Torah Portion Shemos) Names This week’s portion is called Shemos – names. In it many names of people are recorded, such as, Avraham, Yitzchok, Yaacov and his 12 sons – the tribes of Israel, Moshe, his wife Tzipora, Gershom one of their sons, Aaron, the special Jewish midwives Shifra and Puah, Moshe’s father-in-law Yisro and …
Category: Shemos
Sep 26
Answers to Some Whys
(Torah Portion Bo) Answers to Some Whys Has it ever bothered you, why the Jews deserved to suffer so many years of slavery in Egypt? The Torah relates that when G-d told our forefather Avraham that his children would inherit the Land of Israel, he asked G-d for a sign of confirmation. Immediately G-d informed …
Sep 26
Compensation for All the Hard Work
(Torah Portion Bo) Compensation for All the Hard Work There are two sections in this week’s parsha that contain the commandment to write and wear Tefilin – Phylacteries. These sections are two of the four sections that make up our Tefilin. I recall reading a story of a Jewish teenager living in Communist Russia who …
Sep 26
Phenomenal Food
(Torah Portion Beshalach) Phenomenal Food As the enormous Jewish nation traveled through the barren desert, they became concerned where they were going to get food, and they complained. G-d provided them each day with Heavenly food, which they called Mun – Manna. This phenomenal food was their source of sustenance through their 40 years of …
Sep 26
Truthful Double Talk
(Torah Portion Yisro) Truthful Double Talk “Don’t you remember me?” Josh exclaimed as he tried to catch the attention of the person who was heading towards him at a function. By the expressionless look on the man’s face, Josh saw that he had no clue of who he was. Josh excitedly began, “About twenty five …
Sep 26
A Pleasant Approach
(Torah Portion Mishpatim) A Pleasant Approach Before the Revelation at Mount Sinai, G-d instructed the Jews not to touch the holy mountain lest they die. G-d also told Moshe to mark a boundary around the perimeter of the mountain so that no one would go beyond that point. Rabbi Matisyahu Solomon illuminates this idea with …
Sep 26
No Fly Zone
(Torah Portion Terumah) No Fly Zone The Parsha deals exclusively with the components, materials and dimensions necessary for the construction of the Tabernacle – Temple that accompanied the Jews in their travels through the desert. It is hard to imagine what this Temple or the Temple in Jerusalem was like. It was located on earth, …
Sep 26
Faithful Leadership
(Torah Portion Tetzaveh) Faithful Leadership From the point that the Torah relates the birth of Moshe until the end of the Torah when it relates his passing, Moshe’s name is mentioned in every portion except for this week’s Parsha of Tetzaveh. Obviously there is a reason for this. The great commentator, Baal Haturim explains that …
Sep 26
A Fountain of Youth
(Torah Portion Ki Sisa) A Fountain of Youth Shalom, greetings from the holy City of Jerusalem! Malki and I are here to attend the wedding of Meyer Yitzchok Cutler, son of Michael and Sheila Cutler and to visit with our daughter Gitty and son in law, Reuven and our son Yehoshua, who is currently studying …
Sep 26
Jewish Women
(Torah Portion Vayakeil) Jewish Women! Not one woman donated anything to create the golden calf, nor did any woman worship the idol. In fact, women were outstandingly faithful in their commitment, devotion and dedication to G-d. It is therefore understandable that women played a prominent role in contributing toward the construction of G-d’s Temple in …
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