Yeshiva
Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
- Shmot
was created at dusk & given to Adam in Gan Eden.
Adam then gave it to Chanoch & it passed over to
Noach, Shem, Avraham, Yitzchak & Yakov. Yakov
took it to Egypt & gave it to Yosef. When Yosef
died, his house was looted & it was brought to
Paro. Yitro, one of Paros magicians, took the
staff & planted it in his garden. In a
pre-Excalibur fashion, no one could extract it
until Moshe did, prompting Yitro to recognize
Moshe's greatness & give him Tzipora as a wife.
Some say D'tzach Adash B'Achav (the initials of
the plagues) were inscribed on the staff; others
say that it was the name of G-d. Some hold this
was the same rod which Ahron used (which
miraculously blossomed & so proved Ahron's
legitimacy) & was then later placed near the Aron
Kodesh as a memorial; others say it was
eventually sliced into 12 parts, with a part
given to the heads of each Shevet.
One thing is clear: A leader is only as great as his staff!
Rabbi Stewart Weiss
Was ordained at the Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Illinois, and led congregations in Chicago and Dallas prior to making Aliyah in 1992. He directs the Jewish Outreach Center in Ra'anana, helping to facilitate the spiritual absorption of new olim.
Jewish Laws and Thoughts Shul “etiquette:” can we honor Hashem while respecting our fellow congregants?
Rabbis in Midrash
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