The opening verse of Parashat Noah tells us, “Et Ha’Elokim Hit’halech Noah” – that Noah “walked with G-d.” The Seforno (Rav Ovadia Seforno, Italy,1474-1550) explains this to mean that Noah dealt kindly with other people, and sought to...
Whenever an author or artist completes his work, he makes a point of appending his signature to the work. Somewhere on the title page of a book or a corner of a painting, we will find...
The Torah commands us to reside in Sukkot during this holiday in order to remember “that I had Beneh Yisrael reside in Sukkot when I took them from Egypt.” The Gemara (Sukka 11) cites a debate among the...
Many of us find Teshuba to be a difficult, grueling process. We often feel too intimidated to even begin thinking about Teshuba and changing who we are. And yet, ironically enough, the Torah indicates that Teshuba is...
There is a tradition that the Ten Days of Repentance – the period from Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur – correspond to the Ten Commandments. Each day of this ten-day period is somehow associated with the corresponding commandments. According...
Moshe Rabbenu tells us in Parashat Nisavim (29:28), “Ha’nistarot L’Hashem Elokenu Ve’ha’niglot Lanu U’l’banenu Ad Olam” – “That which is hidden belongs to Hashem our G-d; but that which is revealed is for us and our children, forever.”...
The Torah in Parashat Ki-Tabo presents the Misva of Bikkurim, which obligates a farmer to take the first fruits that ripen, bring them to the Bet Ha’mikdash, and give them to the Kohen. The unique importance of...
Parashat Ki-Teseh concludes with two Misvot which, at first glance, are entirely unrelated. The first is the command to use honest weights and measures when conducting business. The Torah strictly forbids deceiving people, such as customers, by tampering...
Parashat Shoftim begins with the command to appoint judges throughout the land: “Shoftim Ve’shoterim Titen Lecha.” While the simple meaning of this Pasuk is that it refers to courtroom judges, there is also an additional level of interpretation. The...
The Torah in Parashat Re’eh discusses the basic laws of the three Regalim – the holidays of Pesach, Shabuot and Sukkot, when Beneh Yisrael would assemble in the Bet Ha’mikdash. In presenting the obligations relevant to the celebration...