The Ultimate Challenge
Moshe Rabeinu has been through a lot in the last two years. He’s been Hashem’s shaliach to bring the people out of Egypt, performed miracles, split the sea, not to mention being the conduit for Torah descending from Heaven to Earth. You might think that he would...
The Hearts Judgement
There are a few things in the Mishkan and in the Beit HaMikdosh that were Tamid or constant. Ner Tamid = There was always a fire burning. Korban Tamid - There was a sacrifice offered daily and then a third which is not usually on the list. “And Aaron shall bear the...
Re-Experiencing Sinai
As we left Mount Sinai we began building a sanctuary in the desert. Sinai and the Tabernacle were not independent concepts. The Ramban taught that the purpose of the Mishkan was to replicate Sinai. The experience of millions of Jews at Sinai had to remain with us as...
Knowing When To Stop
The Torah speaks about the realities of life. The Parsha opens with a story about a man who has fallen on hard times. He has no funds and feels that he has no choice but to sell himself as a slave. “Six years you shall work, and on the seventh year you shall go free.”...
Our (Jewish) National Debt
With all the miracles that took place in Egypt, one would think that there could be a better way to get rich. Moshe in the name of God commands and even begs the People of Israel to “borrow” as much gold and silver as they can from the Egyptians. We have no apparent...
Geulah in Beit Shemesh
Based on a shiur by Rabbi Yaacov Haber Did you hear it? There was a Kol Torah in Beit Shemesh! No, I don't mean the beautiful sounds of the cheders and batei midrashim you can hear buzzing as you walk down the street. This time the Torah itself cried out. On Sunday...
We Are All Just A Little Bit Blind
Yitzchak was blind. Had he been able to see, the history of the world would have been different. Instead of giving his monumental blessing to his son Yaakov, he would have given the blessing to his other son Eisav and the geula would have been in the hands of Eisav’s...
Do the Right Thing
The Rambam, Maimonides, wrote a book of Jewish Law. He wrote other books of philosophy and many letters which addressed the soaring needs of his time. But, Mishneh Torah is a Book of Law. He begins the section on the laws of ‘Idolatry’ or Avodas Kochavim, with a brief...
Letting Go
These are my words at Kehillat Shivtei Yeshurun, Ramat Beit Shemesh this Rosh HaShanah. They are still pertinent today. The words that I’d like to share with you tonight actually took me about 50 years to prepare. Tonight, as we greet Rosh HaShanah into our lives, I’d...
