https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AlEBzPC8HtbJyzx66ELNd71UDDMmgwTz
All posts by rabbidiskind
Ki Sisa 5781
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?
Continue reading Ki Sisa 5781Terumah / PuЯim 5781
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.
Continue reading Terumah / PuЯim 5781Terumah 5781
BUILDERS HATE WRECKERS
This week we will read two Parshios; the weekly Parsha of Terumah and Parshas Zachor. On the surface there is no connection between these two Parshios, however, upon some thought they compliment each other so perfectly.
Rambam teaches us that the mitzvah to remember what Amalek did to us when we left Egypt is for the expressed purpose of inspiring our hatred towards him. What exactly did he do to us more than any of our other enemies throughout the course of history that earns them such distinct hatred? When Bilam foretells the destiny of the nations he indicates that all nations will survive the ‘end of days’ when the world will achieve its destiny except for the nation of Amalek. Regarding Amalek he states “Amalek was the first to make war against Israel and his destiny will be total decimation.”
Mishpatim 5781
THERE ARE COINS AND THERE ARE COINS
In this week’s Parsha, Mishpatim, the Torah states “Do not hurt the feelings of the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” The ‘stranger’ referred to in this verse is the convert. The person who was born to Italian parents who chose to become Jewish.
Why does the Torah not give a sharper reason “for you must be kind to strangers”. The implication is that one might feel justified for not being sensitive to the feelings of the stranger. What justification could there be?
Vayeitzei – 5781
Yisro 5781
WATER GOES UP BEFORE IT COMES DOWN
Upon our arrival to Mount Sinai the Torah says “And Moshe ascended to HaShem and HaShem called out to him from the mountain” The Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh asks why did Moshe ascend the mountain if HaShem had not yet called him? In answering this question the Ohr Hachaim teaches us a great lesson in how we need to serve HaShem.
Continue reading Yisro 5781B’shalach 5781
MEASURE YOUR FRIEND TO MEASURE YOURSELF
As we read the Parshios of the Torah we discover so many times that our people failed to live up to HaShem’s expectations. It is noteworthy how true the Torah is to the real facts and does not sugarcoat our past. It is nevertheless disappointing to see so many failures. Furthermore, it is difficult to understand how could our people who experienced the Ten Plagues and the Splitting of the Red Sea and received the Torah at Sinai demonstrate such a lack of faith in HaShem?
Continue reading B’shalach 5781Bo 5781
LESS MAKES MORE
In this week’s Parsha, Bo, we became a people. Not a regular people, but specifically the people of HaShem. This happened through the command HaShem gave us and our fulfilling that command. There were two mitzvos in that command. The first mitzvah was to prepare and offer the Pesach offering to be eaten on the night of the 15th of Nissan. The second mitzvah was to circumcise every male in our nation. If, for whatever reason, they were not circumcised they were not able to participate in the first mitzvah. In fact, if one’s child or slave was not circumcised the father/owner could not participate in the Pesach offering either.
What is the significance of the Bris-Milah that it forms the cornerstone of our becoming the People of HaShem?
Va’era 5781
HUMILITY WELCOMES HUMILITY
Before bringing the seventh plague of Borod, hailstones, on the Egyptians, in which HaShem sent down from heaven fire within hailstones, Moshe warned Pharaoh, “This time I will send all My plagues upon your heart and on your servants and on your people so that you will know that there is none like Me on the entire earth.” Why does Moshe refer to this single plague as “all My plagues” it was only one of ten?
Continue reading Va’era 5781