Mishnas Chayim Parshah Posts

Fascinating weekly parshah posts

Borei Nefashos and the Giants-Parshas Eikev

By |2024-06-06T09:02:30-04:00July 25, 2021|

The Mishnah in Berachos (6:8) outlines the blessings associated with drinking water: הַשּׁוֹתֶה מַיִם לִצְמָאוֹ, אוֹמֵר שֶׁהַכֹּל נִהְיָה בִּדְבָרוֹ... בּוֹרֵא נְפָשׁוֹת רַבּוֹת וְחֶסְרוֹנָן. “One who drinks water to quench his thirst recites ‘Shehakol niheyeh bidvaro’ (That all came into being through His word) .... (and) ‘Borei nefashos rabos v’chesronan’ (He creates many souls and their deficiencies).” Unlikely Neighbors It seems straightforward enough, on the surface of it. What is [...]

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Learning About Prayer… from the Worm-Parshas Va’eschanan

By |2024-06-06T09:02:30-04:00July 18, 2021|

The efficacy of prayer is displayed right from the start in this week’s parshah. Moshe made a final plea to be allowed to enter the Land: וָאֶתְחַנַּן אֶל ד' בָּעֵת הַהִוא לֵאמֹר... אֶעְבְּרָה־נָּא וְאֶרְאֶה אֶת־הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה אֲשֶׁר בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן... – “And I entreated Hashem at that time, saying: ... ‘Please, may I cross into and see the good land that is on the other side of the Yarden (River)...” (Devarim 3:23,25). However, [...]

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Yerushalayim Shall Rise Again-Parshas Devarim

By |2024-06-06T09:02:30-04:00July 11, 2021|

(The following dissertation is based in large part on a selection from R’ Shlomoh Brevda’s sefer Yibaneh Hamikdash, pp. 29-32.) Anyone who has even a modicum of yiras Shamayim (fear of Heaven) in his heart must feel at least somewhat dispirited at the state of the world around him today. Deeds and attitudes that were unimaginable even a short time ago are today acceptable and even praised. As the mores [...]

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All in Due Time-Parshas Mattos-Masei

By |2024-06-06T09:02:30-04:00July 4, 2021|

This week’s parshah features the war of vengeance waged against the nation of Midian. Hashem had commanded Moshe to fight against Midian as a response to their part in the episode of Shittim, when the daughters of Midian led Yisrael astray. Moshe now dispatched an army to battle the Midianites, as the passuk states:   וַיִּשְׁלַח אֹתָם מֹשֶׁה אֶלֶף לַמַּטֶּה... וְאֶת־פִּינְחָס בֶּן־אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן לַצָּבָא...   וַיִּצְבְּאוּ עַל־מִדְיָן כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ד' אֶת־מֹשֶׁה   – “And Moshe sent [...]

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Overriding Considerations – Parshas Pinchas

By |2024-06-06T09:02:30-04:00June 27, 2021|

The following episode is related regarding the Brisker Rav, illustrating his utter devotion to his father and mentor, R’ Chaim Soloveitchik. Is There a Doctor in the House? During his own tenure as rav of the city of Brisk, R’ Chaim Soloveitchik was attended to by a personal physician, a certain Dr. Shereshevsky. While far from the spiritual level of the great sage, the good doctor was nonetheless quite [...]

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Moshe, King of Yisrael-Parshas Korach

By |2021-07-01T10:25:13-04:00June 26, 2021|

Moshe, King of Yisrael In an earlier parshah, Moshe was commanded to fashion the chatzotzros (trumpets): וַיְדַבֵּר ד' אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר, עֲשֵֹה לְךָ שְׁתֵּי חֲצוֹצְרֹת כֶּסֶף – “And Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying: Make for yourself two trumpets of silver” (Bamidbar 10:1, 2). In describing their function, Rashi states: שֶׁיִהְיוּ תּוֹקְעִין לְפָנֶיךָ כַּמֶלֶךְ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֱאֶמַר וַיְהִי בִישֻׁרוּן מֶלֶךְ – “So that they shall trumpet before you as (is done for) a king, in accordance with what [...]

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