Sukkos: A Time of Rejoicing and Awe
PRINT PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier One of the most abrupt changes in the spirit of the Jewish calendar is the change of mood from solemnity upon ending Yom Kippur to joy when entering the Succos Festival. Succos, according to the Torah, is the time of one’s greatest rejoicing. Every day is spent in a […]
Parshas Vayelech
Print PDF Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum למען ספות הרוה את הצמאה (פרק כט פסוק יח) The Torah condemns a person who feels confident ignoring Hashem’s directives and following their own desires and whims. The פסוק ends off with an interesting phrase which the Ramban explains to mean, literally, “this will add the satisfied one with the […]
Our Father, Our King
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier In the weekday שמונה עשרה, we beseech Hashem: סלח לנו אבינו כי חטאנו מחל לנו מלכנו כי פשענו כי מוחל וסולח אתה, “Forgive us, our Father for we have erred, pardon us (it means not to even harbor resentment) our King for (though) we have willfully sinned – for […]
Parshas Nitzavim
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum אתם נצבים היום כלכם (פרק כט פסוק ט) Before creating a ברית, a covenant, between Hashem and כלל ישראל, that we will always be His nation and that he will reward us and punish us accordingly, Moshe tells us “You are all standing here today”. The שפת אמת points […]
Teshuva: Creating a New Perspective
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier The גמרה יומה פ”ו, Talmud Tractate Yuma 68b with regard to תשובה, repentance asks: What are the circumstances that demonstrate that one had completely and honestly repented? רב יהודה taught, if one has the opportunity to sin with the same woman (who he had sinned with previously) at the […]
Parshas Ki Savo
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum הסכת ושמע ישראל היום הזה נהיית לעם לה’ אלקיך (פרק כז פסוק ט) The Torah describes the scene of הר גריזים והר עיבל where the curses are delivered, warning the Jews to stay loyal to Hashem and His Torah in all aspects of life. As an introduction, Moshe tells […]
Human Greatness
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier, Rosh Kollel מצוה תר”ג , the 607th commandment in the Torah, is undeniably one of the most unique and intriguing ones. The Torah instructs that on the last day of Pesach at מנחה both the fourth and seventh year of the שמיטה cycle, to articulate in the בית […]
Parshas Ki Seitzei
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum ולא אבה ה’ אלקיך לשמוע אל בלעם ויהפוך ה’ אלקיך לך את הקללה לברכה (פרק כג פסוק ו) Moshe describes Hashem’s love of the Jews by reminding them of when בלעם wanted to curse them and “Hashem did not want to listen, and he turned the curses of בלעם […]
Sensitivity
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier In this week’s פרשה, which contains the largest selection of מצוות, commandments (more than 10% of the 613); there are many that deal with one’s responsibility to another and to Klal Yisroel at large. Chazal teach us that in ספר דברים, Deuteronomy, according to all opinions there are important […]
Parshas Shoftim
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum שופטים ושוטרים תתן לך בכל שעריך ושפטו את העם משפט צדק (פרק טז פסוק יח) The Parsha begins with the מצוה of appointing judges. The פסוק says that “Judges, you should place for yourself in all your gates, and they should judge the nation fairly”. The כלי יקר divides […]