Vayigash 5776

by | Dec 16, 2015

The Gemara (Shabbat 22b) quotes a Tannaic source that after the uplifting miracles of the oil, the Sanhedrin waited a year before declaring the Halachic holiday of Chanuka. Why did they wait?

Miketz-Chanuka 5776

by | Dec 10, 2015

Yosef, in direct conflict with the established advisors, tells Paro and all those present that there will be seven years of plenty followed by seven years of great famine.

This was the epitome of chutzpa-courage: for Yosef predicted that the great and ever-faithful god of the Nile would disappoint the nation! For seven years the Nile’s flow would not bring the flow of fertile soil and silt from the rich African hinterland of Lake Victoria. The waters would not overflow their banks to drench the land with life giving liquid. People would die. And there were also religious and political implications; the god of the Nile is unhappy with the monarchy and priesthood, with the obvious conclusion that they must be replaced.

Va’yaishev 5776

by | Dec 2, 2015

I solemnly believe that Yehadut (Judaism) is comprised of two interdependent elements:

1- Living the letter and spirit of the Torah (Oral and Written) as revealed at Sinai and recorded in the Shulchan Aruch.

2- Jewish national life Eretz Yisrael.

Vayishlach 5776

by | Nov 24, 2015

Four Questions

1. The number 400 appears in the Torah three times: At the Brit Bain HaBetarim (Covenant of the Divided Parts), HaShem said to Avram, “… Know well that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land and will be enslaved and tormented for 400 years.”
The price Avraham paid for the Cave of the Patriarchs, as it is written: “…and Avraham paid Efron the Hittite 400 silver shekels”.

And the soldiers who came with Aisav numbered 400 men.

What is unique about the number 400?

Va’yaitzai 5776

by | Nov 17, 2015

HaShem chose the Jewish nation and commanded us to perform His mitzvot IN Eretz Yisrael.

Any deviation from this formula is a perversion of the Torah.

How many times will HaShem’s invitation be rejected by His people?

Toldot 5776

by | Nov 12, 2015

“No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord.

In a broad sense, all of us are contemporaries of the personalities in this week’s and last week’s parshiot.

Last week’s parasha, Chayai Sarah, ends with the death of Yishmael. This week’s parasha Toldot begins with the birth of Ya’akov and Eisav. These three personalities and their descendants were and are the major “players” in world history – the Jewish nation, Christians and Moslems.

The three met in their lifetimes. Yishmael was 79 years old when Avraham died, and he came together with Yitzchak to bury their father, as is recorded in parashat Chayai Sarah. Yitzchak must have certainly brought his two sons, Ya’akov and Eisav, to their grandfather’s funeral where they met their Uncle Yishmael.