This week’s parsha, Parshas Re’eh, opens with: רְאֵה, אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן לִפְנֵיכֶם--הַיּוֹם: בְּרָכָה, וּקְלָלָה - See, I (Moshe) present before you today a blessing and a curse; אֶת-הַבְּרָכָה--אֲשֶׁר תִּשְׁמְעוּ, אֶל-מִצְות ה’ אלקיכֶם, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם, הַיּוֹם, The blessing that you listen to the commandments of Hashem,...
In this week’s parsha, Parshas Eikev, the Torah warns us regarding the sin of avodah zarah (worshipping gods of others). The pasukim say: פְּסִילֵי אֱלֹהֵיהֶם, תִּשְׂרְפוּן בָּאֵשׁ; לֹא-תַחְמֹד כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב עֲלֵיהֶם, וְלָקַחְתָּ לָךְ--פֶּן תִּוָּקֵשׁ בּוֹ, כִּי תוֹעֲבַת ה’ אלקיךָ הוּא - The carved images of...
As Parshas Devarim is always read the Shabbos before Tisha B’Av, Parshas V’Eschanan is always read the Shabbos after Tisha B’Av. This Shabbos is also known as “Shabbos Nachamu”, the Sabbath of Consolation or Comfort, after the opening words of the Haftorah, נַחֲמוּ נַחֲמוּ, עַמִּי,...
I made this soup last week, as the Nine Days began. As the name indicates, everyone LOVED this soup! A couple of my children, who generally don’t want soup, agreed to taste one spoon (only to please their mother!) and then with sheepish smiles, they...
Dear Friends, Please mark your calendars and join me for these upcoming, ALL new, shiurim: *My weekly Sunday shiur, with the Virtual Beis Medrash, meets Sunday July 26 at 10am. To join shiur, use this direct link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/98032436809?pwd=UHY0R3pMdG42R1ZaQ0ZZNS9yek1uQT09 Zoom login information: Meeting ID: 980 3243 6809 - ...
Sefer Devarim, Parshas Devarim, Mishneh Torah. With this week’s keriyas ha’Torah, we open up the fifth book of Chumash, as we journey - along with the Bnei Yisrael - through the final days of Moshe Rabbeinu’s life. The book of Devarim is moving, poetic, heartfelt,...
We are now in the second Shabbos of the mournful Three Weeks, and this Shabbos we conclude the book of Bamidbar, with the reading of the double parshios of Matos-Masei. In Parshas Masei we are commanded: וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּ֥ם אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ וִֽישַׁבְתֶּם־בָּ֑הּ כִּ֥י לָכֶ֛ם נָתַ֥תִּי אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ לָרֶ֥שֶׁת אֹתָֽהּ,...
This is a delicious and colorful salad and really easy to prepare. Even my non-mushrooms lovers enjoyed it; much to their (and my!) surprise. Grilled Portabella Mushroom Salad Grill two portabella mushroom caps on your BBQ, five minutes per side, till the desired doneness. When you place...
In this week’s parsha, Parshas Pinchas, we learn of the Bnos Tzelafchad, מַחְלָה נֹעָה, חָגְלָה מִלְכָּה וְתִרְצָה, from the tribe of Menashe ben Yosef, whose father died without leaving sons. As the Bnei Yisrael prepare to enter the Holy Land under the leadership of Yehoshua...
This is a gorgeous summer salad, as well as a unique and fun experience for your palate. You may have noticed that my recent recipes have been gluten free and sugar free… I’m trying to eat healthier, with the recent realization that as a society,...