contentiousness, your burdens and your quarrels” (1:12). This Pasuk is traditionally read with an ‘Eicha tune’ as it is always read before Tisha … Continued
Click here to download PDF The Exile – Israel sandwich Parshas Masei is always one of the Parshas we read during the three weeks. It has clear allusions to “Golus”- exile which is the sad state that we actively mourn … Continued
Click here to download PDF Why Delay the inevitable? At the end of this week’s Parsha, we have the Korbanos for “Atzeres”. Rashi brings from the Chazal that “Atzeres” is from the word “atzor”- stop; That Hashem is telling the … Continued
Click here to download PDF Special expanded edition marking 20th Yahrzeit of my Rebbe, Maran HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Yaakov Weinberg, ZT”L, the Rosh Yeshiva of Ner Yisroel The Three Mouths In this week’s Parsha, we have the account of Bilaam’s … Continued
Click here to download PDF Who cares about a Rock’s parnassah? In this week’s Parsha we have the incident of Moshe hitting the rock as opposed to speaking to it. This is what sealed his fate that he would not … Continued
Click here to download PDF Mezuzah & Tzitzis Korach wages a revolution against Moshe. The “cause” is “equality”. His claim is that the whole nation heard at Sinai Hashem speak and reveal himself onto the whole nation as Hashem’s nation … Continued
Click here to download PDF The crime and the Penalty In this week’s Parsha, we have the sad story of the spies that slandered the land of Israel. Chazal tell us that this laid the precedent for Tisha b’Av being … Continued
Click here to download PDF Self-made Menorah? In the third Midrash Rabba of this week’s Parsha, it says, “You find that Moshe found difficulty in making the Menorah more than any other vessels in the Mishkan, to the point that … Continued
Click here to download PDF Where do we go from here? After the uplifting days of Shavuos, which commemorate the greatest event in history of unmitigated Divine revelation, one has to wonder where do we go from here? How can … Continued
Click here to download PDF Parshas Bamidbar & Shavuos It is interesting to note that Shavuos always comes out after we read Parshas Bamidbar. This arrangement is ancient and is brought down in the Rambam’s Hilchos Tefillah. It corresponds with … Continued
Click here to download PDF Purity for all Kohanim Parshas Emor opens up with the special Halachos pertaining to Ahron and his children. There are the laws of criteria to be fit to do “Avoda” and then there are the … Continued
Click here to download PDF Rebbe Akiva vs Hillel “And you should love your friend like yourself” Rashi brings from the Toras Kohanim the famous statement of Rebbe Akiva: “This is a ‘KLAL GADOL’– great inclusive principle in Torah”. What … Continued
Click here to download PDF Rashi argues on the Gemara?!? “And You will keep My statutes and my laws that the man will do and live by them….” Rashi says, on the words “And live by them” in Olam Haba … Continued
Click here to download PDF What is Nirtzah about? The final phase of the Seder is called “Nirtzah” and it’s a very difficult phase to understand. The Seder per se has finished with the mitzvah of Hallel and we already … Continued
Click here to download PDF The Obvious The Tangent & The Mystery “When a woman will conceive and give birth to a male she will be ‘impure’ for seven days and on the eighth day he shall be circumcised….. and … Continued
Click here to download PDF Who called? “And He called to Moshe and Hashem spoke to him from the Ohel Moed…” seemingly it should have read: And Hashem called to Moshe and He spoke to him from Ohel Moed! Hashem … Continued
Click here to download PDF Contradiction in Rashi The Gemara (Yevamos 72A) explains that the reason the Jewish people did not do Bris Milah in all the years that they were in the desert is because they did not have … Continued
Click here to download PDF The Mirrors & the Memories In this week’s Parsha (38:8) “and he made the “Kiyor” and it’s base out of copper from the mirrors…” Rashi bring the Chazal that Moshe did not want to take … Continued
Click here to download PDF Luchos and Jewish eyes?!? In this week’s Parsha we have the tragedy of the breaking in of the Luchos in response to our sin of the golden calf. It’s one of the reasons we fast … Continued
Click here to download PDF Shovavim – Tat As is well-known, these weeks of Shemos, Vaeira, Bo, Beshalach, Yisro, and Mishpatim have a special quality of Teshuva being readily accepted, particularly the “known sin” of “waste”. For that reason, some … Continued
Click here to download PDF Contradiction in Rambam In this week’s Parsha we have the directive to build the Mishkan and subsequently the Beis HaMikdash as the Pasuk says (25:8) “and they will make for me a “Mikdash”-sanctuary and I … Continued
