Dovid Saks
Author's posts
Feb 08
First Down!
The Torah states the responsibilities and liabilities of custodians for items entrusted with them to safeguard. There are four basic types of custodians: Shomer Chinam – someone who takes responsibility to watch an item without payment. Shomer Sochar – someone who is paid to watch an item. A Shoel – a borrower, and a Sachir …
Feb 01
He Joined!
Our portion is called Yisro. The Torah identifies Yisro as the minister of the country of Midyan, and the father-in-law of our leader Moshe. Our Sages tell us that Yisro had previous connections to Egypt. He was actually one of the three main advisors to the Pharoh. When Pharoh asked their opinion what to do …
Jan 25
Revival!
This week, Aviva Silverman, the bereaved mother of IDF soldier Uriel Silverman, who fell fighting in the Southern Gaza strip, spoke movingly and passionately at her son’s funeral and called for an end to the divisiveness within Israel. Aviva addressed her words to the media and said that, “I don’t think you realize how much …
Jan 18
Bubbles Over!
Last week’s Parsha concludes with the seventh plague of hail mixed with fire, during which Pharoh finally gave in to G-d’s power and proclaimed, “This time I have sinned: Hashem is the Righteous One, and I and my people are the wicked ones.” The Torah tells us that after Moshe prayed and the plague abruptly …
Jan 11
Who’s Crying
This week’s Portion describes seven of the ten plagues that G-d brought onto Pharoh and the Egyptians. The first plague was blood, which caused all the Egyptian water sources and containers of water to turn into blood. This plague, as well as all of the plagues, did not affect the Jews. The Medrash tells us …
Jan 04
Open and Closed!
Just recently, in the Daf Yomi, the daily study of Talmud, the following question is posed: Why when the Torah describes what was engraved in the first tablets of the Ten Commandments, the word Tov – good – does not appear, while when the Torah describes what was engraved in the second set of tablets …
Dec 28
Thistly Crowns!
Before our forefather Yaacov passed away, he instructed his son Yosef to make sure that he would not be buried in Egypt; rather, that he only be buried in the Land of Israel, in the Cave of Machpeila, where his ancestors and his wife Leah were buried. The Egyptians held Yaacov in high esteem, because …
Dec 21
Protection!
Tomorrow, Friday December 22, is the public fast day of Asarah B’Teves – The Tenth day of the Hebrew month of Teves. Our prophets established it as a day of fasting to commemorate a tragic event that took place in our history on this day. As we are well aware, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem …
Dec 14
Bulldozer!
The Holiday of Chanukah is celebrated for eight days. The focal point of the Holiday is lighting the candles on the Menorah, as we recite the special blessings. The opportune time to light the Menorah is a bit past sunset and the basic law is that the flames should last for at least a half …
Dec 07
Everyone Counts!
Recently, the results of an election for City Council in a small town in Washington State was determined by only one vote! It gets even better. When the loser was interviewed he said he had personally declined to cast a ballot for himself, stating that would’ve been “’Narcissistic’; I felt like it was stacking the …