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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bereshit
- Miketz
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Hanukkah
- The Meaning of Hanukkah
In this week’s sedra of Miketz, Yosef rises to power, becoming, for all practical purposes, the primary mover and shaker in all of Egypt. This, of course, is an astounding transformation, for only yesterday the Hebrew slave-boy was languishing in the dungeon-pit, with no foreseeable hope in sight; and now, the entire nation bows to him and pays him homage.
What is so striking to me is that Yosef – by virtue of his outstanding virtue in not violating Potiphar’s wife – is the subject of slander and false accusations. He conducts himself in a noble and moral fashion, and yet his name is vilified. Despite all this, Yosef remains calm & maintains
his ethical stature, as well as his belief system. And he is ultimately vindicated, as Hashem takes up his cause.
Flash forward: We live in a world where Am Yisrael is constantly being condemned and falsely accused of all types of indignities. We are branded as criminals and terrorists by those who are the REAL terrorists, and the world – clueless in the extreme – often swallows these lies whole. In particular, the State of Israel is under constant attack, our enemies claiming we have no right to this land, no history in this land, no place here at all.
Enter Chanuka. This is the one ancient holiday of ours which confirms the truth of our historic link to the land: We lived here, we fought here, we prayed here. Here we built our Bet HaMikdash in our capital of Yerushalayim and reclaimed it from the Syrian-Greeks. Unlike the Palestinians – who never lived here as a nation, who fabricate a fairy-tale history and impose it upon an ignorant world - the Jewish People are authentic, indigenous, eternal. This is our land, now and forever.
Every single time a Jew – anywhere in the world – lights a Chanuka light, he or she is affirming the unbreakable connection between Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael. Each candle, each drop of oil, illuminates the rightness of our mission, and dispels the darkness cast by Islam on the truth. Each Chanukiya in every Jew's home is a personal Ner Tamid which testifies to our immortal existence here.
And this is indeed the connection to Yosef. Just as he was able to go on, despite all the lies said about him and all the suffering it brought him, so, too, will we not falter in strengthening our presence in Israel and our building of the State. And, like Yosef, we will ultimately be shown to be correct, and our holy cause will be confirmed.
Those little lights, and the Rock of Ages upon which they rest, will see us through all the way to Redemption.
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)
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Shoftim TESHUVA IN COURT OF LAW?
Parshat Shoftim-Chodesh Elul
Why does parshat Shoftim always come out during Elul? This innovative and central explanation is an eye-opener regarding many aspects of Judaism.
The Month of Elul TESHUVA IS THE ANSWER
The month of Elul serves as a vital time for self-reflection and personal accountability to prepare for true repentance.
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)
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: 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)
Chemdat Yamim The Goal of an Agricultural Yeshiva – part II
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the cornerstone laying for the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh – 1938)
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the cornerstone laying for the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh – 1938)
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
