יום שישי, כ״ב אלול תשפ״וFriday, September 4, 2026
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According to one opinion, the second keruv on the parochet was not a lion but had the face of an eagle! This eagle was present in both the first and second Batei Mikdash, until they were destroyed.
When Hashem judges us and confers upon us the things we deserve in this world, our Sages teach, He responds to us middah keneged middah, in a manner befitting the conduct we have exhibited.
It is interesting to note that while everyone assumes that the drowning of the Egyptians in the Red Sea was punishment middah k’neged middah for drowning our children in the Nile, this is really not such a simple explanation.
On the Shabbat before Pesach, Israel risked everything to begin offering the Korban Pesach, and in doing so we made ourselves great, making G-d that much greater in proportion. This manifestation of the Divine light of redemption – in just the moment we most needed to see it – was the greatest thing Hashem could do for us.
Unlike the Olah which was entirely burned on the altar, only a handful of the flour, called the kometz, was burned on the altar (Vayikra 6:5).
Involving our bodies in the holiness of looking for chametz or preparing for Shabbat is something that can become a habit. That is not to say that we shouldn’t use our minds to superimpose even greater meaning on these actions while we perform them. But it does mean that accustoming our bodies to do good things has value unto itself
We are all believers. We believe in Hashem and all the Thirteen Principles of Faith. However, we are a work in progress, growing our emunah every moment of every day.
It is no coincidence that the seder night was when Yitzchak gave the blessings both to Yaakov and to Eisav, thus demonstrating his love for Eisav too!
Fire is something that belongs in Heaven, that is its place. It is therefore not difficult to understand that fire came down from Heaven onto the mizbe'ach. What is difficult to understand is the mitzvah for us to add our own fire.
Sometimes, because of the low spiritual state of Israel going out of bondage, there are intermediate steps in order for growth to be achieved. The Rambam understands the sacrificial rite in this spirit. He sees the korbanot as serving a practical purpose in weaning Israel off of the idolatrous customs of primitive civilizations.
When we perform a mitzvat aseh, like davening, putting on tefillin, sitting in the sukkah, keeping Shabbat, with full concentration, while putting aside all other thoughts and preoccupations, it pleases G-d no end, because it justifies His experiment in creating mankind.
The Gemara teaches us that one who has three traits can consider himself a true talmid, a disciple, of Avraham Avinu. One of these traits is ayin tova, a good eye, which means the characteristic of seeing the good in everyone.
Hashem told Avraham Avinu: You are the root of the Jewish nation. If there is a black spot – a small lack of emunah – then the fruit that you bear will be bitter, that is to say, there will eventually be no emunah at all among the people.
The Rambam (Sefer HaMitzvot, negative commandment 99) says that it is not permitted to bring a Korban that has no taste, it has to have an intrinsic taste and flavor that is not just palatable, but an honor to the King to Whom it is sacrificed, it has to be delicious.
More than one scholar has noted the absence of self-critique in ancient literature of all peoples except the Jews.
Etching the Torah in our hearts and minds takes an enormous investment of effort and time. We may fear that the long hours we spend on it displaces the time we need to meet our surrounding responsibilities, our commitment to work, to family etc. Miraculously, however, nothing gets displaced.
The innermost aspects of being are revealed in the interior of the Tent of Meeting in the Mishkan, or in the Hechal (or sanctuary) of the Beit HaMikdash.
Day by day we are building for eternity ... Every gentle word, every generous thought, every unselfish deed will become a pillar of eternal beauty in the life to come. -Rebecca Ruter Springer
With the mitzvah of tzedakah, there is the possibility of saving oneself even as the ship is beginning to sink. The mitzvah of tzedakah is especially unique in that it can protect the individual even if a Heavenly decree has already been issued to the contrary.
I will learn the art of saying I’m sorry, showing that I empathize with the damage I’ve done and demonstrating that I’m making concrete corrections so that it won’t happen again. This is very different than the But, I said I’m sorry already approach!
