Monthly Archives: December 2020

Vayakheil Pikudei 5781

Pekudei, Vayakheil

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SHABBOS; KEEPING THE WORLD ALIVE

This week’s Parsha, Vayakheil-Pikudei, opens with HaShem’s instruction to Moshe to instruct his people on keeping the Shabbos. “Six days shall your work be done and the seventh day shall be kodesh to HaShem” The Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh asks why the Torah instructs us to work six days, there is no mitzvah to perform work on the week-days. He also notes that the Torah does not say we should work six days but rather that our work should be done on those six days. Why does the Torah not say to work six days?

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Ki Sisa 5781

Ki Sisa

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PLACING THE THRONE

This week’s Parsha, Ki Sisa, opens with HaShem instructing Moshe to count the Jewish people. However, instead of counting each person directly, he is instructed to collect a half shekel from each member and then count the shekalim, thereby indicating the number of people. The reason for this unique method is “that there should be no plague when the people are counted.” The implication is that there would be a plague if the people were counted directly. Why? If there is a mitzvah to be counted why should they be subject to a plague?

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Terumah / PuЯim 5781

Tetzave

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A MODERN DAY MEGILLA STORY

This Purim, before reading the Megillah we will recite the bracha that reflects how HaShem did miracles for us in the days of old in this period of the year. The implication is that even today, thousands of years after the miracle of Purim, in this period of year, HaShem continues to perform miracles to protect us and save us from the evil design of our enemies.

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