Rav Zachariash’s weekly blog on the parsha
The Gemara continues to discuss the sins of the people of Sodom: They had beds on which they would lay their guests; when a guest was longer than the bed, they would cut him (to size), and when a guest was shorter than the bed they would stretch him. Eliezer, servant of Abraham, happened to [...]
“As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are.” (Bereishis 12:11) “…Abraham did not even look at his own wife, as it is written: “Now I know that you are a beautiful woman” (Genesis 12:11). One may learn by inference that initially he [...]
“…Noach was a righteous man…” (Bereishis 6:9) The gemora (Sanhedrin 108a) tells us about a disagreement regarding Noach’s righteousness. If he had lived in the generation of Avraham, would he have been considered insignificant compared to the giants of Avraham’s time, or would he have been considered even more righteous than those around him? Chazal [...]
“…but as for the tree of knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat of it; for as soon as you eat of it, you shall surely die.” (Bereishis 2:17) The source verse above was said by Hashem to Adam Harishon. To me, this seems to indicate that the punishment would be immediate — [...]
But Jacob journeyed on to Succot and built a house for himself and made sukkos for his cattle; that is why the place was called Sukkos. (Bereishis 33:17) The Torah tells us that when Yaakov left Lavan’s house on his way back to Eretz Yisrael, he stopped and built himself a house, and for his [...]
Aseres yemei teshuva, which culminates on Yom Kippur, brings hope to some, and despair to others. The optimists say, “This year will be the year that I, with Hashem’s help, will turn things around!” The pessimists say, “It hasn’t happened until now, so why should I be able to turn things around this year? In [...]
O nations, acclaim God’s people! For He’ll avenge the blood of His servants, wreak vengeance on His foes, and cleanse His people’s land. (Devarim 32:43) In Avinu Malkeinu we say נקם נקמת דם עבדיך השפוך (avenge the spilled blood of Your servants). While this prayer might be appropriate at certain times, how is it appropriate [...]
“And it will be…he will bless himself in his heart saying – Peace will be with me, though I walk as my heart sees fit…HASHEM will not be willing to forgive him…” (Devarim 29:18-19) Parents often tell their children, “If you behave properly, then you will get a very special prize which I know you [...]
“The priest shall take the basket from your hand and set it down in front of the altar of Hashem your G-d. (Devarim 26:4) The Mishnah in Bikurim (3:8) tells us that the rich people brought their first fruits in baskets woven from gold and silver, while the poor people brought their first fruits in [...]
When you [an Israelite warrior] take the field against your enemies, and your God delivers them into your hand and you take some of them captive (Devarim 21:10) Rashi: Scripture is speaking here of a war that is not obligatory upon the Israelites… Rashi tells us that it is only permissible to take a woman [...]
