Shemos

A Cow for a Calf-Parshas Ki Sisa

By |2021-06-18T10:39:22-04:00February 13, 2022|

During the time-period corresponding (basically) to the month of Adar, four special sections are appended to the weekly Torah reading. The Mishnah lays out the order (Megillah 3:4): רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ אֲדָר שֶׁחָל לִהְיוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת, קוֹרִין בְּפָרָשַׁת שְׁקָלִים... בַּשְּׁנִיָּה זָכוֹר, בַּשְּׁלִישִׁית פָּרָה... בָּרְבִיעִית הַחֹדֶשׁ... “When Rosh Chodesh Adar falls out on Shabbos, we read the section of ‘Shekalim’ (featuring the giving of the half-shekel coin [in addition to [...]

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The Last Hurrah-Parshas Tetzaveh

By |2021-06-18T10:36:36-04:00February 6, 2022|

R’ Moshe Aharon Stern, venerated Mashgiach of the Kaminetz Yeshivah, related the following account, which serves as a powerful lesson in patience. The story involves an individual who, unfortunately, was notorious for just the opposite. He was an elderly man, somewhat (or significantly so) on the cranky side, with a penchant for making his displeasure known. Gragger Grief Purim would roll around, and this would present a serious [...]

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The Give-and-Take of Donations-Parshas Terumah

By |2021-06-18T10:34:05-04:00January 30, 2022|

This week’s parshah begins with something of a linguistic twist. The call is issued to donate materials for the construction of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). One would have expected the directive to be worded in terms of giving, along the lines of: וְיִתְּנוּ־לִי תְּרוּמָה – And they shall give Me a donation.” Instead, the passuk employs the very opposite term; as it states: דַּבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל וְיִקְחוּ־לִי תְּרוּמָה – “Speak to B’nei Yisrael, and they shall take for Me a donation” [...]

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Only One Master-Parshas Mishpatim

By |2021-06-18T10:31:29-04:00January 23, 2022|

It happened one Yom Tov that the Sfas Emes, venerated leader of the Gerrer Chassidic dynasty, shared an observation with his followers about Hallel, an important aspect of the day’s observance. He singled out a particular supplication, stating that by reciting “Ana” properly, one can catalyze wondrous effects in the Upper Realms. However, an issue arose the next morning during the time of Hallel’s recital. For there [...]

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Home Sweet Home-Parshas Yisro

By |2021-06-18T10:28:40-04:00January 16, 2022|

At the beginning of this week’s parshah, the Torah informs us of the origins of the names of Moshe’s two sons: שֵׁם הָאֶחָד גֵּרְשֹׁם כִּי אָמַר גֵּר הָיִיתִי בְּאֶרֶץ נָכְרִיָּה, וְשֵׁם הָאֶחָד אֱלִיעֶזֶר כִּי־אֱלֹהֵי אָבִי בְּעֶזְרִי וַיַּצִּלֵנִי מֵחֶרֶב פַּרְעֹה – “The name of the one of them was Gershom, for (Moshe) said: ‘I was a stranger (ger) in a foreign land.’ And the name of the other was Eliezer – ‘For the G-d [...]

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Contemporary Reclining-Parshas Beshalach

By |2021-06-18T10:25:42-04:00January 9, 2022|

(The following halachic analysis regarding the practice of reclining during the Pesach Seder is based largely on an exposition from the sefer Yerach L’mo’adim, Pesach, vol. I, § 44.) The tenth chapter of maseches Pesachim outlines the procedure followed at the Pesach Seder, and one of the first items it mentions is the practice of reclining. As the Mishnah states (10:1): וַאֲפִלּוּ עָנִי שֶׁבְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יֹאכַל עַד שֶׁיָּסֵב. “Every member [...]

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