Parshas Emor
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum כי תבאו אל הארץ…וקצרתם את קצירה…ובקצרכם את קציר ארצכם (פרק כג פסוק י-כג)In the Torah’s description of the ימים טובים we find the מצוה that takes place on the second day of פסח. Being the beginning of the harvest season, the Torah commands that the first barley harvest should […]
The Gravity of Self-Worth
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier In ויקרא פרק כ”ה, Leviticus 25:35,39, the Torah begins וכי ימוך אחיך, “If your brother becomes impoverished… you shall strengthen him (35)… you shall not treat him as a slave but as a resident… (39)”. The Medrash Rabba 34:10 comments, More than what the בעל הבית, the “philanthropist” does […]
Parshas Acharei Mos- Kedoshim
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum דבר אל אהרן אחיך ואל יבא בכל עת אל הקדש…בזאת יבא אהרן אל הקדש (פרק טז פסוק ב-ג) As an introduction to the Yom Kippur service in the משכן, Hashem says that Aharon cannot frequent theקדש הקדשים (Holy of Holies), and only with the described service can he enter. […]
Protecting our Nobility
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier The Talmud, Tractate Shabbos 89a, questions as to why הר סיני, the mountain on which משה רבינו, Moshe Rabeinu received the Torah, where Hashem spoke to us, has its given name? The answer is that the nations of the world who didn’t accept the Torah from then on despised […]
Awareness of Hashem’s Unmitigated Love
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier In ויקרא יד:י , Leviticus 14:10, it states: “And on the eighth day he shall take two… male lambs and one ewe…” There were three types of sacrifices brought by the מצורע , the spiritual leper. When the Torah relates the obligation of the poor, destitute leper who can’t […]
Parshas Tazria-Metzora
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloime Lindenbaum אדם כי יהיה בעור בשרו וכו’ והובא אל אהרן הכהן (פרק יג פסוק ב) The Torah tells us that all decisions regarding a person’s status as a מצורע (leper) can only be determined by a כהן. R’ Moshe Feinstein explains that the כהנים are the spiritual leaders and guides […]
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, […]