Bring Comfort to Zion and Jerusalem
המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים May the Omnipresent comfort you among the rest of the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. This is the famous traditional tefillah recited by Jews seeking to comfort those who are in aveilut (which is being uttered with tragically high frequency of late, Rachmana litzlan). The phrase is […]
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Ten Plagues in Egypt and Ten Miracles in Jerusalem
The fifth chapter in Masekhet Avot delineates many examples of groupings of ten throughout history. Hashem created the world with ten utterances. Avraham Avinu was tested ten times. The Mishna notes that Avraham’s ten successes reflected his undying love for HaKadosh Barukh Hu. Additionally, there were ten plagues brought upon the Egyptians. Concomitant with these […]
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Split Between the Lion and Wolf: Jerusalem Unites Rachel and Leah
In Yaakov’s blessing for his son Binyamin, he makes cryptic references to his youngest son as a “snatching wolf”. The Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 99:3) seeks to understand the prophetic implications of this comparison. Hazal explain that this references Shaul, the first king of Israel, who hailed from Shevet Binyamin. He “snatched” away the kingship from […]
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A Eulogy in Jerusalem: the City that Unites Two Messiahs
In the summer of 1904, a memorial service was held for the recently deceased Theodor Herzl in the city of Yaffo. The newly minted chief rabbi of Yaffo, fresh off the boat from Lithuania, was asked to speak at the event. A young Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook delivered a “eulogy” in which he did […]
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Shlomo’s Journey: Givon to Jerusalem
This week’s haftorah opens with Shlomo HaMelekh awakening from his famous dream in which Hashem promises him unparalleled divine wisdom (Melachim 1, chapter 3). Shlomo had traveled to Givon to sacrifice one thousand elevation offerings on the communal altar situated there. After lying down to sleep, God speaks to him in a dream and grants […]
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U’Phartzu Chomot Migdali: The Exclusive Right to Jerusalem
The ubiquitous song of Maoz Tzur, sang in many households after the lighting of neirot Chanukah, describes in detail the numerous miracles Hashem wrought for us throughout Jewish history. Strangely, there is only one stanza that describes the very miracles we commemorate on Chanukah. יונים נקבצו עלי, the Greeks gathered against me, ופרצו חומות מגדלי […]
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The Bizarre Holiday of Rome
The Gemara (Avodah Zarah 11b) tells us of a curious holiday that was celebrated in Rome every seventy years. In a bizarre ritual carried through the thoroughfares of the city, a limping man was forced to carry a healthy man on his back. The healthy and complete man would wear the clothing of Adam HaRishon […]
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The Sun of Yaakov and Brilliance of Jerusalem
As Yaakov departs for his uncle’s house in Haran, he encounters “the place” and stays there for the night “ki va hashemesh” for the sun had set. While sleeping in this place, Yaakov experiences the famous majestic vision of the heavenly ladder as Hashem promises him the land of Eretz Yisrael. As is clear from […]
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Jerusalem and Rome: The Clash of Tzniut and Chitzoniut
As we progress further into Sefer Bereishit, we turn from the rivalry of Yitzchak and Yishmael to the struggle between Yaakov and Eisav. While the Torah states that Eisav was the father of the nation of Edom, Chazal note in many places that Eisav is really the progenitor of Rome and, by extension, western civilization. […]
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Ornan’s Threshing Floor: The Purchase of an Exclusive Relationship
Our parsha opens with the account of Avraham Avinu’s purchase of a burial plot for Sarah Immeinu. Seeking to bury Sarah in the famed ma’aras hamachpeila, Avraham requests to purchase the cave from Ephron “b’kesef maleh (for full price)”. Initially, Ephron offers the field free of charge. But Avraham demurs, insisting “kesef hasadeh kach mimeni”, […]
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