Parshas Tzav
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum אש תמיד תוקד על המזבח לא תכבה (פרק ו פסוק ו) Rashi tells us that the reason why we refer to the fire on the מזבח (altar) as an אש תמיד (constant fire) is to reference the fire of the מנורה that was always lit and to teach us […]
Dayenu
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier A major theme of the Haggadah is to express our true, “well thought out”, profound, expansive appreciation of Hashem’s benefactions to Klal Yisroel. We specifically quote four verses from פרשת כי תבא, Deuteronomy 26:5-8 in which we are taught the true manner of undiluted, selfless appreciation and acknowledgement. In […]
Parshas Vayikra
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum ולא תשבית מלח ברית אלקיך מעל מנחתך (פרק ב פסוק יג) We are commanded to bring salt together with every קרבן מנחה (meal offering). Rashi explains that salt is referred to as “salt of Hashem’s covenant” because when Hashem separated the upper and lower waters at the time of […]
Lessons of Sensitivity
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier In this week’s פרשה, which introduces us to the mitzvah of קרבנות, sacrifices; the בעל הטורים (1269-1340) points to many lessons of מידות, sensitivity, that the Torah is teaching us.ספר ויקרא, the book of Leviticus, begins with the word ויקרא, but in contradistinction to the rest of the Torah, […]
Parshas Vayakhel- Pekudei
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum ששת ימים תעשה מלאכה (פרק לה פסוק ב) As introduction to the building of the Mishkan, the Torah reminds us of our obligation to rest on Shabbos from anycreative activity- the very ones that are done to build the Mishkan. The pasuk tells us, “six days your work shall […]
Two Essential Themes of Shabbos
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier The נביא ירמיה, prophet Jeremiah, (17:19-26) admonishes כלל ישראל, the Jewish people, especially the inhabitants of Jerusalem including the monarchs, to observe the Shabbos. In a lengthy castigation, he repeatedly implores them to observe the prohibition of carrying objects form a public domain into a private domain (and vice […]
Parshas Parah: The Eternal Lesson of the “Red Heifer”
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier Rav Shlomo Breuer זצ”ל, the son-in-law of Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch and disciple of the Ktav Sofer, offers a beautiful, profound and illuminating discourse on the profound lesson of the mitzvah of the פרה אדומה, the Red heifer. The mitzvah is perplexing in the manner it affects those who […]
Parshas Ki Sisa
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum ויעשהו עגל מסכה ויאמרו אלה אלקיך ישראל (פרק לב פסוק ד) Just a short while after בני ישראל witnessed the wondrous miracles of יציאת מצרים (leaving Egypt), קריעת ים סוף (the splitting of the sea), and מתן תורה (the giving of the Torah), they fell terribly in creating a […]
Parshas Tetzaveh
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum מחוץ לפרוכת אשר על העדת יערך אותו (פרק כז פסוק כא) The Torah commands בני ישראל to donate olive oil for use in the משכן and explains that its purpose will be for the מנורה which is to be placed outside the curtain that is near the “testimony” (referring […]
Purim: Its Impact on Jewish Life
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier Dovid Hamelech in Psalms Ch. 22:1 states, “למנצח על אילת השחר”. The Talmud in מס‘ יומא כט , Tractate Yoma 29a, quotes רב אסי , Rav Assi who explains that this refers to the period of אסתר המלכה , Queen Esther. Why is the metaphor “שחר”, “early morning” used? […]