The Essence of Torah: Chesed | Shavuos
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier The Medrash Rus, רות רבה ב:טו, says, “אמר רב זעירא, (this מגילה scroll has no mention of what is prohibited, what is permitted…) it is written to teach us the ‘great reward for those who are involved in kindness.’” Another Medrash, ילקוט רות תקצ”ד, teaches: we read מגילת […]
Parshas Bamidbar
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum אך את מטה לוי לא תפקד וגו’ בתוך בני ישראל (פרק א פסוק מט) Hashem commands Moshe to count the entire Jewish nation but specifies that Levi should have their own separate counting. This is reiterated two more times, emphasizing that the Levites should not be included in […]
Orderliness
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier The Torah in this week’s portion details at great length the census of the Jewish people; how many were in each tribe. In the second chapter, the Torah commands how the Jewish people encamped around the משכן, Tabernacle. There were four divisions in each direction, comprising of three […]
Parshas Behar-Bechukosai
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum ובשנה השביעית שבת שבתון יהיה לארץ…שדך לא תזרע וכרמך לא תזמר (פרק כה פסוק ד) The Torah tells us about the mitzvah of שמיטה, how every seven years a person must let their fields lay fallow. The Yalkut Shimoni quotes a פסוק in תהלים קג:כ, “Bless Hashem, O […]
The Energy of life: Self-Subjugation
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier In ויקרא כה:מז-נה, Leviticus 25:47-55, we are taught the scenario of a destitute Jew, whose only manner to support his family is to contract himself as a slave to a non-Jew. In verse 55, the Torah admonishes the Jew to remember that “for the בני ישראל, the Children […]
Parshas Emor
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum אך אל הפרכת לא יבוא ואל המזבח לא יגש כי מום בו (פרק כא פסוק כג) The Torah describes the incredible privilege and opportunity that it is to be a כהן, a priest. Only they get to serve in the משכן and בית המקדש and it provides them […]
Greatness: Superiority or Perfection?
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier A world-renowned scientist has discovered many medicines that have helped many; but he hasn’t actualized his complete potential. There is a sanitation worker who is well-known to judiciously ensure that not one piece of litter is left on the street. Who should one admire? The Torah teaches us […]
Parshas Acharei Mos-Kedoshim
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum אחרי מות שני בני אהרן (פרק טז פסוק א) The Torah introduces the עבודת יום כיפור, the Yom Kippur service, and stresses that it should be told to אהרן after the death of his two sons. The ירושלמי explains the relevance, that just as יום כיפור is a […]
Growth is Gradual
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier In פרשת קדושים we are introduced to a system of actions and behavior that creates the actualization of a person developing into a צלם אלוקים, one who is the model of Hashem’s design of emulating Him. This in itself is a profoundly important idea. To attain spiritual growth necessitates […]
Parshas Tazria-Metzora
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum טמא הוא טמא יטמאנו הכהן בראשו נגעו (פרק יג פסוק מד) The Torah describes all different types of צרעת (leprosy) and the הלכות that pertain to each one. One type is on the body of a מצורע (leper) while another is on their head- either from the front […]
