Dangerous Davening-Parshas Va’eschanan
Anyone even remotely acquainted with the davening (prayer) experience is familiar with the recital of Shemoneh Esrei as being from the most solemn aspects of the entire event. After the (hopefully) fervent humming of the preceding prayers, a hushed silence suddenly descends, as the assembled stand quietly, feet together, in united devotion. Keeping One’s Head About Them One indication of the gravity Chazal accord this solemn moment is the [...]
Tisha B’Av and Shabbos: Contradictory, or Compatible?-Parshas Devarim
(The following is based in large part on a dissertation of the Nesivos Shalom, contained in the Bamidbar volume, p. 207.) What happens when the ninth of Av – usually observed as a day of fasting and intense mourning for the Churban (Destruction [of Yerushalayim and the Beis Hamikdash]) – occurs on Shabbos? This is actually more than just a question of pragmatics; as we shall see, the issue [...]
Virtues of Attendance-Parshas Mattos-Masei
This week’s parshah opens in a somewhat unique manner. The first section details the laws of nedarim (vows) and begins with an introductory proclamation. While so far this may seem fairly typical, the departure here relates to the individuals being addressed. As the passuk states: וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶל־רָאשֵׁי הַמַּטּוֹת לִבְנֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל לֵאמֹר זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ד'... –“And Moshe spoke to the heads of the tribes of B’nei Yisrael, saying: ‘This is the matter that Hashem has commanded...’” (Bamidbar [...]
