Torah, Judaism and Jewish Networking

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Toldos

Toldos In this week's parsha Yaakov and Eisav are born.\ The Torah (25;28) tells us that "Yaakov loved Eisav," even though he was wicked. The Sforno (25;28) relates that Yitzchak actually knew that Yaakov was more righteous--but he still favored Eisav (as the pasuk only states that Yitzchak loved Eisav). However, if Yitzchak knew about Eisav's evilness then why did he love him more than Yaakov? I think we could answer that Eisav honored Yitzchak a lot more than Yaakov--therefo… Continue

Added by Jason Behar on November 20, 2009 at 6:55am — No Comments

PICKED ON? OR PICKED?

How does one deal with a reality that challenges one preconceived notions? Rivkah our Mother A’H was married some nineteen years when she became pregnant. Rivkah and her husband Yitzchak our Father A’H prayed for many years beforehand (25:20-21,26) 25:22 relates that Rivkah’s pregnancy was so difficult that she wondered why she ever yearned for or prayed for children (see 25:22 Rashi ZT;L ZY’A “Lamah zeh anochi” ) Rabbi Moshe been Nachman (RAMBAN) ZT’L ZY’A Rivkah did not know what pregnancy wa… Continue

Added by Bernard S. Antin on November 20, 2009 at 3:20am — No Comments

Shabbos: Taam HaChaim Toldos 5770

שבת טעם החיים תולדות תש"ע Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Toldos 5770 Blessings unlimited Introduction So he drew close and kissed him; he smelled the fragrance of his garments and blessed him; he said, “See, the fragrance of my son is like the fragrance of a field which HaShem had blessed.” (Bereishis 27:27) In this week’s parasha the Torah records the blessings that Yitzchak conferred on his son Yaakov. The Torah states that when Esav returned from his hunt and discovered that Yaakov had received the… Continue

Added by Ben on November 20, 2009 at 2:14am — No Comments

The Way To Help People Change

There is a famous story told about the Chofetz Chaim, among others, that when he was young he thought he could change the world. Then progressively, as he got older, he thought maybe he could at least change his community, then maybe at least his family and then, finally, maybe he could at least change himself. One lesson to be learned from that story is that he wasn’t constricting his range of influence because of his inability to accomplish what he wanted to do. On the contrary, he was constr… Continue

Added by Dovid Shmuel Irwin, MD on November 19, 2009 at 9:49pm — No Comments

Getting Rid of Unwanted Thoughts

If you, or someone you know, is troubled by unwanted thoughts, a very easy and effective way to get rid of them is to simply “blow them away.” Any time an unwanted thought pops into your mind, blow air out of your mouth forcefully and repeatedly, as many times as you need to, until the thought is blown away. Once you get proficient at this technique, which usually takes very little time, you will find that you will also be able to successfully blow away not only your yetzer hora when it tries t… Continue

Added by Dovid Shmuel Irwin, MD on November 19, 2009 at 2:21pm — No Comments

Chayei Sarah

Chayei Sarah In this week's parsha Avraham sends out Eliezer to go search for a wife for Yitzchak. Rashi (24;14) explains that Eliezer was specifically searching for a girl who performs acts of kindness. The question is: Why was acts of kindness the only requirement in order to be fitting as a wife for Yitzchak? In order to answer this question, let's first examine what kindess (chesed) really means... The Rambam (Hilchos Avel, 14;1) explains that the term "kindness" comes from… Continue

Added by Jason Behar on November 13, 2009 at 7:04pm — No Comments

HEVRON FROM EVER TILL FOREVER -- MORE THAN A SLOGAN

Each evening the declaration of faith contained in recitation of Shema is prefaced by stating that “ . . . they [the words of Torah] are our life and the measure of our days . . .” The Ba’al Haturim ZT’L ZY’A among his observations on Bereshith 1:1 notes Bereshith is an acrostic for From the beginning G-D saw that Israel will accept the Torah. Therefore, these and other sources imply a powerful connection between Israel’s connection to Torah and creation itself. Consequently, words of Torah on a… Continue

Added by Bernard S. Antin on November 13, 2009 at 4:30am — No Comments

Shabbos: Taam HaChaim Chaye Sara 5770

שבת טעם החיים חיי שרה תש"ע Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Chaye Sara 5770 Everything can be perceived as good Introduction Sarah’s lifetime was one hundred twenty years, and seven years; the years of Sarah’s life. (Bereishis 23:1) Rashi writes that the words the years of Sarah’s life teach us that all of Sarah’s years were deemed to be good. The Medrash cites the verse that states (Tehillim 37:18) yodeia HaShem yimei temimim vinachalasam liolam tihiyeh, HaShem knows the days of the perfect, their inher… Continue

Added by Ben on November 12, 2009 at 8:29am — No Comments

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