WHY ALL THE FANFARE?
This week’s Parsha, Ki Savo, opens with a very unique mitzvah, the mitzvah of Bikurim. While every mitzvah is unique in its own way, Bikurim is distinct in the manner which it is fulfilled. The mitzvah itself is for every landowner who has fruit trees to take his very first fruits of the season and present them to the Kohein in the Bais Hamikdosh. The way this mitzvah was performed was outstanding.
Continue reading Ki Savo 5779CHANGING PERSPECTIVE
This week we will read the fifth Haftorah of the prophet Yeshayahu consoling his people over their impending galus. They were told of all kinds of horrible punishments that were awaiting them in galus. From the Tochacha of the Torah and from the prophecies of Yishayhu and Yirmiyahu we knew that a very unpleasant journey lay ahead of us.
Continue reading Ki Seitzei 5782THE RIPPLE EFFECT
Rosh Hashanah is the holiday when every member of our people plays a critical role in establishing HaShem as the Sovereign of the Universe. HaShem’s sovereignty is incomplete if there is but one member who fails to accept Him. To appreciate that every bar mitzvah boy carries such significance is an awesome notion in its own right. But consider the following.
Continue reading Ki Savo 5778REACHING FOR PAPA
Our Sages who arranged the calendar and the order of the weekly Parshios designed it such that we should read this Parsha of Ki Savo two weeks before Rosh Hashana. The reason for this arrangement was because a large portion of Ki Savo contains a prediction of a horrific period of our history.
A BUILDING OF JOY
What a remarkable Parsha the Torah presents us as we draw closer to Rosh Hashana! This week’s Parsha, Ki Seitzei, is packed with mitzvos. There are 74 mitzvos which is 12% of all 613 mitzvos.
Continue reading Ki Seitzei 5777TESHUVAH; THE HOLISITC APPROACH
This week’s Parsha, Ki Seitzei, opens with the event when we shall go to war against our enemy. The commentaries explain that this verse alludes to the battle in which we struggle against our yetzer hara. As we approach Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we engage in the teshuvah process, the process of returning to HaShem.
Continue reading Ki Seitzei 5778DURABILITY
Excerpted from Rabbi Aaron Lopiansky’s talk.
As we have begun blowing the shofar every morning to prepare us for the great meeting with HaShem to take place on Rosh Hashanah, we would expect to find tips and direction in the Parsha on how to properly prepare ourselves. Naturally, our focus needs to be on bettering ourselves in matters that relate to our relationship with HaShem and with people.
Continue reading Ki Seitzei 5779‘48, ‘56, SIX DAYS, YOM KIPPUR; NEVER WE COULD HAVE DONE IT!
How did the meraglim (the messengers that Moshe sent into the Land) fail to trust in HaShem’s ability to take us into the Land? The commentaries explain that they knew that Eretz Yisroel would have to be conquered by natural means, not by miraculous means. In fact, with the only exception of the downfall of Yericho, which was an out-right miracle, all the wars they fought were won through natural means.
Continue reading EIKEV 5782WHO IS BLESSING WHO?
In this week’s Parsha, after rebuking his people for the Golden Calf, Moshe tells them “Right now, all HaShem wants from you is to fear Him.” Our Sages teach us that this is an allusion to the mitzvah of reciting 100 brachos a day.
Continue reading EIKEV 5781DON’T FORGET THE BABY
The period of the calendar in which we currently find ourselves is called the Seven Weeks of Consolation. For the seven weeks following Tisha b’Av the Haftorahs we read are from Yeshayahu (Isaiah) in which HaShem consoles His people over the destruction of the Bais Hamikdosh and the subsequent exile.
Continue reading EIKEV 5780