Yeshiva
Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
- Tetzave
Another important lesson that emerges from this week’s parsha emanates from the absence of the name of Moshe in the parsha. The Torah, its truths and values, its eternity and validity, is never dependent upon one person no matter how great that person may be perceived to be. The Torah emphasizes the mortality of Moshe as well as his human ability to fall below the heavenly standard that was set for him. The Torah warns us not to deem humans as being perfect or infallible. The Psalmist warns us not to lace our trust in humans, even great humans, but rather only in God and His Torah. The tendency to deify humans, even if they be scholars, leaders or holy people, is a dangerous one. It leads to the dreaded "cult of the personality" that has claimed so many victims throughout the past and modern history of the Jewish people and the world generally. Even though the Torah is always identified with Moshe, this week’s parsha shows us that the Torah exists independent of Moshe. His name need not appear for the Torah validates itself even without him. The modern tendency in the religious world to worship and idolize people is therefore a dangerous one. All humans are subject to sin and failure, temper and error. Worship in the Torah is reserved for only God Himself. It often takes bitter and sad occurrences to remind us of this truth.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Hosha'ana Rabba FLYDUBAI & HOSHANA RABBA- ANI VAHU HOSHIA NA- I & HIM SAVE US
"Ani vaHu Hoshia Na", "I and Him, Save Us". We don't just pray to Him, but we also pray to and for ourselves that we should emulate and educate our children to have that instinctive altruism with which He created the world. President Trump seemed amused about Yaniv Hayon, our PLUMBER who confidently worked with G-d like Superman (he learned from a pilot on a TV show!) to save 174 lives on the Dubai hijacking, but we in Israel are totally accustomed already 78 years to our plumbers, teachers, garbage-men, rabbis, farmers & doctors being Hashem's shlichim! This is what Zionism is about.
Moreshet Shaul Hashem Is your Shadow – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 420 – an address from 1941
P'ninat Mishpat A Non-Contractor in Changing Times – part I
(based on ruling 85128 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Moreshet Shaul Our King on Rosh Hashana, Our Father on Yom Kippur.
Based on Aroch Siach, p. 221 (Rav Shaul Yisraeli)
