Close To Torah

ששת ימים תעשה מלאכה וביום השביעי יהיה לכם קדש שבת שבתון לה’ כל העשה בו מלאכה יומת – Kodesh is given to you. How do you get kedushah only by working six days and the seventh day shall be for you kodesh. It isn’t kodesh just by being sanctified itself, rather through the work of the week can you create the kedushah of Shabbos. Shabbos is not an absence of… Continue reading

Parshas Vayakhel

Every year I struggle with the question of why the Torah found it necessary to dedicate four whole Parshiyos to describing the commandment, building and accounting of the Mishkan? The question always takes me by surprise… Then I search through the Commentators until I find a satisfying answer. This year, Rabbeinu Bechya was my saviour. He states the following interesting observation.

The Torah dedicates much space in describing the… Continue reading

Parshas Pekudei, Parshas Vayakhel

ויעש את הכיור נחשת ואת כנו נחשת במראֹת הצֹבאֹת… (לח:ח).

“He made the basin of copper and its base of copper out of the woman’s mirrors…” (38:8).
Rashi quotes the famous words of Chazal that the women brought their mirrors, which they had used in Egypt in order to beautify themselves for their husbands. Moshe was too disgusted to take them, feeling that objects used for… Continue reading

Parshas Pekudei, Parshas Vayakhel

With Pesach just around the corner, stop cleaning (momentarily, that is) and download the revised Ohr Somayach Pesach Handbook today.

With inspiring articles, Halacha and Q/A, it will surely enhance your Pesach.

Mothers, it even has an article about cleaning!

To download click here: www.ohr.edu/pesachbook

Best wishes for a Chag Kasher V’Sameach!… Continue reading

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“ויהי ברדת משה מהר סיני ומשה לא ידע כי קרן עור פניו בדברו אתו” (שמות לד:כט)

“And it was when Moshe descended from Har Sinai… Moshe didn’t know his face shone as he spoke”

            This Passuk  seems a little surprising! At Krias Yam Suf and Har Sinai, the Jewish people reached an elevated stage. The ten Makkos, Ananei HaKavod, and the Man proved to them that Hashem… Continue reading

Parshas Ki Sisa

כי תשא את ראש בני ישראל… (ל:יב).

“When you count the Jews…” (30:12).
The sin of the Golden Calf, found in this Parsha, brought the Jew’s victorious exodus to a screeching halt.

The Torah records the event for us to learn its lesson. I believe that an examination of the contents of the entire Parsha will show one underlining theme meant to be learned from… Continue reading

Parshas Ki Sisa

“Mi’Shenichnas Adar Marbim B’Simcha, when we enter the month of Adar, we increase our happiness (Taanis 29a)! The following Dvar Torah is not out-dated, it is most relevant! Yes, Purim has come and gone, but that is exactly what I wish to discuss.

This phrase is mistakenly thought to only apply from the first day of Adar until Purim, half way through the month! However, in truth, those days… Continue reading

Purim Adar Happiness

Some ideas on the Kedushas Seudas Purim.

It is clear from the gemara in Megilah that part of the decree of Achashvayrosh was due to the fact that Bnei Yisroel benefitted from the meal of Achashvayrosh. I found it odd that the gemara doesn’t call it the seudah  of Achashvayrosh rather “אותו הרשע”  while that means Achashvayrosh…it still may hint to other  things.  This seudah embraced every taaveh of… Continue reading

Purim

One of the most famous questions relating to Megillas Esther is why Hashem’s name does not appear anywhere in the Megillah text?! Hashem who orchestrated the entire salvation should be mentioned?!

I would like to develop an interesting idea which can be learned from here.

The answer is deep, but yet simple. The ultimate expression of love is manifest through silence. When one beholds the sight of the… Continue reading

Purim

From the time that Moshe Rabbeinu enters the scene in Parshas Shemos throughout the rest of the Torah, this Parsha is the only one which lacks any mention of our great leader. Why is his name omitted?

1- The Vilna Goan states that Moshe’s Yahrtzeit (death anniversary) is the 7th day of Adar. This date usually corresponds with the Parsha of Tetzaveh. Hence, the Torah omits his name to… Continue reading

Parshas Tetzaveh