This week’s sedra, Va’Eschanan, opens with the tefilos of Moshe Rabbeinu to be allowed entry into Eretz Yisrael (E”Y). The opening verses of the parsha tell us of the content and structure of Moshe’s prayer: וָאֶתְחַנַּ֖ן אֶל ה בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִ֖וא לֵאמֹֽר - and I pleaded...
Sefer Devarim, Parshas Devarim. Sefer Devarim differs from the first four books of Chumash, in that those books were dictated by Hashem to Moshe, who transcribed them, while the fifth book - Devarim - are the words of Moshe Rabbeinu himself. In the final days...
Parshas Matos, the first of this week’s double parshios of Matos-Masei, begins with the Torah instructing us regarding the laws of vows and oaths, both for a man and a woman. While these mitzvos are complicated and intricate (and far beyond the scope of this...
In this week’s Parsha, Parshas Pinchas, we learn of various important topics and lessons, relevant to the nation as they approach the end of their forty year wandering in the desert, and prepare to cross into the Land of Israel, under the leadership of Yehoshua...
In the second of this week’s parshios (Chukas-Balak in Chutz la’Aretz), we learn of Balak, the king of Moav, who hired Bilaam, the Prophet/Sorcerer, to curse the Jewish nation. As Am Yisrael was camped on the borders of the Promised Land, and as they had...
In this week’s sedra (in Chutz la’Aretz) we read of the machlokes (strife) and rebellion that was instigated by Korach, a first cousin to Moshe and Aharon (their fathers, Yitzhar and Amram, respectively, were brothers). Korach was jealous over their positions as melech (Moshe) and...
In this week’s sedra (in Chutz la’Aretz), Shelach, we learn of the infamous sin of Cheit Ha’Meraglim. On the cusp of entry to the land of Israel, just over a year after leaving Egypt, Moshe sent twelve scouts, one man from each tribe, to investigate...
This week (in chutz la’Aretz), we read the sedra of Beha’aloscha. Many fascinating and important details and events are recorded in the Torah text for us, from the lighting of the menorah, to preparations for travel to Eretz Yisrael, to the laws of Pesach Sheni,...
At the end of this week’s parsha, Parshas Naso, we learn of the korbanos (offerings and gifts to the Mishkan) of the twelve Nisiim (tribal princes), which they offered on the occasion of the Chanukas ha’Mishkan (inauguration of the Mishkan) (Bamidbar, Chapter 7). Hashem commanded...
Chag Ha’Shavuos 5783, Zman Matan Tora’sainu. It is on this yomtov that the Aseres HaDibros were given to the nation (Shabbos 86b - בְּשִׁשִּׁי בַּחֹדֶשׁ נִיתְּנוּ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל): the Ten Mitzvos and Ten Declarations through which G-d revealed Himself to the entire nation, in...