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 […]
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 Balak
Print PDF By Rabbi Shimmy Sternfield “מה טובו אהלך יעקב משכנותך ישראל” (פרק כ”ד, פסוק ה) “How good are your tents Yaakov, your dwelling places Yisrael.” When בִלּעְםָ went to meet with בָלּקָ he intended to curse the Jews. Hashem, however, forced בִלּעְםָ to change his words and bless them instead. The גמְרָָא in […]
Anti-Semitism: Its Cause and the Antidote
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier We are living in uncertain times, when we are aware of a sharp rise in anti-semitic vitriolic incidents, and a general concerted effort to abuse the Jewish people who are the ones who have “represented” the idea of a monotheistic G-d for millenia. בלעם הרשע states in Numbers 23:9, […]
Parshas Chukas
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum על גבול ארץ אדום לאמר (פרק כ פסוק כג) Klal Yisroel continue their journey through the desert, and they send a request to Edom (descendants of Eisav) to pass through their land. They phrase their question as a message from “your brother, Israel”. Immediately after their request is denied, […]
Are we the Greatest Generation
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier In פרשיות of בהעלותך, שלח, קרח, we have learned of the “mistakes” that our greatest ancestors made. As we study these events, we understand that these were the greatest of people who due to this, were held to supreme, perfect standards. But we are troubled. Who are we compared […]
Parshas Korach
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum רב לכם בני לוי (פרק טז פסוק ז) Korach comes with his followers to complain that Moshe has taken too many honors for himself and his brother. Moshe commands them to come the next day with an offering of קטרות and Hashem will show whom He chooses to serve […]
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, […]
It’s Solely G-d’s World
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier The episode of the מרגלים, the twelve “spies” sent by משה רבינו to scout the land of present-day Israel is fraught with many perplexing questions. They are introduced by the Torah as, “ראשי בני ישראל המה” (יג:ג) , “כולם אנשים “they are all distinguished people, the leaders of the […]
Parshas Shelach
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum היש בה עץ אם אין…ולקחתם מפרי הארץ (פרק יג פסוק כ) Moshe sends the spies to scout out the land of Israel and instructs them to see if there is a tree and to bring fruit from the land. Rashi explains that the tree symbolizes a good and proper […]