Chazal tell us that every component in the earthly Beit HaMikdash is paralleled by a "twin component" in the Heavenly Beit HaMikdash. Just as there is a Menorah down here, there is a Menorah up there. Just like there is a Shulchan down here, there is a Shulchan up there, etc.
the Talmud speaks about His presence moving away from the Temple only gradually during its last days. So would it not have made more sense for G-d’s presence to also come down gradually while the Tabernacle was being builtT
Of all the 39 acts of work which are prohibited on Shabbat, why does The Torah single out the act of lighting fire? As we know, in the Jewish calendar, the night belongs to the next day. By burning the light at night, we extend the working day into Shabbat.
The women had to be there and also the babies, not simply because that was how it was at Matan Torah, but for another reason. Neither the women or the babies were complicit in the sin of the eigel, they didn't have anything to atone for – it was the men.
Ramchal teaches that although the Kohen officiates in the offering of korbanot, the three groupings of Israel are all essential to the effective completion of the service in the Beit HaMikdash.
Mesiras nefesh does not only refer to extreme instances. It also includes acts that may require a degree of selflessness for others.
In the spirit of Passover spiritual cleansing which we are commencing, here is a list of fifty-two areas of life which perhaps could use some ongoing scrubbing and scouring.
What was Moshe Rabbeinu was doing for those 40 days?
In everyday life we frequently meet people who seem to be walking around in disguise. One is disguised as someone arrogant, another as someone vulgar, and a third as someone apathetic – but what we see is not a true reflection of who these people really are.
In the aftermath of this ordeal, Moshe seems to struggle with his understanding of the omnipotence of Hashem and the instantiation of His will in the affairs of men.
By accepting the Torah, the Jews themselves became a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation (Shemos 19:6). However, Chazal tell us (Shabbat 88a) that their acceptance of the Torah was under duress.
It seems like no coincidence, then, that we read Esther and Ruth at the beginning and end of this period in the year.
Hashem does not forgive anyone who ever shed a drop of Jewish blood. There is no question that justice will be served by Hashem Himself, as the Yalkut Shimoni states, upon anyone who participated in any way in this massacre.
The holy rebbe, Rav Yisroel of Ruzhin, adds that Purim is even more, for while on Yom Kippur Hashem forgives only with teshuva, repentance, on Purim He forgives as soon as we ask Him, as it says, Kol haposhet yad nosnin lo.
Of all the vessels in the Mikdash, the kiyor is something of a conundrum. Is it one of the main vessels in the Mikdash, like the Menorah, Shulchan, etc., or not?
In the back of the Choshen Mishpat there was a slip of parchment, known as the Urim Ve’tumim, containing G-d’s ineffable name. G-d was behind every decision the judges rendered. Even those decisions, which in hindsight appeared wrong, were right, because G-d was behind them.
The nexus of all worlds, the point of conjunction of the physical and spiritual poles is the golden Mizbe’ach.
Our sages teach us, Words that exit from the heart [of the one who utters them] enter into the heart [of the listener]. This suggests that if someone does not truly believe or feel that which he is saying out loud it has no effect or impact on the listener.
The Megillah is called Esther, which means hidden. This is because the Divine Hand was cloaked under the guise of palace intrigue, and within the lust and caprice of the royal court.
Assimilation was quite prevalent at the time with many prosperous exiled Jews preferring a liberal, cosmo-political approach as opposed to a conservative, separatist approach. Very few remained true to the old teachings and values, like Mordechai, the former head of the Sanhedrin.
Nadav and Avihu don’t only teach us about how to relate to God, but also how to relate to each other
The Jews that didn't make Aliyah relinquished their rights!
How the Mishkan preserves inspiration.
The air up there in the clouds is very pure and fine, bracing and delicious. And why shouldn't it be?--it is the same the angels breathe. -Mark Twain
Mishkenei Elyon is a small but profound text that explains the spiritual significance of the detailed structure of the third Beit HaMikdash that was witnessed and reported on by the navi Yechezkel.
