Mishnas Chayim Parshah Posts

Fascinating weekly parshah posts

Going Through the Teshuvah Motions – Is There a Point?-Parshas Vayeilech

By |2024-06-06T09:01:11-04:00September 5, 2021|

There are three midrashic teachings that may dramatically alter our perceptions of certain aspects of teshuvah (repentance). The first involves the Prophet Hoshei’a’s exhortation to repent in this week’s haftorah – from which is derived the title of this special Shabbos, Shabbos Shuvah: כֹּל הַנְבִיאִים קוֹרְאִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְתְּשׁוּבָה... וְלֹא מְלַמְדִים אֶת יִשְֹרָאֵל מָה לוֹמַר, אַבָל הוֹשֵעַ אָמַר עֲשׂוּ תְּשׁוּבָה וּמְלַמְדָם מָה יְפַיְיסוּ... שׁוּבָה יִשְֹרָאֵל עַד ד' אֱלֹקֶיךָ... קְחוּ עִמָּכֶם דְּבָרִים וְשׁוּבוּ אֶל־ד'... – “All the prophets would call to [...]

Read More

Rosh Hashanah in History-Parshas Nitzavim

By |2024-06-06T09:01:11-04:00August 29, 2021|

(The following is based largely on R’ Yerucham Olshin’s sefer Yerach L’mo’adim [Yamim Nora’im], vol. I, part II, § 32.) One of the highlights of the Rosh Hashanah prayers is the Mussaf service, which features the inclusion of three groups of Scriptural verses. As the Mishnah outlines (Rosh Hashanah 4:6): אֵין פּוֹחֲתִין מֵעֲשָׂרָה מַלְכִיּוֹת, מֵעֲשָׂרָה זִכְרוֹנוֹת, מֵעֲשָׂרָה שׁוֹפָרוֹת. “We include a minimum of ten verses of Malchiyos (Kingship), ten [...]

Read More

On the Run-Parshas Ki Savo

By |2024-06-06T09:02:29-04:00August 22, 2021|

Har Gerizim and Har Eival were two mountains in Eretz Yisrael that figure prominently in this week’s parshah. These were the mountains upon which the blessings and curses were to be pronounced. As the Torah records:  אֵלֶּה יַעַמְדוּ לְבָרֵךְ אֶת־הָעָם עַל־הַר גְּרִזִּים בְּעָבְרְכֶם אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן... וְאֵלֶּה יַעַמְדוּ עַל־הַקְּלָלָה בְּהַר עֵיבָל... – “The following (tribes) shall stand on Mt. Gerizim to bless the nation when you cross the Yarden River... And the following [...]

Read More

Enlistment Eligibility-Parshas Ki Seitzei

By |2024-06-06T09:02:30-04:00August 15, 2021|

(A study of the contrasting halachos of two war-related mitzvos: eradicating Amalek and warring against the Seven Nations.) As we know, Hashem has imbued all of mankind with free will – the ability to choose to do good or evil. Unfortunately, however, many have opted for the wrong choice; in some instances, entire nations have gone down this path. And so it is that certain peoples have so devastated their way [...]

Read More

Anticipating Fraud- Parshas Shoftim

By |2024-06-06T09:02:30-04:00August 8, 2021|

Well known to all are the “Yud-Gimmel Ikkarim,” the Thirteen Principles of Faith, which form the cornerstone and basis for all of Judaism. These were written by the Rambam (in his commentary to Mishnayos) to elucidate the Mishnah in Sanhedrin (10:1), which states: כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל יֵשׁ לָהֶם חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים לְעוֹלָם יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ נֵצֶר מַטָּעַי מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַי לְהִתְפָּאֵר. וְאֵלּוּ שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם [...]

Read More

“Yemach Shemo”-Parshas Re’eh

By |2024-06-06T09:02:30-04:00August 1, 2021|

Shlomoh Hamelech tells us in Mishlei (10:1): זֵכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה וְשֵׁם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקָב  – “The memory (or mention) of a righteous man is to be for a blessing, while the name of the wicked shall rot.” Thus it is that when recalling the name of a deceased tzaddik we customarily append the phrase: “zecher tzaddik liverachah”; and when referring to a rasha, we add “sheim resha’im yirkav” or the alternate “yemach shemo [...]

Read More
Go to Top