With the reading of Parshios Vayakhel-Pekudei, we conclude Sefer Shemos, the sefer that chronicles the birth of our nation and our journey from slavery to redemption. As we have noted in previous weeks, the final section of Sefer Shemos is devoted to the building of the...
Parshas Ki Tisa begins with the topic of Mishkan, a continuation of the preceding parshios of Terumah and Tetzaveh. From the beginning of Terumah (Shemos 25), through the opening chapters of Ki Tisa (Shemos 30:11-31:18), the beautiful plans for the Mishkan have been laid out for...
In Parshas Tetzaveh we learn of the induction of Aharon as kohen gadol and his sons as kohanim. The pasuk tells us: And you shall bring near to yourself your brother Aharon, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel to be...
With Parshas Terumah, we begin the third and final section of Sefer Shemos, also known as Sefer Ha’Geula - the Book of Redemption. In essence, Shemos is divided into three main chalakim (sections): Shibud v’Yetzias Mitzrayim - the enslavement and Exodus from Egypt. This section is...
In Parshas Mishpatim, the narrative of Matan Torah continues. However, unlike the “fire and lights” Revelation at Sinai of Parshas Yisro, Mishpatim presents us with many mitzvos which teach us how to build a society. In the parsha, we are presented with a wide-ranging body of...
In Parshas Yisro, the nation of Israel arrives at the Wilderness of Sinai on Rosh Chodesh Sivan and camps opposite Mt. Sinai. There they spend the next days preparing for Matan Torah (and there they will stay for the next almost-one-year learning many mitzvos, building...
In Parshas Beshalach, the events of the Exodus take a dramatic turn with the splitting of the Reed Sea, the safe crossing of the Bnei Yisrael through the damp sea bed, and the drowning of the Egyptians in the churning waters (Shemos 13:17-Shemos 14). After...
In Parshas Bo, after the final three plagues are brought upon the Egyptians - locust, darkness, and the Plague of the Firstborn - the mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh transmitted, many mitzvos regarding the Korban Pesach and Chag Ha’Pesach delineated, and the question of three of...
In Parshas Va’era, the geulas Mitzaryim (Egyptian redemption), begins to unfold. Beginning with the arbah lashonos geula - and I will take you out, and I will rescue you, and I will redeem you, and I will take you to Me as a people (Shemos...
With the opening of Sefer Shemos the Torah shifts its focus to the experiences of the Children of Israel in Egypt. Parshas Shemos begins with a description of the servitude, anguish and punishing decrees that the Children of Israel faced under the “new king” who...