Torah, Judaism and Jewish Networking

All Blog Posts (991)

Vayeira In this week's parsha we learn the mitzvah of hachnasat orchim (welcoming guests). The Gem…

Vayeira In this week's parsha we learn the mitzvah of hachnasat orchim (welcoming guests). The Gemara (Bava Metzia, 87a) states that women are stingier with guests than men. What's the reasoning behind this statement? (Note: This is actually not an insult to women). Additionally, the Gemara (Shabbat, 127a) states that hosting guests is even greater than receiving the divine providence. However, the purpose of performing mitzvot is to get closer to Hashem, so how could performing… Continue

Added by Jason Behar on November 6, 2009 at 6:44pm — No Comments

Abraham’s Retirement Package

For Avrohom Avinu, at ninety nine years old things started popping. When we think about a Bris Milah we immediately conjure up images of a new life, a new beginning and a fresh start. Our Parsha begins when Avrohom Avinu was ninety-nine years old. He had just had a Bris Milah. It is difficult to consider ninety-nine years old a new start for anything or anyone, yet to Avrohom Avinu - things were just starting to fall into place. His goals were starting to materialize. Avrohom now was told that… Continue

Added by Yaacov Haber on November 6, 2009 at 3:32am — No Comments

Free Webinar on basic structure of Hebrew words

Shalom; There will be a webinar on Sunday discussing the basic structure of Hebrew words: How to extract the root (shoresh) of the word, and then how to add back in the other word components to understand the full meaning of the word. And it is totally free! You MUST register to participate, so please reserve your spot now: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/979142409 Good Luck! Moshe B. Continue

Added by Moshe Burt on November 5, 2009 at 8:08pm — No Comments

I'M BASICALLY A GOOD GUY

An almost overlooked aspect of the sidra is Sodom. True the city is forever known from ancient times as a place associated with depraved behavior. Yet what did the residents of Sodom think of themselves? True to their reputation the Torah twice Bereshith 13:13 where the population of Sodom is called “ . . .evil and very sinful” Rashi ZT’L ZY’A comments how incongruous? How could Lot choose to dwell in Sodom when he split from Avraham?. Lot grew up under the influence of Avraham a household that… Continue

Added by Bernard S. Antin on November 5, 2009 at 6:51am — No Comments

Shabbos: Taam HaChaim Vayeira 5770

שבת טעם החיים וירא תש"ע Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Vayeira 5770 King Dovid can be found in Sodom Introduction I have found my servant, David. And where did I find him? In Sodom (Bereishis Rabbah 44:1) In this week’s parasha we learn how HaShem was prepared to destroy the ancient city of Sodom and its surroundings on account of the decadence of the inhabitants. Avraham prayed on behalf of the people of Sodom, hoping that HaShem would acknowledge that there were some righteous people in the city, in… Continue

Added by Ben on November 5, 2009 at 6:11am — No Comments

MORE THAN JUST A PROMISE

It was no longer tenable for uncle and nephew to live together. Avraham the Patriarch A’H ZY’A tells Lot to separate (Bereshith 13:8-12). Rashi (13:7) explains Lot’s shepherds reasoned since G-D had promised the land to Avraham (12:7) and his heirs, which at the time meant Lot so it was appropriate to allow their flocks to pasture wherever they pleased even if the land was privately owned. Avraham’s shepherds respected the indigenous population and only allowed their flocks to graze on public la… Continue

Added by Bernard S. Antin on October 29, 2009 at 5:00am — No Comments

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Lech Lecho 5770

שבת טעם החיים לך לך תש"ע Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Lech Lecho 5770 Fleeing Evil Introduction In this week’s parasha, we find an interesting pattern. The parsha commences with HaShem instructing Avraham to leave his homeland and travel to the Land of Canaan. Avraham was then forced to leave the Land because of a hunger and he descended to Egypt. Pharaoh took Sara and was then struck by a plague. Sensing that Avraham’s presence was detrimental to the Egyptian welfare, Pharaoh sent Avraham away. Furt… Continue

Added by Ben on October 29, 2009 at 4:26am — No Comments

Lech Lecha

Lech Lecha "Hashem said to Avram, "Go for yourself from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father's house to the land that I will show you" (Bereishis, 12;1). In this week's parsha Hashem tells Avraham to leave Charan and go to Canaan. This was the first of 10 tests for Avraham Avinu, and according to the commentators, the hardest one of them all! However, why was it so hard for Avraham to move? The Medresh relates that a lot of people wanted to kill Avram in Charan… Continue

Added by Jason Behar on October 28, 2009 at 7:43am — No Comments

Learn the Tanakh in the original Hebrew?

Shalom; There is a new online video course that helps even total beginners read and understand the Tanakh in the original Hebrew -- immediately. Please pass this along to the people you know that would benefit from it: http://www.tanakh.co.il/ All the best, Moshe B. Continue

Added by Moshe Burt on October 27, 2009 at 5:32pm — No Comments

Do We Really Believe in God?

