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The Torah study is dedicatedin the memory of
simha bat hana
Moshe turned to Hashem, as a response to the command that he lead Bnei Yisrael out of Egypt, saying: "I am not a man of words, not from yesterday, not from two days ago, not from the time that You spoke to Your servant" (Shemot 3:10). With all of the Divine Help he was promised, why did Moshe doubt that he would be successful in his mission? Also, why does Moshe stress "not from yesterday, not from two days ago"? Wasn’t the phrase, "from the time that You spoke to Your servant" sufficient?
We have to understand that the task of carrying out the Exodus was a difficult and complex one that took time and had different elements to accomplish. One "station" had to be reached before one could go on to the next. The first element was to convince Bnei Yisrael that the time had come for them to go free. The second was to convince Paroh that he should or would have to let them go. Along with him, Aharon and the elders were supposed to play roles, but that was not always easy, either. We see that the elders accompanied Moshe when he talked with Bnei Yisrael, but when it came to confronting Paroh, their absence is conspicuous, and Chazal, cited by Rashi, deal with the consequences of their failure.
In the aftermath of the apparently failed demand of Paroh that he let Bnei Yisrael go, there were painful consequences. Paroh increased the amount of work that they were required to do. Although they no longer received the straw with which to make bricks, they were required to produce the same amount of bricks that they did "from yesterday and two days ago" (Shemot 5:7). This phrase is repeated in this context three times, stressing its centrality to the episode. When we return back to the story of the burning bush and Moshe’s reservations about his ability to succeed, we now can understand it better. Moshe turned to Hashem and stressed to him that the "yesterday and two days ago" is the proof that he was not being successful. Those key words were the evidence that since he started his mission, things had only gotten worse. From that point, Hashem had to assure him that despite the apparent failures, He would ensure that Moshe would indeed succeed at liberating Bnei Yisrael.
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P'ninat Mishpat A Non-Contractor in Changing Times – part II
(based on ruling 85128 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Moreshet Shaul Hashem Is your Shadow – part II
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 420 – an address from 1941
Parashat Hashavua Happiness for the Right Reasons
[With painful longing, we share these divrei Torah from our co-Rosh Kollel for close to 40 years, Harav Moshe Ehrenreich zt”l.]
Israel and the Nations A Few Minutes & Many Innovative Ideas on Antisemitism & What to do About It
As we approach the High Holidays, this short lecture (18 minutes) deals with the unfortunate situation of how Israel and the Jewish People stand against antisemitism, analyzing its cause according to Rav Kook, and how to deal with the issue pragmatically & via our prayers.
Ha'azinu PURSUIT is PERFECTION
p. Ha'azinu, Shabbat Shuva
Rav Kook deals with the question of the seemingly hopeless nature of Tshuva. For G-d Himself knows that He created us with free will, which inevitably means we will sometimes make mistakes and choose wrong. This can easily be frustrating, freezing us into inaction and ye'ush (loss of hope). If one sins even once, does he chalila have no choice but suicide?! Moreover, our Godly conscience demands justice, righteousness and perfection, but we all know this is impossible, so what's the solution? Rav Kook's innovative thinking, strongly based on chazal (our sages), offers an inciteful and important aspect to this topic, especially this time of year!
Sukkot Bug-Free Sukkah: Essential Halachic and Practical Schach Guide
How to inspect, clean, and store bamboo mats and palm branches to protect your mitzvah and holiday meals.
