Moshe then calls to Yehoshua - who will lead the nation after Moshe’s demise - and encourages him as well: חֲזַק וֶאֱמָץ--כִּי אַתָּה תָּבוֹא אֶת-הָעָם הַזֶּה, אֶל-הָאָרֶץ - Be strong and courageous, for you shall come with this people to the Land…(see Devarim 31:1-7). Moshe speaks...
We are now hours away from the Yom Ha’Din, the awesome Day of Judgement, Rosh HaShana 5776. It is interesting to consider the different names for our New Year: ראש השנה - The New Year; literally The Head of the Year. I heard a beautiful insight last...
In this week’s parsha, Parshas Ki Savo, the Torah tells us that when we will be blessed, Hashem will put us לְרֹאשׁ, וְלֹא לְזָנָב, וְהָיִיתָ רַק לְמַעְלָה, וְלֹא תִהְיֶה לְמָטָּה - for the head and not for the tail, we shall be only above and...
This week’s Dvar Torah is dedicated to my dear son, Yitzchak Yonatan, who came up with the title for the post: “The Weapon of Friendship.” At the end of this week’s Parsha, Parshas Ki Seitzei, the Torah records that Amalek attacked us when we were leaving...
R’ Simcha Bumin of Peshischa explains that with the double lashon, the Torah is teaching us that we must pursue righteousness by means of righteousness, by ways of tzidkus and yashrus, just and straight paths. For one who wants to cling to holiness must do...
In this week’s Parsha, Parshas Eikev, Moshe recounts that after he broke the first set of luchos - in the aftermath of the sin of the golden calf (Deut.9:15-17) — he carved a second set of luchos. Moshe now had a broken set of Stone...
In this week’s Parsha, Parshas V’Eschanan, we have the all encompassing, all powerful verses which make up the prayer known as the “Shema Yisrael” (Deut.6:4-9). The verse states: וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת, עַל-יָדֶךָ; וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת, בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ - You shall bind them as a sign on your hand,...
In the final parsha of the book of Bamidbar, Parshas Masei, we are reminded of the death of Aharon HaKohen. “And Aharon the Kohen went up to הֹר הָהָר by the mouth of Hashem and died there, in the fortieth year after the Bnei Yisrael went...
The Gemara (Shabos 31a) records the following teaching: Rava said - At the time when they escort a person to the day of Judgement (in the World to Come) he will be asked six questions: (1) Did you conduct your business transactions faithfully? (2) Did...
In this week’s parsha, Parshas Chukas, Aharon, the Kohen Gadol, dies. And Hashem said to Moshe, “Take Aharon, and Elazar his son, and ascend with them up to הֹר הָהָר – the Mountain of Hor; and you shall strip Aharon of his (priestly) garments, and you...