Do We Really Believe In God? By Rabbi Yaacov Haber Believing in G-d is tricky business. We are believers. We do Mitzvos, we say the Shema every day, we keep Shabbos carefully, phrases such as “G-d willing” and “G-d forbid” are a regular part of our vocabulary. Noach was a believer. He spent one hundred and twenty years building a boat because G-d told him that there was going to be a flood. He planted and cultivated special cedar trees so that he would have timber that could withstand the fier… Continue

Added by Yaacov Haber on October 23, 2009 at 5:01pm — 1 Comment

URBAN PLANNING

The Torah describes two events that fundamentally reshaped the human condition, the Flood and the Tower of Babel. The breakdown in society that lead to the flood that laid waste to the world G-D created. Rashi ZT’L ZY’A commenting on 6:13 points out there were rampant sexual perversion , idolatry and theft. Rabbi Joseph Dov Solavechik the Beit HaLevi ZT’L ZY’A emphasized the abandonment of moral restraint was so prevalent that animals and even plant life were influenced by human behavior. Societ… Continue

Added by Bernard S. Antin on October 23, 2009 at 4:52am — 2 Comments

Shabbos: Taam HaChaim Noach 5770

שבת טעם החיים נח תש"ע Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Noach 5770 Noach Reveals Too Much Introduction In this week’s parsha the Torah records how Noach built a Teiva, an ark, that protected his family, himself, and numerous animals from the Great Flood that HaShem brought upon the world. Subsequent to the flood, Noach left the Teivah and it is said (Bereishis 9:20-21) vayachel Noach ish haadama vayita karem vayeisht min hayayin vayishkar vayisgal bisoch ahalo, Noach, the man of the earth, debased himself… Continue

Added by Ben on October 23, 2009 at 2:29am — No Comments

Noach

Noach In this week's parsha Hashem floods the whole world (except the land of Israel--Zevachim, 113b). The Mishna (Pirkei Avos, 5;2) states: "There were ten generations from Adam to Noach, to show how great was His patience, for every one of those generations provoked Him continually until he brought upon them the waters of the Flood." The Torah (6;13) tells us that Hashem flooded the world due to stealing. The commentators explain that the people stole at amounts less than a "p… Continue

Added by Jason Behar on October 21, 2009 at 5:54pm — No Comments

Graves and Cemeteries

The Gemora states that Rabbi Bana’ah used to mark out caves and it relates what happened when he went into the Cave of Machpeilah (where the Patriarchs and Matriarchs were buried). The Rashbam explains that he did this in order to determine the precise dimensions of the crypts, and after marking its borders on the ground above, people, and especially Kohanim, would be able to avoid becoming tamei (through tumas ohel – forming a tent over a corpse). Tosfos asks from the Gemora in Yevamos (61a):… Continue

Added by Avrohom Adler on October 20, 2009 at 9:46am — 13 Comments

Mentioning a Father's First Name

Subscribe to the Daily Daf Yomi Summary here. The Gemora cites a braisa: Rabbi Yosi said: When my father, Chalafta, went to Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri to study Torah, or, as others recorded: When Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri went to study Torah by my father, Chalafta, he said to him: Suppose a man occupied a piece of land for one year as testified by two witnesses, for a second year as testified by two other witnesses, and for a third year as testified by still two other witnesses (totaling three years… Continue

Added by Avrohom Adler on October 16, 2009 at 3:29am — 1 Comment

THE PLAN FOR WORLD CONQUEST

As the cycle of Torah readings begins anew a preliminary question presents itself, what is the nature of Torah? Is the Torah a legal text? Or is there a broader purpose encompassing the whole of human endeavor and experience? Indeed, Rashi ZT’L ZY’A opens his commentary on Torah by posing essentially this question. Beginning with what appears as a historical narrative scripture takes a long time till commandments are promulgated to the entire nation (Exodus 12 starting with the commandment to s… Continue

Added by Bernard S. Antin on October 16, 2009 at 1:28am — No Comments

Shabbos: Taam HaChaim Bereishis 5770

שבת טעם החיים בראשית תש"ע Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Bereishis 5770 It must have been something Introduction This week’s parsha discusses the creation of the world, and most important, the creation of man. The Torah describes the birth of Adam and Chava’s two sons, Kayin and Hevel, and the ensuing battle between them. Their struggle still reverberates amongst their descendants today. People are forever staking out their territory and determining their dominance over their fellow man. The rejection… Continue

Added by Ben on October 15, 2009 at 7:37am — No Comments

Dina d'malchusa Dina - the law of the kingdom is the law

Subscribe to the Daily Daf Yomi Summary here. The Poskim deal with when do we say the law of the land is binding. Rav Moshe Feinstien was asked about a bankruptcy case. One of the creditors had taken the money he was owed. This was against the law, for the company was protected under bankruptcy laws. On the other hand, according, to Torah law, he was entitled to the money. Rav Moshe brings two opinions found in the Rema. The first… Continue

Added by Avrohom Adler on October 14, 2009 at 3:26am — 1 Comment

Bereishis

Bereishis “In the beginning, Hashem created the heavens and the earth” (Bereishis, 1;1). The first Rashi in the torah explains that the torah began with the creation of the world to show the other nations that the land of Israel belongs to the jews (since Hashem created the world, everything belongs to Him, and He gave it to us). Rabbi Meir Simcha of Dvinsk comments that the torah mentions the land of Israel in every single parsha! How great exactly is the land of Israel? The G… Continue

Added by Jason Behar on October 13, 2009 at 9:15pm — No Comments

MOVING ON BY GOING IN CIRCLES

The end of Succoth, Hoshna Rabbah and Shemini Atzereth/ Simchat Torah are not merely the concluding days of Succoth. Instead these two (three outside of Eretz Yisrael) really are the culmination of Fifty one days of introspection, repentance and rejoicing that began nearly two months ago on the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul. The Ta’amei Minhagim U’Mikorei HaDinim (paragraph 811) quoting the Bene Yissachar ZT’L ZY’A that Hoshina (please [G-D] save us) should be let the 51 days of prayer be a mer… Continue

Added by Bernard S. Antin on October 8, 2009 at 7:16am — No Comments