Ancient Connection – Modern Pioneers
Every school child knows the story. God told Moses to go speak to Pharaoh. Moses came to the evil Pharaoh and spoke the iconic words, “Let my people go!” But with all due respect to wonderful kindergarten songs, a simple perusal of our parsha reveals that this is actually not what Moshe Rabbeinu said. Throughout […]
As Yaakov Avinu gathers the shevatim around his deathbed, he blesses them and prophesizes about their future. The Gemara Pesachim (56a) famously tells us that as Yaakov prepared to reveal eschatological secrets, the Divine Presence departed from him. He worried that one of his son’s may be inadequate to receive the prophecy, “perhaps, God forbid, […]
During a recent visit into the Shiloach I had the opportunity to explore some of the latest Jewish property that had recently been returned to Jewish hands after Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that Arabs had been squatting on the property for decades. The newest property is part of the Yemenite Village, a large area in […]
The Gemara Yoma (64b) records a fundamental debate amongst the Tannaim as to how the world was created. Throughout the extended discussion, the Chachamim, the sages of the beit medrash, conclude that Jerusalem is truly the center of the world. מציון נבראו, both the land and sky were created from Tzion. The אבן שתייה serves as the Foundational Stone for all of creation. This central role of Jerusalem is […]
Once in a generation does time stop for a moment in Jerusalem. Once in a generation there’s a dark cloud with a beautiful silver lining symbolically hovering over theskies in Jerusalem. Lichvod the Moskowitz family here in Jerusalem and overseas – our hearts are with you at this time.Sadly and tragically – most of the […]
Rebbe Yochanan ben Zakkai, one of the greatest disciples of Hillel haZaken, was the chief Torah leader who witnessed the darkest period of churban. As Jerusalem was being torn apart by rebel-infighting and Jewish self-hatred, Rebbe Yochanan ben Zakkai hatched a plan to escape the city and convince the Romans to allow for the survival […]
Last week, we discussed the martyrdom of Rebbe Shimon ben Gamliel, the first of the asarah harguei malchut. Hazal tell us (Otzer Midrashim, Asarah Harugei Malchut) that the brutal beheading of Rebbe Shimon occurred in front of Rebbe Yishmael, the great sage and high priest in Jerusalem, as he himself awaited his execution. Rebbe Yishmael […]
Despite Chazal clearly explaining that the true reasons for the laws of parah adumah are ultimately inscrutable, the midrash provides various symbolic interpretations of the laws of our parsha’s opening passages. In one of the Midrash Tanchuma’s renditions of the scriptural passage, it describes the Red Heffer process as a metaphor for the sinful failure […]
In modern day Jewish discourse, it is a given that every Jew is holy. The inalienable sanctity of every member of Klal Yisrael is a fundamental baseline for how we interact with and talk about other Jews. The Gemara (Moed Katan 25a) states that if one is present during yetziat neshama, the departing of a […]
On May 6th this year, after months of waiting, the IDF surprised Hamas forces by launching a night time invasion of Rafah, taking the international crossing by sunrise. What was billed as a potential bloodbath, went as smoothly as anyone could hope for, proving Israel’s detractors once again wrong and boosting public morale. With all […]
