Under the Radar!
(Torah Portion Shemos) Under the Radar! If we focus on the lives of Yosef and Moshe, two exemplary Torah personalities, we can’t fail to notice similarities in their life experiences. Yosef was viceroy over Egypt for many years, and Moshe was raised in the palace of Pharoh by Pharoh’s own daughter, Basya. Yosef was separated …
A Day Off
(Torah Portion Va’erah) A Day Off! Have you ever wondered how the Egyptians were able to effectively enslave the Jewish populace in Egypt? The Torah relates that the Pharoh seeing the steep hike in the Jewish birthrate was worried that they would become a majority and powerful enough to take over the land. This claim …
Shopping
(Torah Portion Bo) Shopping! Two weeks before the exodus of the Jewish nation from Egypt, G-d spoke to Moshe detailing to him the laws and requirements of the Pascal lamb, how it should be designated, slaughtered, and roasted, and that it was to be eaten at night right before they were redeemed from Egypt. The …
Mayim!
(Torah Portion Beshalach) Mayim! The Torah records two occurrences where waters split: The first was during creation, when G-d split the waters of the world suspending half of the waters in the Heavens with the remainder left on earth forming the oceans, rivers and lakes. The second is when G-d split the waters of the …
Getting Back At!
(Torah Portion Yisro) Getting Back At! This past summer, the Ice Bucket challenge to raise awareness and funds towards research for treating the dreadful ALS disease swept the country. There was a different Ice Bucket challenge that the Nazi’s employed upon innocent women. Alisa Shaffer, a 92 year old Auschwitz survivor, recently passed away and …
Easing the Burden!
(Torah Portion Mishpatim) Easing the Burden! G-d dispatched Moshe to lead the Jews from Egypt. Moshe went to the Pharoh, and in the name of G-d, asked for their release. Pharoh not only refused, but he made matters worse for the Jews, decreeing that they work harder and produce more than they had done before. …
Forever One!
(Torah Portion Terumah) Forever One! Raising funds for a worthy cause is usually a daunting task, requiring publicity, personal visits to donors, incentives etc. This week’s portion describes the fundraising campaign for the materials used in the construction of the Mishkan – Tabernacle – G-d’s dwelling place on earth. This campaign was unusual because a …
Memories Stimulate!
(Torah Portion Tetzaveh) Memories Stimulate! After the nations of the world heard that the Jews were miraculously freed from Egypt and that G-d orchestrated an awesome salvation at the Red Sea, they were spellbound and awed by the Jewish Nation. Only one nation dared wage war against the Jews, attacking them by surprise. This was …
Celebrate!
(Torah Portion Ki Sisa) Celebrate! For more than a month there has been a flurry of news regarding the controversy over Prime Minister Bibi Natanyahu’s speech to congress. What effect his speech will have, is up to the jury and time to decide. On Purim we will all listen to the Megilla of Esther relating …
We Make it Tangible!
(Torah Portion Vayakail/Pekudai) We Make it Tangible! A Jewish marriage ceremony is called Kiddushin – Sanctification, because the couple begins living a sanctified life. This sanctification comes about by the many aspects of the laws of family purity that breathe holiness into one’s marriage and home. There are also other Mitzvos – commands – that …
