Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
- Vayakhel
- Jewish Laws and Thoughts
- Jewish Laws and Customs
- Kohanim
kills another may not duchen, as the pasuk says,
(Yeshayahu 1:15) "When you spread out your palms,
I will hide My eyes from you." Some hold this
only applies to killing a Jew; others hold it
applies to both a Jew or a non-Jew, & includes a
Jew serving in a foreign army. But Rav Ovadia
Yosef, quoting the pasuk, "One who comes to kill
you, kill him first," rules that a chayal in the
IDF who kills an enemy soldier/terrorist may
duchen. "Indeed, he writes, "if the soldier
hesitates in opening fire, who knows how many
Jews would be killed, & he will have transgressed
the prohibition, ‘Do not stand idly by your
brothers’ blood.’ Hashem has granted the soldier
the merit to eliminate the terrorists – who wish
to murder all of our people - & save his fellow
Jews before they are harmed. For sure he will be
rewarded in Heaven for his heroic act." May
Hashem protect our holy soldiers from harm &
grant them victory in their courageous struggle.
Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudey
Shmot Draws to a Close
Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed | 5749-5751
What links the size of the world and the size of the tabernacle?
Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu | Adar I 23 5782
We’re half-way there already!
Rabbi Stewart Weiss | 21 Adar ll 5784
