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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
- Bo
"And the Children of Israel, 600,000 males, not counting children, journeyed from Ramses to Sukkot" (12:37).
But this is not the only dramatic event in our Sedra of Bo which hardly draws any attention, & yet is a particularly powerful phenomenon. There is another happening that also seems to somehow slip "under the radar:"
"Hashem granted the people favor in the eyes of Egypt; moreover, the man Moshe was very great in the eyes of the servants of Paro & in the eyes of the people." (11:3)
This is truly an amazing, mystifying statement! Coming as it does after nine plagues, when the country has been decimated physically, financially & emotionally, you would have thought that the average Egyptian – not to mention those in a leadership position – would be incensed with Moshe, that they would blame him for all their problems & consider him Public Enemy #1. And yet, they actually respect him; they actually like him!
This is an even more striking phenomenon considering that in the very next pasuk, Moshe announces that the final, ultimate blow is at hand: Every first-born - who are the elite of Egypt - will die. In fact, "there will not be a single house in the country where there will not be a corpse," even if there is no firstborn to be found there! So how could these same people have a positive feeling about Moshe, the "public face" of the relentless onslaught of the 10 Plagues?
It would seem to be counter-intuitive, but Moshe was respected because, in the end, he represented Truth, & Justice. The Egyptians, deep down, knew that enslaving other people & cruelly denying them all human rights was wrong. They may have benefited from the work of the slaves, but they recognized that no person should have to endure such torture. Moshe, as the one who most prominently stood up for justice & freedom, may at first have been fought against, but ultimately he was admired for his idealism & integrity.
What a message this sends to us! Today, Israel is defamed & denigrated by so many, even dragged to bogus international courts to answer for our "crimes." But we have nothing to apologize for; we are the just, the moral party. We must stand tall & stare the world in the face, proud of our actions. Like Moshe, we shall ultimately be vindicated.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Realtor’s Fee on Large Commercial Building – part I
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: The Goal of an Agricultural Yeshiva – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
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P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Realtor’s Fee on Large Commercial Building – part I
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: The Goal of an Agricultural Yeshiva – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Re'e NEVER EXTREME EXCEPT ISRAEL
Parshat Re'eh
Judaism is against extremism, so how can we understand the seemingly extreme statements found in our sages in favor of living in the Land of Israel and against living in Chutz laAretz? The article deals with the seeming contradiction between the strength of Free-Will and the strength of being influenced by our surroundings.
Ekev DANCE FOR ISRAEL- FOR YOUR BENEFIT
Parshat Eikev
Description: The 7 Haftarot we read after Tisha B'Av ("Shiva D'Nichemta") surely get us excited that they're coming TRUE, and awaken us to yearn, dance & join the return to Zion! The short article also deals with the problems and solutions facing the American Jewish community as discussed at a recent panel, as well as the question why Jews come from America to Israel to help when we face problems, but Israelis don't come to aid Jews in America when they face anti-Semitism.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
