A Well Balanced Meal
And you shall eat, and you shall be satiated, and you shall bless the L-rd your G-d for the good land that He has given you. (Devarim 8:10) There are two mitzvos in the Torah for which there is a biblical obligation to make a blessing. One is the blessing [...]
ืืจืืื ืืืืื ืช ืืืื
"ืึฐืึธืึทืึฐืชึผึธึ ืึฐืฉืึธืึธึืขึฐืชึผึธ ืึผืึตึฝืจึทืึฐืชึผึธึ ืึถืชึพื' ืึฑืึนืงึถึืืึธ ืขึทืึพืึธืึธึฅืจึถืฅ ืึทืึผึนืึธึื ืึฒืฉืึถึฅืจ ื ึธึฝืชึทืึพืึธึฝืึฐ"ย (ืืืจืื ื:ื) ืืฉื ื ืฉืชื ืืฆืืืช ืืชืืจื ืืื ืืืจืื ืืื ืืฆืืื ืืืืืจืืืชื. ืืืืช ืืื ืืจืืช ืืชืืจื ืืืฉื ืืื ืืจืืช ืืืืื. ืืืฉื ืืืื ืืฆืืื ืฉืืืจืืื ืืจืืช ืืชืืจื ืงืืื ืืืขืฉื ืืืืื ืืจืืช ืืืืื ืจืง ืืืืจ ืืขืฉื ืืืืืื. ืืืื ืืฆืืื ืฉืืืืจื ืืืืจืช ืฉืืื ืงื ืืืืืจ ืฉืฆืจืื [...]
Strength in Comfort
โBe consoled, Be consoled My people, Says your G-d.โ (Yishaya 40:1) As we put away our Kinos until next year, and this special day of closeness recedes in our minds, I would like to mention that there was a custom in Europe from before The War to put the Kinos [...]
ืืืืืง ืื ืืืืช
ื ึทืึฒืึฅืึผ ื ึทืึฒืึืึผ ืขึทืึผึดึื ืึนืืึทึืจ ืึฑืึนืงึตืืึถึฝืื (ืืฉืขืืื ื:ื) ืืฉืื ืื ื ืืืืืจืื ืืช ืืงืื ืืช ืฉืื ื ืืืจืื ืืกืคืจืื ืืฉื ื ืืืื, ืืืืื ืืื ืืืืืื ืืืชืงืจืืืช ื ืกืื ืืืืฉืืืชืื ื, ืืจืฆืื ื ืืฆืืื ืฉืืื ืื ืื ืืืืจืืคื ืืคื ื ืืืืืื ืืืื ืืก ืืช ืืงืื ืืช ืืื ืืื ืืื ืฉื ื. ืืืจืช ืืื ืื ืืืื ืืืืชื ืืื ืืื ืืืืืืื ืืืื ื ืืืงื ืฉืขื ืฉื ื ืืืื ืืฉืื ืืืจ ืืืื ืืื [...]
Negative Words Can Bring Positive Growth
May the LORD, the God of your fathers, increase your numbers a thousandfold, and bless you as He promised you. (Devarim 1:13) There is a well known joke about the Rabbi who complained to his congregation about their lack of attendance because only 9 people showed up to the daily [...]
ืืฉืืืื ืืืื ืืืืืช ืืื ืืืืื
"ืืึนืกึตืฃ ืขึฒืึตืืึถื ืึผึธืึถื" (ืืืจืื ื:ืื) ืืืจืฉ ืจืื ืฉื ืืืช ืื: "ืืึนืกึตืฃ ืขึฒืึตืืึถื ืึผึธืึถื, ืึธืึทืจ ืจึทืึผึดื ืึทืึธื ืึฐืืึนืึดืื ืึธืืึผ ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตื ืืึนืึทืจ ืืึน, ืจึทืึผึตื ืึผ ืืฉืึถื, ืึธื ืึผ ืึตืฉื ืึผึธื ืึผ ืึถืึธื ืึดืึผึธื ืึทืึผึฐืึธืจึดืื ืฉืึถืึทืชึผึธื ืืึนืึดืืึตื ืึผ ืึฐืงึดืึผึทืึฐื ืึผ ืชึผืึนืึฐืืึนืชึถืืึธ, ืึถืึผึธื ืฉืึธืชึฐืงืึผ, ืึฐืคึดืืึธืึฐ ืืึผื ืืึนืึตืจ ืึผึธืึถื, ืฆึทืึผึดืืงึดืื ืึผึทืึผืึนืฆึตื ืึผึธืึถื, ืึฐืงึทืึผึฐืึดืื ืชึผืึนืึธืืึนืช ืึฐืฉืืึนืชึฐืงึดืื" ืืฉ ืกืืคืืจ ืืืืข ืขื ืจื, [...]
