“Because you have done this…” (Bereishis 3:14) Did you every wonder why the snake started off as a standing animal, and as a punishment, was confined to crawling on the ground? The Dubno Maggid explains this with a parable. There was a rich man, who happened to pass through the town in which he grew [...]
Shabbos Newsletter Parshas Bereishis 5779 Sponsor an issue of the Ahavas Shalom Newsletter in memory of a loved one, or for a refuah shelaymah—or any non-commercial purpose! Just 50₪ per issue. Contact Lev Seltzer for details Reminders: Mincha Erev Shabbos at 13:30 and 18:05 Gala Kiddush on Shabbos morning in honor of our two Chossonim: [...]
Shabbos Newsletter Parshas Bereishis 5777 Sponsor an issue of the newsletter – contact Lev Seltzer for details Reminders: Mincha Friday at 13:30 and 17:38 Shabbos Shiurim: The Rav’s shiur on Beis Elokim written by the Mabit takes place this and every Shabbos at about 07:50. The Rav’s shiur on Pele Yoetz at 16:50. WINTER 5777 [...]
Regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Hashem commanded Adam Harishon “...not to eat of it; for on the day you eat of it, you shall surely die.” To me, this seems to indicate that this would be an immediate punishment—Adam would take a bite and would drop dead right then and [...]
...וַיָּשֶׂם ה׳ לְקַיִן אוֹת... (בְּרֵאשִׁית ד:טו) And G-d placed an “os” on Cain. (Bereishis 4:15) The Medrash Tanchuma gives various possibilities for the meaning of the word “os” (emblem). One of them is that Hashem gave Cain the “os” of Shabbos. This is difficult to understand because Hashem had just cursed Cain that he should [...]
...וַיָּשֶׂם ה׳ לְקַיִן אוֹת... (בְּרֵאשִׁית ד:טו) חז"ל במדרש תנחומא, מעלים מספר אפשרויות לפשר ה"אות" שניתנה לקין. על פי אחת מהן, "אות" איננה אות במובן הקלאסי של המילה, אלא הכוונה היא שה' נתן לקין את השבת. פירוש זה של המדרש נשמע תמוה. הרי מטרת האות היתה לרכך את עונשו של קין – "נע ונד תהיה בארץ" ולהבטיח את בטחונו [...]
וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים הִנֵּה נָתַתִּי לָכֶם אֶת כָּל עֵשֶׂב זֹרֵעַ זֶרַע אֲשֶׁר עַל פְּנֵי כָל הָאָרֶץ וְאֶת כָּל הָעֵץ אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ פְרִי עֵץ זֹרֵעַ זָרַע לָכֶם יִהְיֶה לְאָכְלָה And God said: 'Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the [...]