Click here to download PDF Mishpatim & Mizbe’ach After the command not to ascend by stairs to the Mizbe’ach at the end of last week’s parsha, we are commanded to bring our civil and monetary disputes before the Jewish Dayanim … Continued
Click here to download PDF Sponsored in Honor of the upcoming Marriage of Miriam Wilamowsky to Binyomin Zonenshayn בשעטו״מ שהזיווג יעלה יפה בבנין עדי עד Seeing Sound Hearing Sights “And the whole nation saw the sounds”(20:14) Rashi brings the Chazal … Continued
Click here to download PDF Two Hands Towards the conclusion of ‘Shiras HaYam’ (15:17-18) it says: “You shall bring them and implant them on the mountain of the heritage the place for your dwelling that You made Hashem, the Mikdash, … Continued
Click here to download PDF Pre-planned Rush?!? In the Haggadah we say that we eat Matzah to commemorate that Bnei Yisroel’s dough didn’t have time to rise prior to Hashem revealing Himself to them and redeemed them as the pasuk … Continued
Click here to download PDF Didn’t we Talk about this? In this week’s Parsha Moshe seemingly raises a concern that he raised already, and the answer is the same as it was. He raises the concern of being inarticulate, worried … Continued
Click here to download PDF They are rewarded for “Fear”?!? “And The midwives feared Hashem and they did not do as told to them by the king of mitzrayim and they allowed the boys to live”(1:17)…”And because the midwives feared … Continued
Click here to download PDF How did Golus start? This week’s Parsha starts without any break separating it from last week’s Parsha. therefore, it’s called a “Parsha Setuma”- a blocked Parsha as there isn’t that traditional space between the Parshas. … Continued
Click here to download PDF Why frame Binyomin? In course of the end of last week’s Parsha and the beginning of this week’s Parsha We find that Yosef framed his beloved brother Binyomin with the crime of having stolen his … Continued
Click here to download PDF Special expanded edition for Shabbos – Chanukah Spies! Now and forever Yosef frames his brothers as being spies. Perhaps that was easiest crime to frame them for, given the circumstances. But is that all there … Continued
Click here to download PDF He was worried about a Traffic Jam?!? “And Yaakov dwelled…” Rashi brings a Midrash: “This flax dealer came in to town with all his [many] camels laden with flax. The blacksmith wonders where will all … Continued
Click here to download PDF Eisov makes Drashos?!? Like any good diplomat, Yaakov has a double message for Eisov, a conciliatory even submissive message and a tough one. He says with Lavan “Garti”– I resided. Rashi explains “Garti”- “I resided … Continued
Click here to download PDF Only Yaakov leaves an impression? In the beginning of this week’s Parsha Rashi comments on what the Pasuk says: “Yaakov exited Be’er Sheva and went to Charan”: “It would have been enough to just say … Continued
Click here to download PDF Special expanded edition marking the conclusion of Sheloshim for my mother Z”l לע״נ אמי מורתי שולמית בת הרב דב יהודה ז״ל Why didn’t Yitzchak see thru Eisov? Yitzchak had a special affinity for Eisov and … Continued
Click here to download PDF לע״נ קדושי פיטסברג הי״ד לע״נ אמי מורתי שולמית בת הרב דב יהודה ז״ל Repetition is Beautiful?!? The longest topic in this week’s Parsha is the story of Eliezer going to find Rivka for you Yitzchak. … Continued
Click here to download PDF לע״נ אמי מורתי שולמית בת הרב דוב יהודה ז״ל Why Dayanim? Why sitting? At the beginning of the parsha Avraham Avinu is recovering from Bris Milah and nonetheless sitting at the opening of the tent … Continued
Click here to download PDF לע״נ אמי מורתי האשה החשובה שולמית בת הרב דוב יהודה ע״ה Bnei Noach Chazal refer to all good non-Jews as Bnei Noach, while evil goyim are tagged as ovdei cochavim u’mazalot, idol worshippers. This might … Continued
Click here to download PDF הדברי תורה בעלון זה מוקדשים לזכות אמי מורתי מרת שולמית בת הרב דב יהודה והרבנית שרה סאשא Bereishis – For the Land of Israel? The first Rashi in the Parsha says as follows: “Rabbi Yitzchak … Continued
Click here to download PDF Getting support for the Wall On Shabbos of Succos we have an interesting Halacha of “Migu d’havei dofen linyan Shabbos havei dofen linyan Succah – Migu d’havei dofen linyan Succah havei dofen linyan Shabbos” -although … Continued
Click here to download PDF Haazinu – the essence of a sefer Torah The Rambam states (Hilchos sefer Torah 7:1) that the essence of the obligation to write a sefer Torah is actually to write the Parsha of Haazinu but … Continued
Click here to download PDF Moshe’s Birthday & Lifespan This week’s Parsha opens up with the day of death of Moshe. He stresses that he completed a hundred twenty years and hence is dying on his birthday. There is great … Continued
Click here to download PDF Nitzavim & Rosh Hashanah Parshas Nitzavim is always the parsha we read right before Rosh Hashanah, therefore there must be some message Rosh Hashanah in it. Rashi (29:12) Re-works the pesukim based on the midrash … Continued