When the Kohen would light the menorah in the lower word, the menorah in the heavens was lit simultaneously, lighting up the lives of the Jewish people.
If you analyze the overall structure of the Mishkan (and Beit HaMikdash) you see that it is layered according to the level of holiness.
Loaning money is a greater Mitzvah than giving Tzedakah...
When Israel enslaves their own brothers, they are also enslaving G-d’s very image and likeness on earth.
Perhaps it is the nature of debate that blinds many from the wisdom of the opposing position, but our sages clearly advocated both approaches simultaneously.
This message of hope – that all is not lost and that one can always climb back from a spiritual morass without needing years to do so – is a vital lesson that is important to remember every day of our lives. This is one of the reminders of the tefillin.
One is not promised that he will live longer than the number of years that he was destined to live. Rather, one who worships Hashem will live out his days.
If you think that wealth is limited to your investment portfolio, you are very much mistaken (although money is one form of wealth). There are other forms of wealth, which many tend to regard as mundane, but which are often more valuable than all the money in the world.
What can we learn from a seeming grammatical anomaly?
This discrepancy between human and angelic perspectives plays a central role in Chazal’s account of the giving of the Torah, albeit in an entirely different vein. While no angels appear in the Torah’s version of the story, our Sages recount that at Sinai too, Moshe encounters conflict between himself and the angels.
Man will be disappointed when he realizes that Hashem is no longer in such close proximity as He was in this world.
There is one great payback to mentoring. It brings one a certain type of immortality even in this world.
Tefillin is a daily reminder to avoid sin which would result in punishment and to do mitzvos which earn us great reward.
There cannot possibly be a substitute for the experience of encountering the knowledge of Hashem once it has directly impacted upon one’s consciousness.
Midyan therefore embody a double-edged sword. On the one hand, being descendants of Avraham with the attribute of controlled chesed, they are attracted to Am Yisrael, out of love. On the other hand, they are not Am Yisrael and do not have our Torah values – so they potentially pose a threat.
One big lesson we can learn, is stop complaining, see the טוב.
Those who are skilled in producing surprises Are as infinitely varied as heaven and earth, And as inexhaustible as the great rivers. -Sun Tzu
The overarching texts and principles that guide the Seder Tu B’Shvat are the two trees that were created in the Garden of Eden and the biblical passage stating that the human being is a tree of the field (Devarim 20:19).
Seeing the Egyptians close in on them, the Jews did what they had originally done to escape oppression; they cried out to G-d to save them. But this time, G-d threw the ball into their court and said, “a titzak elei, daber el benei Yisrael veyisau – Why are you crying out to me, speak to the Israelites and let them start moving (14:15).
This concept is consistent with the Gemara in Masechtas Sanhedrin that states categorically, Adam la’amal peh nivrah – A person was created primarily for the toil of the mouth. In other words, the greatest arena of achievement in life is in one’s control of their speech.
In order to perform acts of kindness with each other, they would each have to overlook the deficits and defects of the other.
Even the animals have been singing to G-d every day, since Creation. Every time you hear a bird chirping, a rooster crowing, a donkey braying etc., they are singing praise to G-d. If you want to know what they are singing, refer to Sefer Perek Shira.
How does the bracha of kiddush levana relates to Kabalas Pnei HaShechina?
For 210 years, they labored in Egypt under extremely harsh conditions. But like a small child with a dirty shirt, they didn’t even realize how inappropriate it was for them to be slaves.
" I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." Henry David Thoreau
The Kerem Shlomo says further that if the children receive a Torah true chinuch they can recognize that their parents seek Hashem, and they are therefore galvanized to give over that same chinuch to their children.
