Rabbi Chaim Flom's Page

Parshas Vayakhel "Wow Professor Smith, you really blew that one. Are you sure you didn't get a fake Ph.d online?" In our Parsha (37:1 and from 31:7 in Ki Sisa) our sages tell us that Betzalel corrected Moshe on an instruction from Hashem !! Betzalel figured it out on his own !!! Yet the Medrash Rabbah,50:5, says that Betzalel introduced his comment by saying "Our teacher (and master) Moshe...". Respect the honor of others even in their moment of error. Have a great Shabbos !! Rabbi Chaim Fl… Continue

Ki Sisa "I can't believe the lack of friendliness and joy there is in the neighborhood these days." "I think it's because Mr.Cohen isn't here anymore with his warm personality." "I always wanted to chat with him, but never found the time." Rabbi Frand, discussing a wonderful piece from the Lekach Tov, says as follows: When the Torah originally describes the Ten Commandment Tablets, it just says that they were inscribed by "the finger of G-d". (Shemos 31:18) When Moshe was going to break the ta… Continue

Parshas Titzaveh "I can't understand why our annual dinner flopped. Before I left, I arranged a great chairman, we had great honorees, and the timing was perfect." "Well, the one you asked to be chairman felt that he wasn't deserving of the honor, so he didn't do it." At the "Burning Bush", when G-d wanted Moshe to take leadership of Bnei Yisrael, Moshe adamantly declined because he felt that his brother Aaron deserved it. G-d had Moshe take it, but took away the High Priesthood which He was g… Continue

"Will whoever left two shopping carts in aisle three, please come and move them. No one can get through."

"In the rings of the ark shall be poles: they shall not be removed." (Shemos 25:15) The Chizkuni says that the ark was in the "Holy of Holies", which was entered by the Kohain Godol (High Priest) once a year. Therefore the poles sticking out of the side wasn't a public nuisance. However, the poles on the brass alter were where many people walked by, so the Torah had the poles remov… Continue

"Oh, just what I needed, another shnorrer (a derogatory term for a fundraiser) !!" said the man who opened the door as I was fundraising for my Yeshiva.
"That's Rabbi Flom !!" his embarrassed wife whispered to him.
"Please come in Rabbi" he said, as if I could just ignore his rudeness. [Obviously, everyone has the right to choose their favorite charities etc., but no one has the right to be rude.]

"If you shall lend money to my people, to the poor that are with you, you shall… Continue