Click here to download PDF That’s why we Daven 3 times a day?!? This week’s Parsha opens up with the Mitzva of “Bikurim” – bringing the first of all the seven species that the land of Israel is praised for. … Continued
Click here to download PDF Giving in to the “Yetzer”? This week’s Parsha opens up with the laws of “Yefas To’ar” – the beautiful captive woman that the Jewish Soldier wants to take. This is one of the laws that … Continued
Click here to download PDF Our system of Justice and Government Parshas Shoftim is generally the first Parsha in Elul (with the exception of years like this one when Shabbos Parshas Re’eh is itself Rosh chodesh Elul) and therefore there … Continued
Click here to download PDF לע״נ האשה החשובה מרת יענטא בת ר׳ שלמה ז״ל לרפואת ר׳ שלום יהודה בן גנעשא שליט״א בתשח״י Where are the Blessings? The parsha opens (11:26) “See (singular) I place before you (plural) today blessing and … Continued
Click here to download PDF What’s “Eikev”? “And ‘Eikev’-because you will listen….” the Midrash Rabbah says repeatedly that ‘Eikev’ is to be understood as at the ‘end’ – meaning to say at the end of time we will get the … Continued
Click here to download PDF Vaeschanan & Nachamu As we mentioned last week, Parshas Vaeschanan is always “Shabbos Nachamu”. The Rambam in the laws of tefillah specifically states that our custom is to align the “parshas hashavua” so that Vaeschanan … Continued
Click here to download PDF Why before Tisha b’Av? Parshas Devarim is always the parsha we read before Tisha b’Av. This is already mentioned in the Rambam’s laws of Tefillah (13:2 – the emphasis there is to read V’eschanan after … Continued
Click here to download PDF Where is the allusion to the 3 weeks? The parshas of Matos – Massei always come out during the three weeks. The allusions to “Golus”-exile in Massei are quite apparent. The travels of the Jews … Continued
Click here to download PDF Divine Name in Reverse? After Pinchas was awarded with being a Kohen there is a census of the Jewish people, but this time all the families are mentioned by name before giving the final number … Continued
Click here to download PDF Special expanded edition marking the 19th Yahrtzeit of my Rebbe Maran Hagaon HaRav Yaakov Wienberg ZT”L Rosh Yeshivas Ner Yisroel לע״נ הגאון מוהר״ר שמואל יעקב ב״ר יצחק מתתיהו זצוקלה״ה Isn’t the difference obvious? The Mishna … Continued
Click here to download PDF Eternal Dispute? In this week’s Parsha we have the dispute between Korach and Moshe. The Mishnah in Avos (5:17) says: “Any dispute that is for the sake of the Name of Heaven will endure and … Continued
Click here to download PDF Special expanded edition in Honor of the Shabbos Sheva Brachos of Menachem Yisroel & Bracha Golda Bechhofer. The Risk In this week’s Parsha Moshe sends the spies to check out the land of Israel. Rashi … Continued
Click here to download PDF What’s special about the Menorah At the opening of this week’s Parsha Ahron HaKohen is granted the Mitzvah of the Menorah. Rashi brings the Chazal that notes that this comes on the heels of the … Continued
Click here to download PDF The gifts of the Nesi’im In this week’s Parsha we have the ceremony of the inauguration of the Mishkan. Each one of the ‘Nesi’im’ brought gift offerings on behalf his tribe on his designated day. … Continued
Click here to download PDF To Count is to Love? Sefer Bamidbar is known as “Chumash HaPikudim” – The Book of Numbers because it has in it the census of the Jewish people. In the opening of this week’s parsha … Continued
Click here to download PDF Off by a week? This week is a double Parsha so as to fulfill the Halacha recorded in the Gemara (Megilla 31b): “Ezra instituted for the Jewish people to read the curses in Vayikra before … Continued
Click here to download PDF Speech and Purity The Parsha opens (21:1):”Hashem told Moshe: “Emor”-Say to the kohanim the children of Ahron and you shall say to them that they should not become impure from contact with a dead body….” … Continued
Click here to download PDF Yom Kippur Mincha?!? This week’s double parsha opens up with the sacrificial order of Yom Kippur and apropos that it is the leining for Yom Kippur morning. However for Mincha on Yom Kippur we read … Continued
Click here to download PDF Why Bris Milah? In this week’s double Parsha we have all the laws of human impurity which include the impurity of birth, Ziva, Tzaraas of the person, clothes, and houses, and how to purify all … Continued
Click here to download PDF The Mishkan & Kashrus? In this week’s Parsha there is a strange combination of topics. The Parsha opens with the final establishment of the Mishkan. It was to be assembled and never taken down until … Continued
Click here to download PDF What Happened? Shabbos HaGadol could be translated literally as “The Big Shabbos.” What’s so BIG about Shabbos HaGadol? The Tur tells us that Shabbos HaGadol commemorates how on the tenth of Nissan the Jews in … Continued