The fundamental idea of how important is the trait and the power of keeping ones mouth shut is echoed in Pirkei Avos where it teaches us, Shimon b’no omeir, Kol yomai gadalti bein hachachamim, v’lo matzasi l’guf tov m’shtika – Shimon, his [Rabban Gamli’eil’s] son said, All my life I grew up amongst the sages and I never found anything better for the body than the art of silence.
In the fascinating and unjustifiably obscure text Semichat Chachamim by R’ Naftali Katz HaCohen, the question is asked why Rosh Hashana in Tishrei and the one in Nissan, the new year for kings and for festivals, seem to be reversed.
According to Meir Panim, the entire episode of Am Yisrael in Egypt and the Exodus, was to atone for this sin. This is why we are commanded to eat matzos when we left Egypt, to atone for the chametz bread baked by Chava.
Offhand, one could think of scarier pests than frogs.
According to the Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 93:10), Aba Kohen Bardela says that the shock and shame of the brothers is nothing compared to what each and every one of us will experience on the Day of Judgement, when we go up to Heaven after 120.
It is possible to be enslaved but not to suffer brutality, and also to be tormented without being a slave.
While I respect many of the moral accomplishments of the West, I believe that Judaism still has much to offer in critique of the West’s many remaining failings.
When a person is beleaguered with problems that disrupt his avodas Hashem and his Torah learning, he may ponder why he is suffering when his friend – who is not as devout – enjoys the good life, is well-to-do and at peace.
Reb Moshe asks, Why would we need someone coming out of a coma to teach us something so obvious?
How often in ancient and contemporary Jewish history have we seen things become desperate before they improved? And yet we persevered and survived. And with this perseverance, our faith in G-d as our ultimate savior survived too.
This staff was given by G-d to Adam HaRishon. It was then passed down from generation to generation, to Shet, Chanoch, Metushelach, Noach, Shem, Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov and then to Yosef.
Each of us is like a diamond, and each of us has the potential to be brilliant. -Simon T. Bailey
Did Pharaoh's Daughter Speak Hebrew?
Historical perspective should humble us. It should make us realize how little we understand the true nature of what is going on around us. But it should also make us realize that things truly worthwhile have a staying power.
The double language of reckoning also encompasses two aspects of the Divine Judgment that the true redeemer would have to know to invoke – Hashem will do good to Israel and lead us out of our misfortune, and He will also punish those who tormented us and hold them accountable.
The thought process of believing that rather than having a child murdered he would separate from his wife was incorrect. Miriam revealed the will of Heaven that the exact opposite was appropriate.
While the yeitzer hara has many arrows in his quiver, and his aim is focused on getting us to speak lashon hara and to fight with our spouse, to look at the wrong things, and to say hurtful words, there is nothing that the yeitzer hara tries harder to accomplish than to stop people from learning Torah.
When Yosef entered, Pharaoh tested him – he said hello to him in Dutch, Greek, and Danish and each time Yosef conversed with him fluently in each language and ascended another step until finally he was on the top 70th step together with Pharaoh.
It was difficult for him to write without errors, but his ambition was so extraordinary. It would have been worth it to me to stand there for hours in the sun or the rain just for the opportunity to help him in his quest.
Kind words are a creative force, a power that concurs in the building up of all that is good, and energy that showers blessings upon the world. -Lawrence G. Lovasik
When Lavan decided to trick Yaakov, and essentially Rachel too, Rachel nevertheless played along and gave the secret codes to Leah to enable her to succeed in the ploy. Rachel realized that what was happening must be the will of Hashem, and that it was not possible for Yaakov to have only one wife.
Even as Western society has become uncomfortable with religion, it has also become increasingly uncomfortable with its own discomfort.
Every individual who finds himself in challenging times only needs to know how to recognize the smile of Hashem from Above.
It’s always important to remember how different we are, and to thank Hashem that He allowed us the privilege to be part of this Holy Nation.
There is no question that they lied, but incredibly, the Gemara above says that they were right to lie because there is a special circumstance when one is permitted to lie and that is to make peace, what is known in English as a white lie.
September 4, 2026 
