Parshas Beshalach – Shabbos Shira The main theme of Parshas Beshalach is Kriyas Yam Suf and the Shiras HaYam, the splitting of the Sea and the Song that the Jewish people sang to the A’lmighty afterwards. That’s why this Shabbos is called Shabbos Shira. I wrote a post after Pesach last year describing what...
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The Parsha of Toldos The Parsha of Toldos begins with the verse, “These are the descendants of Yitzchak ben Avraham, Avraham fathered Yitzchak.” Rashi is bothered by the obvious question that the second half of the verse is redundant. Rashi answers from Chazal two answers, 1) the Torah comes to tell us that it...
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Torah Study I wish to share with my readers a certain satisfaction that I’ve had in my Torah study with the lu’ach (calendar) of Chaburas Shas from Lakewood. I don’t really know anything about the people involved in the chabura, even today. But I used to see the lu’ach with the accompanying pink colored...
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More on Pesach Sheni I wrote an article about Pesach Sheni last week, here is the link. I received a comment from David in the UK. I copy it here: “The source for the Majority / Minority that you mention- I have not learned. Regarding Fulfilling the Pesach in Iyyar- Divrey Ha Yamin Bet...
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The Virtue of Tzedakah The gemora in Sukka which I quoted in several of the previous posts, after listing many of the virtue of Tzedakah and what a person stands to gain from giving Tzedakah, the gemora hints that not everyone who wants to have these virtues may have them. Availability of Virtuous Tzedakah...
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Tzedakah and Sacrifices There is a surprising statement from Chazal relating to the comparison between Tzedakah and Sacrifices. Tzedakah Greater Than All the Sacrifices The Tur brings from the Gemora in Sukkah that Gedola Tzedakah mikol HaKorbanos, Tzedakah is greater than all of the sacrifices. Actually in our Gemora it reads Gadol HaOseh Tzedakah...
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Chanuka I wish to present one small tidbit about these days of Chanuka, some spell it Chanukah, or Hanuka. The Gemora on Chanuka The gemora on Chanuka in Meseches Shabbos reads, “Mitvas Chanuka Nair Eish U’Baiso …”. The basic Mitzva of lighting Chanuka lights is to light one candle each night, and that candle...
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Parshas Emor In Parshas Emor we find some of the prohibitions for Kohanim. The Parsha of Emor In the Parsha of Emor we read about the prohibition for Kohanim to have contact with a mais, a dead person. The Or HaChaim HaKadosh brings from the Medrash Tanchuma, that the A’lmighty says, “it is not nice, it...
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