Guarding the Fire: Shabbat, the Mikdash, and the Redemption of Yerushalayim
Before reiterating the command to collect materials and build the Mishkan, Moshe Rabbeinu deliberately repeats the mitzvah of guarding the sanctity of Shabbat. This crucial juxtaposition reflects the inseparable bond between kedushat Shabbat and kedushat Mikdash. What the Beit HaMikdash is in space, Shabbat is in time. This is why the Gemara Shabbat (118b) associates […]
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The Al-Aqsa Flood, Crusaders in Costume, and the Great Purim Shpiel
As Purim approached, we took our children to buy costumes. Two of my sons immediately gravitated toward the “Yehudah HaMakabi” set, complete with armor, shield, and sword. Upon closer inspection, the costume looked suspiciously like a medieval Crusader knight, kashered with Jewish branding to make it palatable to an Israeli audience. Despite initial misgivings, my […]
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A Sanctuary in Transit
The construction of the Mishkan was a glorious undertaking. Klal Yisrael successfully built a structure that served as the “resting” place of the Shechinah, a place where Hashem’s Presence was revealed within the physical world. Its construction required incredible expertise and penetrating spiritual wisdom. And yet, upon close inspection, the Mishkan pales in comparison to […]
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A Street Named for Heresy and a Lesson in Eternity
One of the most charming features of Medinat Yisrael is its street names. Simply walking the streets of Yerushalayim – or any other city in the country – one encounters roads named after heroes of Tanach and champions of our Mesorah. The names of Tanaitic sages, Amoraic scholars, and modern-day gedolim appear constantly on street […]
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Under Watchful Eyes: The Weight of Walking in Holy Space
Moshe Rabbeinu, the greatest prophet and leader of the Jewish people, was chosen by Hashem as he humbly shepherded his father-in-law’s sheep in the desert of Sinai. Chazal famously explain that it is specifically Moshe’s selfless behavior when caring for his flock that proved his worthiness to be the shepherd of Klal Yisrael (Shemot Rabbah […]
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Yissachar’s Vision: the Donkey Who Longs for Yerushalayim
As Yaakov Avinu blesses his sons, he identifies the unique spiritual traits that characterize their divine missions in this world. He compares his son Yissachar to a powerful donkey carrying a heavy load. Famously, Chazal interpret this as a metaphor to the yolk of Torah study; Yissachar’s descendants would achieve prominence and proficiency in the […]
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The “Necks” of Israel and the Heavenly Gate
In their emotional reunion, Yosef and Binyamin embrace and begin to cry. The Torah puts deliberate emphasis on Yosef falling on Binyamin’s neck, and Binyamin likewise weeping on Yosef’s neck (Bereishis 45:14). Chazal (see Rashi ibid) explain that tucked deep into the emotional intensity of their reunion, Yosef and Binyamin sensed the future destruction of […]
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Thirteen Bows: The Greek Breach and the Battle for Hod
Throughout the holiday of Chanukah, we constantly sing of the “breaches” the Syrian Greeks inflicted upon our walls. The songs are stirring, but the reference is puzzling. What “breaches” are we describing and why do we single out this act above the many atrocities inflicted by the Greeks? The Mishna in Middot (2:3) may provide […]
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Yichud and Pirud: The Spiritual Geography of Yaakov’s Ladder
In Yaakov Avinu’s famous dream, he sees a supernal ladder that binds earth and heaven. At first glance, the ladder’s location would seem to be Yerushalayim. After all, when Yaakov awakens he exclaims that this is the “house of God and gateway of heaven!” Yet the ladder’s true location is far from straightforward. While its […]
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Yerushalayim: Where Compassion Refuses to Die
Sodom is typically viewed as the most morally corrupt and spiritually bankrupt society to have ever existed. Deemed irredeemable by God – even after the excessively generous terms negotiated between Avraham Avinu and Hashem – it was doomed to utter destruction. The entire region was overturned by HaKadosh Baruch Hu, left a barren wasteland to […]
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