Mishpatim 5776

by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Feb 3, 2016

Yitro 5776

by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Jan 27, 2016

Awe, obedience, love, to serve, with all your heart and with all your soul. When taken together, these feelings comprise the most profound emotions of which we as human beings are capable. However, they remain devoid of meaning when not predicated on the one overriding feeling – TRUST.

What would we say to a young woman who has received a marriage proposal and willingly accepts the conditions of “awe, obedience, love, service, with all her heart and with all her soul” but does not trust the man’s word nor his promises?

Beshalach 5776

by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Jan 19, 2016

The Israelites went up out of Egypt “chamushim”. Rashi cites two interpretations for the word “chamushim”. One, based on the root CHAMESH meaning five, because only one in five Jews agreed to leave Egypt; and the other from the root CHIMUSH, meaning armed with weapons.

Are these really two different interpretations?

Bo 5776

by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Jan 13, 2016

HaShem is the creator of time and the master of timing, notwithstanding our inability to appreciate His elusive subtleties.
Tradition tells us that the ten plagues occurred over a period of one year, during which time the servitude ceased, and the Jews were able to sit back to enjoy in spectator fashion the sweet taste of revenge.

Va’aira 5776

by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Jan 6, 2016

This Shabbat, we will begin reading seven of the ten devastating plagues which eventually brought Paro and Egypt to their knees: water into blood, frogs, lice, wild beasts, diseased livestock, boils, thunderstorm of hail and fire. Next week’s parsha will continue with the remaining three: locusts, darkness and the death of Egypt’s firstborn.
Only HaShem could have brought about these plagues, nevertheless, Moshe and Aharon were commanded to be personally involved by performing a symbolic act, like raising a staff or hitting the water, as a condition for effecting each plague. Why?

Vayechi and Shemot 5776

by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Dec 31, 2015

At the heart of our parsha is one of the most emotionally-charged human dramas in history, before which the greatest plays of Shakespeare pale. It is the story of the child with the Hebrew name Tuvia, who later became the Egyptian called Moshe.

The Torah relates that Moshe went out one day “to his brothers and he saw their suffering, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew of his brothers.” Moshe is so reviled by the scene that he kills the Egyptian.

Why was Moshe so shocked at the beating of a Jewish slave? Did he not know that millions of Jews were being beaten daily?

If indeed the conduct of the Egyptian taskmaster justified his being punished, why did Moshe opt to run away rather than bring the matter before his adopted father?

Of all the people in the land of Midian, how is it that Moshe finds himself “by chance” in the house of Yitro?

At the scene of the mysterious burning bush for a period of seven days, Moshe rejects HaShem’s command that he return to Egypt. How does one argue with the Creator for even an instant, much more a whole week?