Shomron: the City that Pretended to be Yerushalayim
This week’s Haftorah retells the dramatic story of Aram’s siege of Shomron during the reign of King Yehoram. Yerhoram, son of Achav, was a wicked king of Malchut Yisrael. As Aram tightened its grip around the capital, the people experienced devastating famine. Elisha HaNavi reassured Yehoram that salvation would arrive in an instant: food prices […]
Explore more
From Fear to Firepower: Israel Just Rewrote the Rules
There was a time—not long ago—when Israel hesitated. A single Hezbollah tent in the Shaba Farms area became a national dilemma. Weeks of deliberation, warnings, diplomatic signaling. The question wasn’t just operational—it was psychological. What would Hezbollah do? What would the UN say? How would Europe react? Would Washington approve? That hesitation wasn’t about capability. […]
Explore more
Dayeinu: When “Enough” Isn’t Enough
Of all the favorite songs recited over seder night, Dayeinu is perhaps the most beloved. With each stanza, we recount another Divine kindness of Yetziat Mitzrayim and beyond, declaring each time דיינו – this alone would have been enough. Beautiful. But as many commentators note, the song is quite puzzling. A mentor of mine compared […]
Explore more
An Eternal Fire in a Destroyed World
Without the Beit HaMikdash, the parshiyot of Sefer Vayikra feel distant and irrelevant. But Chazal hint that the avodah in the Mikdash is immortal and constant. Rashi notes that the language of tzav – used in the opening command of our parshah – demands alacrity for all generations. The mitzvah of the korban olah never […]
Explore more
The Pauper with Flour Rivals the Bull
As Sefer Vayikra begins, the Mikdash becomes the dominant center of almost every mitzvah introduced by the Torah. Our parshah begins by introducing the various types of animals that can be brought as a korban olah. A Jew could bring a bull, goat, or sheep entirely on to the mizbeach as a fire offering to […]
Explore more
With Great Revelation Comes Great Responsibility
Hashem promises intimate closeness with His people, and yet in the very same breath, hints at death. At the culmination of this week’s parshah, Moshe Rabbeinu is commanded regarding the inaugural korbanot that would draw the Shechinah into the newly constructed Mishkan. The Torah then introduces the daily tamid offering, brought twice each day for […]
Explore more
Tours Parshat Terumah 5786
2. Tour guides on a day of learning about Ateret Cohanim, to be able to bring their own groups to see the success of Ateret Cohanim: 3. Chanoch Messner and his students:
Explore more