Positive Social Structure

Why Not Put the Best Foot Forward?

The Challenges of Time and Unity – A Frank Discussion

Ask the Rabbi: Whose Responsibility Is Raising the Wall?

I built my house years before the next-door property was developed, with an approximately meter-high wall between properties. My property is 2 meters higher than the next one; now they are excavating to build the other house, there will be a 5-meter drop, which I feel makes it dangerous for my children. [He seems to be building according to the permit he received.] My neighbor had agreed to pay for raising the wall, but now is unwilling to pay the significant cost. We cordially disagree whether it is his obligation. Have I misjudged the matter?

Is Keeping the Old Going New?

Our parasha introduces the idea of an “eternal flame,” which, contrary to what many think, was not on the menora but on the larger mizbe’ach (altar) upon which most of the korbanot were brought.

Mishkan – The Great Travel Guide?

the sefer ends by discussing that the cloud stayed on top of the Mishkan until it was time for Bnei Yisrael to move. The movement of the cloud as a sign to travel is discussed at length, where it “should be” – in Sefer Bamidbar. So why does it conclude Sefer Shmot?

May a Tzaddik Request Tranquility?

Could it be wrong for a tzaddik to ask for tranquility and must he suffice only with reward in the World to Come?

Change in Human Initiative Pattern

One of the major themes in Sefer Bereishit is the contrasts between each of the righteous patriarchs and matriarchs. Let us focus on the nature of the struggles to emerge safely as a pillar of the Chosen Nation.

Hashem, Our Protector

Parashat Ha’azinu comes out a couple of days before Sukkot, and it is instructive to look for themes that are common to the two.

Make Sure your Head Is Straight

In the aftermath of the death of two of Aharon’s sons, who brought “a foreign fire” (Vayikra 10:1), the Torah commands kohanim not to drink wine or other intoxicating drinks before entering or serving in the holy sanctum (ibid. 9). The Torah goes on: “… and to make rulings for Bnei Yisrael on all of the statutes that Hashem spoke to them by Moshe’s hand” (ibid. 11).

The Great People Who Could

It would have been wise for the Egyptians,to have developed some of our forefathers into fine craftsmen who could have contributed to society. This would have come in handy for us, especially when we had the necessity to build the Mishkan. I Yet, I am unaware of statements of Chazal that speak of the artisans of the Mishkan having such training, and the p’sukim imply the opposite.

Why Them?

The Rambam, Rav Yisraeli, Bentching, and Aliya

In Search of the Place of Matza

The preparations for Pesach intensify with Rosh Chodesh falling out on Shabbat and the reading of Parashat Hachodesh. Parashat Hachodesh is the first mention in the Torah of eating matza in connection to Pesach. Matza is presented as a food that is eaten along with the Korban Pesach and that is eaten throughout the duration of the seven-day festival. We also find that one must remove chametz on the “first day” because it is forbidden to eat chametz all seven days (Shemot 12:15).

Purity and Repentance

We begin the reading of two special maftirs that remind Bnei Yisrael of the preparations for the upcoming central mitzva of the Korban Pesach (see Rashi, Megilla 29a). Parashat Para discusses the step of those who came in contact with the high level of tumah coming from a human corpse, who needed to purify themselves in order to bring the Korban Pesach. Next week’s Parashat Hachodesh reminds people generally about the need to prepare for the Korban Pesach with a variety of halachot to keep in mind.

Partial Understanding of Half

The six p’sukim of our maftir, known as Parashat Shekalim (Shemot 30:11-16), combine so many separate concepts that at first appear as referring to the same thing that it is difficult to keep things straight. At the center of it all, though, is the half-shekel coin. Let us see what it is apparently connected to.

Beginning Another Time Around

Sukkot is a complex time of the year. Within the holiday season, it is at the end of the season of the regalim, which starts with Pesach, in the first month of the Jewish calendar (Tishrei is the seventh, not the first month). In the agricultural year, which is so central to the calendar and the holidays, as described by the Torah (see Shemot 34:22), Sukkot is at (/near) the end of the harvest season, i.e., the end of the agricultural year. Therefore, at least if one has an optimistic perspective, this is a time of celebration, and we call it “z’man simchatenu.” This is a stark contrast to the mood of the recent Yamim Nora’im, which focus on fear and trepidation. Many explain Sukkot as a natural return to a more optimistic tone after hopefully succeeding in the spiritual “heavy lifting” of Yom Kippur.

Freedom – For Whose Sake?

After the seventh in a series of Shemitta cycles, Bnei Yisrael, in the time that “all its inhabitants” are in Eretz Yisrael, are commanded in the laws of Yovel (Vayikra 25:8-13). There are three main halachot: Jewish slaves are set free (ibid. 10); the land is not worked, as in the previous Shemitta year (ibid. 11); fields that were sold are returned to their original owner (ibid. 13).

Sukkot and Shabbat – What Type of Happiness?

The Vilna Gaon famously pointed out that there are two mitzvot that one fulfills with his whole body – living in Israel and living in a sukka. Of course this can be a cute physical observation, that there is no specific part of the body to which the mitzva applies. However, it is more likely that the intention is that these mitzvot apply to one’s whole persona.

What is Mishpat Tzedek?

As we are in the practice of doing for Parashat Shoftim, we will once again deal with an issue that is connected to the work of our Eretz Hemdah-Gazit beit din network, which serves a broad spectrum of society throughout Israel. (One can find back-issues on our website).