Thoughtless Actions
โ...Hashem will forgive her because her father has restrained her.โ (Bamidbar 30:6) Rashi tells us that though the vow was annulled and the woman was unaware of this, she in her mindโs eye transgressed a vow. She needs repentance because she thought she was sinning, even though she wasnโt. The [...]
ืืขืฉืื ืืกืจื ืืืฉืื
"ืึทื' ืึดึฝืกึฐืึทืึพืึธึืึผ ืึผึดืึพืึตื ึดึฅืื ืึธืึดึืืึธ ืึนืชึธึฝืึผ" (ืืืืืจ ื:ื) ืจืฉ"ื ืฉื: "ืื' ืืกืื ืื. ืึผึทืึผึถื ืึทืึผึธืชืึผื ืึฐืึทืึผึตืจ? ืึผึฐืึดืฉืึผึธื ืฉืึถื ึผึธืึฐืจึธื ืึฐื ึธืึดืืจ ืึฐืฉืึธืึทืข ืึผึทืขึฐืึธืึผ ืึฐืึตืคึตืจ ืึธืึผ ืึฐืึดืื ืึนื ืึธืึฐืขึธื ืึฐืขืึนืึถืจึถืช ืขึทื ื ึดืึฐืจึธืึผ ืึฐืฉืืึนืชึธื ืึทืึดื ืึผืึดืึผึทืึผึฐืึธื ืึฐืึตืชึดืื, ืืึน ืึดืื ืฉืึถืฆึผึฐืจึดืืึธื ืกึฐืึดืืึธื ืึฐืึทืขึท"ืคึผึด ืฉืึถืืึผื ืืึผืคึธืจ, ืึฐืึดื ืึทืึผืึผืคึธืจึดืื ืฆึฐืจึดืืึดืื ืกึฐืึดืืึธื, ืงึท"ืึธ ืึฐืฉืึถืึตืื ึธื ืืึผืคึธืจึดืื (ืขื' ืงืืืืฉืื ืค"ื)" ืืืชื [...]
(Under)lying to yourself
โHarass the Midianites, and smite them; For they afflict you with their schemes which they have schemed against you in the cause of Peor, [consigning their daughters to harlotry to turn you to Peor worship], and in the cause of Kazbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, [...]
ืืืขืืช ืืืืขืืช ืืช ืขืฆืื
"ืฆึธืจืึนืจ ืึถืช-ืึทืึผึดืึฐืึธื ึดืื ืึฐืึดืึผึดืืชึถื ืืึนืชึธื. ืึผึดื ืฆึนืจึฐืจึดืื ืึตื ืึธืึถื ืึผึฐื ึดืึฐืึตืืึถื ืึฒืฉืึถืจ-ื ึดืึผึฐืืึผ ืึธืึถื ืขึทื-ืึผึฐืึทืจ-ืคึผึฐืขืึนืจ; ืึฐืขึทื-ืึผึฐืึทืจ ืึผึธืึฐืึผึดื ืึทืช-ื ึฐืฉืึดืื ืึดืึฐืึธื, ืึฒืึนืชึธื, ืึทืึผึปืึผึธื ืึฐืืึนื-ืึทืึผึทืึผึตืคึธื, ืขึทื-ืึผึฐืึทืจ-ืคึผึฐืขืึนืจ." (ืืืืืจ ืื:ืื,ืื) ืืฉืืืืชื ืืช ืคืจืฉืช ืืฉืืืข ืฉืขืืจ, ืขืืชื ืื ืฉืืื ืืืื ืืกืืคืืจ ืขื ืคื ืืก ืืืืื. ืืืื ืืืืชื ื ืกืืื ืืืืื ืืื ืืืืื. ืืืขื ืืืืืฅ ืืฉืืื ืืช ืื ืืช ืืืื ืืื ืืคืชืืช ืืช [...]
You Thought You Thought
And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with sorcery in their hands; and they came unto Bilaam, and spoke unto him the words of Balak. (Bamidbar 22:7 ) Regarding the wife of On Ben Peles, the medrash quotes the verse, โchochmas nashim bonsa beisaโ โ the [...]
ืืฉืืช ืฉืืฉืืช
"ืึทืึผึตืึฐืืึผ ืึดืงึฐื ึตื ืืึนืึธื, ืึฐืึดืงึฐื ึตื ืึดืึฐืึธื, ืึผืงึฐืกึธืึดืื, ืึผึฐืึธืึธื; ืึทืึผึธืึนืืึผ, ืึถื-ืึผึดืึฐืขึธื, ืึทืึฐืึทืึผึฐืจืึผ ืึตืึธืื, ืึผึดืึฐืจึตื ืึธืึธืง" (ืืืืืจ ืื:ื) ืืืืจืฉ ืืกืคืจ ืื ื ืขื ืืฉืชื ืฉื ืืื ืื ืคืืช ืืขืืื ืืฆืืื ืืช ืืคืกืืง: "ืืืืช ื ืฉืื ืื ืชื ืืืชื". ืืืืจื ืืกืคืจืช (ืกื ืืืจืื ืงื:) "ืืืจ ืจื ืืื ืื ืคืืช ืืฉืชื ืืฆืืืชื ืืืจื ืืื ืืื ื ืคืงื ืื ืืื ื ืื [...]
