The Ultimate Cause of Exile
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier The תלמוד ירושלמי , the Jerusalem Talmud, מסכת יומא , asks, “In the time of the second בית המקדש, Holy Temple, the populace were diligent in Torah study, they had wonderful character traits, they were careful to observe all the מצוות, commandments, and to meticulously tithe properly, so why […]
Parshas Devarim
Print PDF By Shloime Lindenbaum אלה הדברים אשר דבר משה..וחצרות ודי זהב (פרק א פסוק א) The Parsha begins with a lengthy description of the context in which Moshe is telling over the Torah to the Jewish People. Rashi tells us that the extensive wording is really filled with hints to all the various places […]
Parshas Matos-Masei
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum ואת בלעם בן בעור הרגו בחרב(פרק לא פסוק ח) Hashem commands the Jews to wage war against the מדינים as revenge for them intentionally causing the Jews to sin. The Jews killed all the males of מדין, and the פסוק adds that they killed בלעם by the sword. Rashi […]
Impeccable Honesty
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier In Chapter 32:1, the Torah introduces us to the discussion between Moshe Rabeinu, משה רבינו , and the tribes of Gad and Reuvain in the following manner: ומקנה רב היה לבני ראובן“ , And to the sons of Reuvain…” The question is, why does the Torah introduce the section […]
From Disharmony to Harmony
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier In recognition of what פנחס, Pinchas, did to literally save the Jewish people from Hashem’s wrath, he was gifted with שלום, harmony (במדבר י:י״ב). Immediately preceding the Torah states “את בקנאו קנאתי” (י:י”א). “When he zealously with a flaming rage” demonstrated with palpable passion his singular, selfless dedication to […]
Parshas Pinchas
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum בני בנימין למשפחתם…אלה בני דן (פרק כו פסוק לח-מד) The Torah details a count of each tribe with the number of families [in the first generation] in a tribe and the total number of members. The tribe of Binyamin is counted as starting with seven major families, and in […]
Consistent Focus
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier בלעם, Bilaam, we are taught was gifted by Hashem with the extraordinary perception of the makeup of the spiritual world, of the upper spheres, a prophet on the same level as משה רבינו, Moshe, our leader. The פסוק says that no prophet will arise akin to Moshe Rabeinu amongst […]
Parshas Chukas-Balak
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum ויאמר ה’ אל משה אל תירא אותו (פרק כא פסוק לד) As the Jewish nation prepares for battle with Og and his nation, Bashan, Hashem encourages Moshe and tells him not to be afraid of them. Rashi explains (as expounded on by R’ Bachya) that Moshe certainly had no […]
Parshas Korach
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum כי כל העדה כלם קדושים (פרק טז פסוק ג) Our Parsha begins with the legendary argument between Moshe and Korach. Korach claims that Moshe took too much honor for himself and that he isn’t driven by truth but rather by selfishness. Specifically, Korach argues that all Jews are holy […]
A Delicate Balance
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier In פרקי אבות, Ethics of our Fathers 5:17, it states: “What is an example of an argument that is for the ‘sake of Heaven’, for selfless spiritual advancements, the halachic disputes between Bais Hillel and Bais Shammai.” The case of a dispute that represents self-interests is this week’s portion, […]