Rav Zachariash’s weekly blog on the parsha
Look down (hashkifa) from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Yisra᾽el, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou didst swear to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey. (Devarim 26:15) Chazal tell us that whenever the torah uses the word “hashkifa”, it has a negative connotation – [...]
“If a bird’s nest chances to be before you…” (Devarim 22:6) Throughout the generations, our Rabbis have placed great emphasis on preparing for a mitzvah. Preparation does not mean merely thinking the correct thoughts; it also means placing oneself in the proper frame of mind to perform the mitzvah. This idea is most eloquently expressed [...]
“...neither take a bribe: for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous. Justice, only justice shalt thou pursue…” (Devarim 16:19-20) The Sifrei, commenting on the verse, “bribery blinds the eyes of the chacham,” teaches that a judge who accepted a bribe will not leave this world before [...]
You shall surely give him, and let your heart not feel bad when you give him. (Devarim 15:10) There is a well-known saying from the chasidish and litvish greats: when giving charity, one must ensure that the poor person is treated with dignity. Beyond the simple understanding, that part of the mitzvah is also to [...]
“…and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul…” (Devarim 11:13) Rashi – “Serving Hashem with all your heart” – this refers to davening One of the most basic aspects of being a religious Jew is to pray – and to do so with kavana. As we approach the Yomim Noraim, [...]
“…for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the eyes of the nations…” (Devarim 4:6) Many people feel that once Tisha B’Av has passed, we have completed our avodah and are now free to use our time as we wish. Chazal, however, teach us that this is not so. In fact, the calendar moves [...]
"Then you answered and said to me, We have sinned against the Lord, we will go up and fight, according to all that the Lord our God commanded us. And you girded on every man his weapons of war, and ventured to go up into the hill." (Devarim 1:41) We often struggle to get ourselves [...]
“And Moshe said to them, ‘If you will do this thing…and be guiltless before the Lord, and before Yisra᾽el; and this land shall be your possession before the Lord.’” (Bamidbar 32:20-22) Moshe Rabbeinu makes an agreement with the tribes of Reuven, Gad, and half of Menashe regarding the conditions under which they will receive their [...]
“Pinchas… turned back My wrath… and I did not destroy the Children of Israel” (Bamidbar 25:11) From the difficulties that people face in making decisions, it becomes clear that the struggle is rarely about choosing between right and wrong. More often, the real challenge is identifying what is right and what is wrong. And sometimes, [...]
“Let me die the death of those who are straight (in their ways)…” (Bamidbar 23:10) Many people go on a diet, convinced that this time they are going to stick to it and keep the weight off forever. I once heard a very famous Jewish speaker, Rabbi Dovid Orlofsky, ask, “Which cookie is the most [...]
