Rav’s Blog

Rav’s Blog2022-03-15T11:47:58+02:00

Getting it Right

By |March 11th, 2024|Tags: , |

“And Betzalel the son of Uri, the son of Chur, of the tribe of Yehuda, made all that the Lord commanded Moshe.” (Shemos 38:22) Both the Gemara (Berachos 55a) and the Midrash relate a fascinating conversation, though there are differences between the versions (see the commentary of the Tzeda Lederech). [...]

The Day of Rest

By |March 3rd, 2024|Tags: , |

“You must not kindle a fire in all your dwelling places on the day of Shabbos.” (Shemos 35:3) Perhaps the most trying time of the week is Friday afternoon close to sunset, especially close to Shabbos candle lighting time. People are anxious and tense, for Shabbos is coming and everything [...]

Preparation

By |February 18th, 2024|Tags: , |

“Speak to all who are wise in heart, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, and have them make Aharon’s garments, to sanctify him to serve Me [as kohein].” (Shemos 28:3) There are two aspects to doing mitzvos - the actual performance of the mitzvah, and the preparations. [...]

Divine Dwelling Place

By |February 13th, 2024|Tags: , |

“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 [...]

Use Your Brains!

By |January 29th, 2024|Tags: , , |

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.” [...]

A Taste of Shabbos

By |January 22nd, 2024|Tags: , |

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 [...]

Right-On Time!

By |January 14th, 2024|Tags: , |

“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 [...]

This Land is (Y)our Land

By |January 6th, 2024|Tags: , |

“…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 [...]

The Show Must Go On

By |January 2nd, 2024|Tags: , , |

“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 [...]

Be Re-Source-ful

By |December 24th, 2023|Tags: , |

"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, [...]

מאין באתי ולאן אני הולך

By |December 24th, 2023|Tags: , |

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 [...]

Baruch Hashem

By |December 17th, 2023|Tags: , |

“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 [...]

ברוך השם

By |December 17th, 2023|Tags: , |

וַיַּגִּדוּ לוֹ לֵאמֹר עוֹד יוֹסֵף חַי וְכִי־הוּא מֹשֵׁל בְּכָל־אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם וַיָּפָג לִבּוֹ כִּי לֹא־הֶאֱמִין לָהֶם׃ (בראשית מה:כו) בפסוק המצוטט האחים אומרים ליעקב שיוסף חי, אך יעקב לא האמין להם. הם אומרים לו עוד פעם, ואז הוא מקבל מהם. הרב פנחס הירשפרונג ז"ל שואל: "למה היה צריך להגיד ליעקב את אותו [...]

Do You Have To Be Told?!

By |December 10th, 2023|Tags: , |

And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Could we find another like him – a man with whom is the spirit of G-d?” (Bereishis 41:38) When someone returns a lost object, the mainstream media will often put that person on a pedestal, giving him great honor for fulfilling this “civic duty” [...]

האם צריכים להגיד לך במפורש?!

By |December 10th, 2023|Tags: , |

“ויאמר פרעה אל עבדיו הנמצא כזה איש אשר רוח אלקים בו” (בראשית מא:לח) כאשר מישהו מחזיר חפץ אבוד, התקשורת עשויה להעניק לו כבוד גדול על מילוי "חובתו האזרחית". אבל מבחינה תורנית, רבינו יונה בשערי תשובה, כותב שחייבים לעזור כל אימת שיכולים למנוע מחבר הפסד ממון. לדוגמה, אם רואים רכב חונה [...]

מוטב לשאול קודם

By |December 5th, 2023|Tags: , |

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוּדָ֖ה אֶל־אֶחָ֑יו מַה־בֶּ֗צַע כִּ֤י נַהֲרֹג֙ אֶת־אָחִ֔ינוּ וְכִסִּ֖ינוּ אֶת־דָּמֽוֹ׃ (בראשית לז:כו) לעתים קרובות אנשים עושים דברים שלאחר מכן הם מטייחים כדי שלא יאשימו אותם. הרבי מקוצק אומר שהאחים שאלו: "האם זה נכון להרוג את יוסף אם אנחנו מרגישים שנצטרך להסתיר את זה?" המשמעות היא שאם אדם עושה את הדבר הנכון, [...]

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