Click here to download PDF Our timing is off? It’s ironic that just as we finish reading Sefer Shmos, the book of Yetzias Mitzrayim, in comes the month of Nissan and the holiday of Pesach. One would think that we … Continued
Click here to download PDF Why the Assembly? Moshe, having just having come back from Heaven with the second Luchos, gathers all the Jewish people and tells them the prohibition to work during Shabbos. Following that he tells them the … Continued
Click here to download PDF Sponsored in Honor of the engagement of Menachem Yisroel Bechhofer & Bracha Golda Lichtman Why always Titzaveh – Zachor? In every regular (non-leap) year we read Parshas Titzaveh right before Purim. Therefore, in every regular … Continued
Click here to download PDF Why leave it up to us? In this week’s Parsha the Jewish people as a collective are commanded to construct the Mishkan. Hashem left it up to everyone’s own benevolence to donate whatever they want … Continued
Click here to download PDF The Two accounts of Matan Torah In this week’s Parsha we find a whole other account of Matan Torah from a different perspective. It looks more like a festive occasion, accompanied by eating and drinking, … Continued
Click here to download PDF Never Gets Old The Posuk says: ”on the third month of B’nai Yisroel leaving Egypt on this day they came to the Sinai desert” Rashi explains: “it should have said on that day they arrived … Continued
Click here to download PDF Think Before you sing? Az Yashir Moshe – Then will sing (yashir) Moshe. It that should say “then sang (shar) Moshe”! Why is there the extra letter “Yud” that makes it the future tense? Rashi … Continued
Click here to download PDF 7 & 3 The first thing to observe, is that the Torah saw fit to separate the 10 plagues into two different Parshiyos. Seven out of ten appear in last week’s Parsha, Parshas Veyeira and … Continued
Click here to download PDF Trustworthy to Reward and Punish Hashem tells Moshe: “I appeared to Avraham Yitzchak and Yaakov with as E-l Sha-dai and my Name Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh was not displayed to them”. Rashi explains that means: I am trustworthy … Continued
Click here to download PDF Names & Numbers This week’s Parsha opens with the words “And these are the names of the children of Yisroel that came to Mitzrayim…” Rashi comments even though they were counted in their lifetime by … Continued
Click here to download PDF Dead or Alive? This week’s Parsha opens up with the posuk “Yaakov was alive in Egypt for 17 years…” Hebrew doesn’t use the term “lived” as a synonym for “resided”. What is the Torah telling … Continued
Click here to download PDF Crying on the “Neck” Following the reunification of the brothers it says that “Yosef cried on the necks (plural!) of Binyomin and Binyomin cried on Yosef’s neck”. Rashi brings the Chazal that raise the question: … Continued
Click here to download PDF Reflections for the Chanukah after the Petirah of the Godol HaDor Maran HaRav Ahron Yehuda Leib Shteinman ZT”L “Sparks” An interesting phenomenon repeats itself no less than four times in this week’s Parsha. Ever since the … Continued
Click here to download PDF Mysterious Metaphor In the opening Rashi to this week’s Parsha, Rashi tells us that after speaking concisely about Eisav’s descendants and how and where they settled, the Torah now turns to discuss Yaakov and his … Continued
Click here to download PDF Trouble Town In this week’s Parsha we encounter the place called Shechem. Rashi tells that Shechem is a place prone to tragedy. It was there that Dinah was raped, it was there that Yosef was … Continued
Vayetzei : A Tale of Two Mothers and Two Kings Click here to download PDF Rachel vs Leah In this week’s Parsha we have story of Yaakov finding his two wives, our matriarchs, Rachel and Leah. Although they came from … Continued
Click here to download PDF Water fight? Not quite…. In this week’s Parsha we have Yitzchak Avinu’s struggle with Avimelech and his people over Wells. interestingly enough, this was a common struggle he and his father Avraham had with Avimelech. … Continued
Click here to download PDF First Funeral? There are some standard daily and life cycle events that occur in this parsha for the first time in the Torah. With the description of Sarah’s burial and eulogy we have the first … Continued
What do the birth of Yitzchak Avinu, the three cardinal sins,and marital relations all have in common? Click here to download PDF When Sarah receives the amazing news that she will give birth to a son at the ripe old … Continued
Click here to download PDF A warning from the generations of the flood and the dispersal The Halacha States that when two people agree on a sale of a movable object and the prospective buyer has already given the money, … Continued