Rav Zachariash’s weekly blog on the parsha
“They shall make a Sanctuary for Me, and I will [then] dwell in their midst.” (Shemos 25:8) Where did the cedar beams (for the Mishkan) come from? Yaakov our patriarch planted them at the time he descended to Egypt. He told his children: My sons, ultimately you will be redeemed from this place, and the [...]
If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and then slaughters or sells it, he must pay five oxen for each ox, and four sheep for each sheep. (Shemos 21:37) The Torah teaches us that if one steals and is caught, he pays at least double. If one went another step and either slaughtered [...]
When Moses ascended on High to receive the Torah, the ministering angels said before the Holy One, Blessed be He, “Master of the Universe, what is one born of a woman doing here among us?” The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to them, “He came to receive the Torah.” The angels said before Him, [...]
When the sixth day came, what they had gathered [was a] double [portion of] bread, two omers for each individual. (Shemos 16:22) RASHI: THEY COLLECTED DOUBLE BREAD…A Midrashic explanation is that משנה in לחם משנה signifies מְשֻׁנָּה (meaning) different, changed — that day it was changed for the better as regards to its smell and its [...]
“You must be vigilant regarding the matzos” (Shemos 12:17) RASHI: AND You SHALL WATCH THE UNLEAVENED BREAD …Rabbi Josiah said: Do not read “את המַּצּוֹת”, the unleavened bread, but את הַמִּצְוֹת “[you shall watch] the commandments” — just as we may not cause the unleavened bread to become leavened by letting the dough remain in [...]
“…I will bring you out…, and I will save you…, I will redeem you…, I will take you…” (Shemos 6:6-8) The Passover Seder has many things which come in sets of four: Four questions, four sons, four cups of wine, etc. These four cups correspond to the four expressions of redemption cited above from this [...]
“A man of the house of Levi went and married the daughter of Levi.” (Shemos 2:1) During these trying times, I am often asked what would be appropriate behavior. I believe that we all understand that at this time when all of klal Yisrael is bleeding and in danger, it is not exactly the time [...]
"Come together and listen, sons of Yaakov; listen to Yisrael, your father." (Bereishis 49:2) Perhaps one of the most challenging issues in chinuch is to have one’s children conform to that which is “right”, yet give them the freedom to have personal expression (see Meshech Chochmah Parshas Bechukosai 26:44). Obviously, a framework is needed in [...]
הִקָּבְצוּ וְשִׁמְעוּ בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב וְשִׁמְעוּ אֶל־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲבִיכֶם׃ (בראשית מט:ב) אולי אחד האתגרים הקשים ביותר בחינוך הוא ללמד לילדים את מה ש"נכון", אך יחד עם זאת לתת להם את החופש לביטוי אישי (עיין במשך חכמה פרשת בחוקותי כו:מד). ברור שחייבת להיות איזושהי מסגרת כדי שנדע איפה ניתן להיות גמישים כנדרש. הרב יעקב קמנצקי כתב על פרשת [...]
“They told him saying, Yosef is still alive, and he is ruling over the land of Egypt. His [Yaakov’s] heart stood still, for he could not believe them.” (Bereishis 45:26) In the above verse, the brothers relate to Yaakov that Yosef is alive, but Yaakov does not believe them. They relate it a second time, [...]
