Parshas Terumah: The Purpose of the Mishkan
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier HaRav Yerucham Levovitz זצ”ל taught that in this week’s portion we are inculcated with one of the major lessons of spiritual life! The Torah delineates the exact measurements of the Mishkan (Tabernacle), the מנורה (candelabrum), the שולחן (table for the showbreads), the ארון (ark)… If one would change the […]
Parshas Mishpatim
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloime Lindenbaum אם כסף תלוה את עמי (פרק כב פסוק כד) One of the many mitzvos detailed in our Parsha is the mitzva of giving צדקה to poor people. R’ Chaim Shmulevitz says that from the specific way in which the Torah describes how to do this mitzva, we can deduce […]
Parshas Mishpatim: Freedom or Slavery?
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier Immediately after the giving of the עשרת הדברות at Har Sinai, the Torah introduces us to the mitzvah of the עבד עברי; a Jewish male who had stolen money and can’t pay back. He is “contracted” as an indentured servant for a period of up to six years. During […]
Parshas Yisro
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloime Lindenbaum ואתה תחזה מכל העם אנשי חיל וכו’ (פרק יח פסוק כא) Yisro advises Moshe that instead of him judging the entire Jewish people by himself, he should establish smaller courts to deal with the simpler cases. Only the most difficult cases will be brought to Moshe, after passing through […]
Parshas Yisro: Deliberation
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier The Torah says (18:13), “…And Moshe sat to judge, adjudicate cases for people, and they – the people – stood by him from the morning till the evening.” Rashi asks, “Was it possible? We are seeing that any judge that renders judgment that is rightful as truth demands it […]
Parshas Beshalach
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum וייראו העם את ה’ (פרק יד פסוק לא) The Medrash says that only by קריעת ים סוף did בני ישראל truly fear Hashem, in Egypt they had not attained that level. The Beis Halevi asks what was special about קריעת ים סוף, didn’t the Jews witness countless miracles by […]
Parshas Beshalach: Our Essence
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier This Shabbos we once again relive the momentous occurence of the deliverance of Klal Yisroel at the Reed Sea! The Egyptians, nine million of them, drowned while the Jewish people were saved. As this portion is read in the synagogue, all attendees stand, as if we are once again […]
Parshas Bo
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloime Lindenbaum דבר נא באזני העם וישאלו איש מאת רעהו…(פרק יא פסוק ב) Hashem asks Moshe to instruct Klal Yisroel to go to the Egyptians and ask to borrow their gold and silver. Rashi points out that Hashem expressed this as a request, almost a plea, because He didn’t want Avraham […]
Parshas Bo: Lessons of Civility
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier In פרשת לך לך, Genesis 15:13-14, the Almighty tells Avrohom Avinu, “Know that your offspring shall be in a land not their own – and they will serve them and they will oppress them four hundred years. But also the nation they will serve, I shall judge and afterwards […]
Parshas Va’era
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum ויצעק משה אל ה’ על דבר הצפרדעים (פרק ח פסוק ח) There are many times throughout the מכות that Pharoah asked Moshe to daven and remove the מכה. The wording describing Moshe’s prayer, however, is unique by the מכה of צפרדע. Every other time that Moshe davened, the פסוק […]