Better Than Miracles
20:11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and smote the rock with his rod twice; and water came forth abundantly, and the people and their cattle drank. When we think about the mei meriva โ waters of strife โ it brings to mind the sin of Moshe Rabbeinu, which caused [...]
ืขืืืฃ ืื ืืกืื
"ืึทืึผึธืจึถื ืึนืฉืึถื ืึถืช-ืึธืืึน, ืึทืึผึทืึฐ ืึถืช-ืึทืกึผึถืึทืข ืึผึฐืึทืึผึตืืึผ--ืคึผึทืขึฒืึธืึดื; ืึทืึผึตืฆึฐืืึผ ืึทืึดื ืจึทืึผึดืื, ืึทืชึผึตืฉืึฐืชึผึฐ ืึธืขึตืึธื ืึผืึฐืขึดืืจึธื" (ืืืืืจ ื:ืื) ืืืฉืจ ืื ื ืืืฉืืื ืขื ืื ืืจืืื, ืื ืืืืืจ ืื ื ืืช ืืืื ืฉื ืืฉื ืจืืื ื, ืฉืืจื ืื ืื ืืืืื ืก ืืืจืฅ ืืฉืจืื. ืขื ืืืช, ืืชืคืืืช ืืฉื ืฉืืืืจืื ืืฉืืื ื ืขืฆืจืช, ืื ื ืืืืจืื: "ืขื ืืกืืข ืื ืืืฆืื ืืื". ื ืจืื ืื [...]
Innocent Until Proven Guilty
Moshe sent for Dosson and Aviram, sons of Eliav; and they said, โWe will not come! (Numbers 16:12) RASHI on 16:12: From here we learn that one should not persist in strife (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 10), for you see that Moshe sought them out in order to conciliate them by [...]
ืืืงืช ืืืคืืช ืืคืฉืข
โืึทืึผึดืฉืึฐืึทึฃื ืึนืฉืึถึื ืึดืงึฐืจึนึื ืึฐืึธืชึธึฅื ืึฐืึทืึฒืึดืืจึธึื ืึผึฐื ึตึฃื ืึฑืึดืืึธึื ืึทืึผึนืืึฐืจึืึผ ืึนึฅื ื ึทืขึฒืึถึฝืโ (ืืืืืจ ืื:ืื) ืจืฉ"ื ืฉื: ืืืฉืื ืืฉื ืืื' โืึดืึผึธืื ืฉืึถืึตืื ืึทืึฒืึดืืงึดืื ืึผึฐืึทืึฒืึนืงึถืช, ืฉืึถืึธืึธื ืึนืฉืึถื ืึฐืึทืึผึตืจ ืึทืึฒืจึตืืึถื ืึฐืึทืฉืึฐืึดืืึธื ืึผึฐืึดืึฐืจึตื ืฉืึธืืึนื. (ืกื ืืืจืื ืง"ื) ืืขืืชืื ืงืจืืืืช ืื ื ืืชืืืืืื ืขื ืืฆื ืืกืืืื ืืืฉ ืื ื ืืช ืืชืืืฉื ืืืืื ื ืืฆื ืืื ืืืจ ืืขืืจ. ืืคืืื ืื ื ืืจืืืฉืื ืืืืืื [...]
We CAN Fit In
14:33 And your children shall be wanderers in the wilderness forty years, and shall bear your strayings, until you all die in the wilderness. Reb Chaim Zaichik asks โWhy was the sin of the spies so severe, that not only did it cause all those who sinned to die in [...]
ืื ืื ืื ื ืืืขืืื
"ืึผืึฐื ึตืืึถื ืึดืึฐืืึผ ืจึนืขึดืื ืึผึทืึผึดืึฐืึผึธืจ, ืึทืจึฐืึผึธืขึดืื ืฉืึธื ึธื, ืึฐื ึธืฉืึฐืืึผ, ืึถืช-ืึฐื ืึผืชึตืืึถื--ืขึทื-ืชึผึนื ืคึผึดืึฐืจึตืืึถื, ืึผึทืึผึดืึฐืึผึธืจ" (ืืืืืจ ืื:ืื) ืจ 'ืืืื ืืืืฆ'ืืง ืฉืืื, "ืืืืข ืืื ืืืจืืืื ืืื ืื ืืืืจ, ืฉืื ืจืง ืฉืืจื ืืื ืื ืฉืืื ืืืืช ืืืืืจ, ืืื ืื ืืื ืืื ืืฉืจืื - ืืคืืื ืืื ืฉืื ืืืื - ืืืืฉืืจ ืขืื 40 ืฉื ืื ืืืืืจ?" ืืื ืขืื ื ืขื ืื [...]