Fascinating weekly parshah posts
One of the most well-known passages from the Rambam’s Yad Ha’chazakah features his depiction of the message of the Shofar. As he writes: “Even though blowing the shofar on Rosh Hashanah is simply a function of a Torah directive, it does contain a message by way of allusion; and it says: ‘Awaken you sleepers from your sleep, and you who slumber, emerge from your slumber; examine your deeds, return [...]
This week’s parshah features the long-awaited reunion between Yosef and his brothers. After he revealed himself to them and the dust began to settle (so to speak), Yosef set about distributing gifts. As the Torah recounts: לְכֻלָּם נָתַן לָאִישׁ חֲלִפוֹת שְֹמָלֹת וּלְבִנְיָמִן נָתַן שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת כֶּסֶף וְחָמֵשׁ חֲלִפֹת שְֹמָלֹת – “To all of (the brothers), to each of them, he gave sets of clothing; and to Binyamin he gave 300 pieces [...]
(The following is based on the discourses of the Nesivos Shalom in his Kuntress L’Chanukah.) Perhaps one of the most familiar chapters of mishnayos is the second chapter of Maseches Shabbos, known as “Ba’meh Madlikin” (for its opening words). This chapter, customarily recited during the service of Kabbalas Shabbos, relays the laws governing the lighting of the Shabbos candles. Its beginning section focuses primarily on the materials that are deemed [...]
This week’s parshah contains the gripping and well-known account involving the rivalry between Yosef and his brothers. It almost goes without saying that looking at this episode in a purely superficial manner would constitute a gross error. One may come away with the false impression that this is a tale of petty jealousy, vengeful behavior, and sinister plots. But as we are discussing the “Shivtei Kah – G-dly Tribes,” children [...]
(The following is based in large measure on expositions of R’ Yeruchem Olshin in the sefer Yerach L’mo’adim, Succos vol. II, 56:3,4, and 45:4.) This week’s parshah opens with the lead-up to the long-awaited meeting between Ya’akov and his adversarial brother, Esav. As Ya’akov prepared for this encounter, the threat from Esav obviously loomed large. In light of this, Ya’akov’s initial communication is somewhat hard to understand. The Torah records that he [...]
There is a well-known teaching of Chazal that highlights the great kindness Hashem has wrought for Yisrael in that He supplies them with abundant opportunity to accrue merit. As the Mishnah states (Makkos 3:16): רַבִּי חֲנַנְיָא בֶּן עֲקַשְׁיָא אוֹמֵר, רָצָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְזַכּוֹת אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְפִיכָךְ הִרְבָּה לָהֶם תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ד' חָפֵץ לְמַעַן צִדְקוֹ יַגְדִּיל תּוֹרָה וְיַאְדִּיר. “R’ Chananyah ben Akashya says: Hashem wanted to [...]
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