Mishnas Chayim Parshah Posts

Fascinating weekly parshah posts

Vows, Bas Kols, and the Mishkan-Parshas Vayakhel Pekudei

By |2021-09-06T15:21:07-04:00March 12, 2023|

(The following exposition is based largely on the introductory section to the Amudei Ohr [§ 3], the volume of responsa of R’ Yechiel Heller, Av Beis Din of Suvalk.) With the reading of this week’s (double) parshah of Vayakhel-Pekudei, we conclude a unit granted substantial space and prominence by the Torah: the extensive treatment of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and its accoutrements. At this point, then, it is worthwhile to reflect on [...]

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Heads Up-Parshas Ki Sisa

By |2021-09-06T00:15:55-04:00March 5, 2023|

It is usually with a tinge of sadness that we study this parshah, as it features the tragic downfall of Yisrael connected with the Cheit Ha’eigel, the Sin of the Golden Calf. The issue of what exactly occurred and what went wrong is dealt with at great length by a host of commentators; a complete treatment of the subject is well beyond the scope of this forum. Here, we [...]

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Calling off the Dogs-Parshas Tetzaveh

By |2021-09-06T00:09:09-04:00February 26, 2023|

The saintly and venerated R’ Chatzkel Levenstein served for a time as Mashgiach Ruchani (spiritual overseer) for the Mirrer Yeshivah in Brooklyn, NY. However, while he delivered discourses to the students, he did so in his own home, which was some distance from the yeshivah. Actually, there were two ways to get there – the short way and the long way. The issue was that the more direct route was [...]

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Menorah Morality-Parshas Terumah

By |2021-09-06T00:03:48-04:00February 19, 2023|

Parshas Terumah ushers in the subject that is the basic running theme for the remainder of Sefer Shemos: namely, the construction of the Mishkan and all of its accoutrements. It would be somewhat of a shame for one to remain with just a superficial picture of this otherwise massive topic. Such a picture he may have acquired from childhood, a time when the rich and profound meanings [...]

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“We Will Do” and “We Will Do and We Will Listen”-Parshas Mishpatim

By |2021-09-04T22:05:00-04:00February 12, 2023|

וַיִּקַּח סֵפֶר הַבְּרִית וַיִּקְרָא בְּאָזְנֵי הָעָם וַיֹּאמְרוּ כֹּל אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר ד' נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע – “And (Moshe) took the book of the covenant, and he read it to the ears of the people, and they said: ‘All that Hashem has spoken – we will do and we will listen!’” (Shemos 24:7). A Word of Difference This legendary declaration made in this week’s parshah represents what very well might be the apex of Klal Yisrael’s history. Chazal are effusive in their treatment of this [...]

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Transition Period-Parshas Yisro

By |2021-09-04T21:56:40-04:00February 5, 2023|

In last year’s article on this parshah, we explored the matter of the names Moshe conferred upon his children. The passuk states: שֵׁם הָאֶחָד גֵּרְשֹׁם כִּי אָמַר גֵּר הָיִיתִי בְּאֶרֶץ נָכְרִיָּה, וְשֵׁם הָאֶחָד אֱלִיעֶזֶר כִּי־אֱלֹקֵי אָבִי בְּעֶזְרִי וַיַּצִּלֵנִי מֵחֶרֶב פַּרְעֹה – “The name of the one of them was Gershom, for (Moshe) said: ‘I was a stranger (ger) in a foreign land.’ And the name of the other was Eliezer – ‘For the [...]

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