Parashat Noah tells the well-known story of the flood which G-d brought upon the world to destroy all of mankind, sparing only Noah and his family. The previous Parasha, Parashat Bereshit, concludes by telling us that as the...
Simhat Torah is one of the happiest and joyous holidays of the year. However, Simhat Torah appears to be, chronologically, “out of order.” Since we received the Torah after Pesach, on Shavuot, we would expect the celebration of...
The day which we normally refer to as “Yom Kippur” is actually called in the Torah by a slightly different name – “Yom Kippurim.” The name “Yom Kippur means “Day of Atonement,” whereas “Yom Kippurim” is a...
The famous Haftara read on Shabbat Shuba – the Shabbat in between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur – comes from the Book of Hoshea, and begins with the prophet calling to the people, “Return, O Israel, unto...
The Midrash (Vayikra Rabba) teaches that on Rosh Hashanah, G-d sits on the “throne of judgment,” ready to carefully judge and scrutinize every individual. But when we sound the shofar, G-d rises from the “throne of judgment”...
Parashat Ki-Tabo begins with the Misva of Bikkurim, which requires landowners to bring their first ripened fruits to the Bet Ha’mikdash, and present them to a Kohen. The Torah commands, “Ve’samta Ba’teneh” – that the fruits must...
One of the Misvot presented in Parashat Ki-Teseh is the prohibition against plowing a field with both an ox and a donkey (22:10). In ancient times, plowing was done by harnessing the plow to an animal, and then...
The Torah commands in Parashat Shoftim (16:20), “Sedek Sedek Tirdof” – that we must “pursue” justice. The verse continues, “in order that you live and take possession of the land...
Parashat Re’eh begins with Moshe telling Beneh Yisrael, “See that I am presenting you today with a blessing and a curse.” He then proceeds to explain that the people will earn G-d’s blessings by fulfilling His commands,...
The Or Ha’haim (Rav Haim Ben-Attar, 1696-1743) notes what appears to be a glaring contradiction between two verses in Parashat Ekeb. In the opening verse of this Parasha, Moshe promises Beneh Yisrael that in reward for their observance...