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Kenneth CohenThe Times of Israel (Blogs) |
The Alshich makes a comparison between Moshe Rabbeinu’s sending the spies, and Yehoshua’s decision to also send spies before conquering Jericho....
There is a dispute among the Rishonim related to the Halacha of waiting six hours after eating meat, before eating dairy. The consensus opinion is to...
The case in the Torah of the מתאוננים, the complainers, caused Moshe Rabbeinu to throw up his hands in despair. He asked Hashem for help in...
The trumpets, also known as “חצוצרות”had a special role to play in the desert and in the Temple. In the desert, it was a call for the camp...
The Alshich described how special it was when the משכן was completed in the desert. This took place on the first of Nissan, almost a year after...
The Alshich gave a description of how the Jewish people traveled in the desert. There were times when they stayed in a specific location for many...
The Menorah in the Temple was a fascinating spiritual object. There was a great deal of mysticism attached to it. The Alshich wrote that there was a...
It is not possible for any Jew to observe all 613 commandments even when the Temple was standing. A case in point is that many Mitzvot apply only to...
The Torah teaches us the laws related to the Nazir. This refers to an individual who usually takes a vow that lasts thirty days. During this time, he...
The case of the woman suspected of being faithful to her husband, known as “Sotah,” is very perplexing. This woman is claiming her innocence,...
The Torah gave instructions to send outside of the camp three different individuals who were in a state of impurity. The one who came in contact with...
The beauty of the Torah is not only the profound wisdom and truth contained in it, but it is also an ongoing set of laws, waiting to be uncovered. It...
Shavuot is the holiday when we celebrate the greatest day in human history. The Revelation on Mount Sinai when all of Israel heard G-d speak was...
The Tribe of Levi was counted differently from the other tribes of Israel. They were counted from one month in age rather than twenty years, as was...
The Book of Bamidbar begins with the command to count the Jewish males from the age of twenty to sixty. The purpose of the counting was to bring the...
King David in his Book of Psalms, describes Jerusalem as עיר שחברה לה יחדיו, “a city that is united together.” It is the only city...
Yom Yerushalayim is the newest holiday in the Jewish calendar. We celebrate the great victory of the Six Day War, when the entire city was back in...
Twice a year, the Torah gives us the תוכחה, or rebuke. The first comes before Shavuot, and the second one before Rosh Hashanah. It is a very...
The Alshich makes an interesting comment about wealth and poverty. He wrote that it is a much greater challenge to be wealthy rather than to be poor....
It is interesting to note that both in Parshat Behar and in Parshat Bechkotai, we have the verse, וישבתם לבטח בארצכם, “And you shall...
It is fitting that the laws that follow the Sabbatical and Jubilee years, deal with the subject of אונאה. In spoken Hebrew, this is the word used...
The Torah teaches us about the laws of the “Yovel,” the jubilee year that takes place every fifty years. The verse related to Yovel, appears on...
The Mitzva of “Shmitta,” the Sabbatical year, was chosen as the example of a law given on Mount Sinai. These laws are similar to those of Shabbat,...
The Chazon Ish pointed out a very serious problem connected with the attitude towards money matters. He wrote that when someone is embroiled in a...
There is a concept in Halacha that says, בית דין של מטה גוזר, בית דין של מעלה מקיים, “When the earthly court...
The laws related to the holidays begin with the laws of Shabbat. The difference between Shabbat and the festivals, is that the latter are determined...
One of the more difficult Mitzvot to observe is the commandment not to desecrate the Name of G-d. What goes hand in hand with this Mitzva, is that we...
Among the laws related to the Kohanim, there is one law that is learned from the word, וקדשתו, “And you must sanctify him.” Generally, this...
The Alshich on numerous occasions, points out that it was never G-d’s intention that there should be death in the world. It was all connected to the...
The Talmud in Masechet Brachot makes an interesting observation. Since the time of the destruction of the Temple, 1,958 years ago, the Holy One...
There is a well known verse in the Torah that contains three ideas. We are to fear our mother and father, we are to keep Shabbat, and remember Hashem....
The Alshich commented on the general requirement to observe all of the commandments of the Torah. It is clear that one can truly live by these laws in...
The Torah gives very clear instructions as to how we are to treat the convert. It is speaking of the stranger who accepts upon himself to observe the...
Parshat Acharei Mot gives all of the details related to the Yom Kippur. Clearly, this day was a convergence of the holiest day of the year, in the...
The theme of Yom Ha’atzmaut, is giving thanks to Hashem for returning us to Eretz Yisrael, and establishing the State of Israel. It was established...
The philosophy of Rav Kook is summarized by the following quote, that describes the Tzaddikim of this world: “The purely righteous do not complain...
The source for the laws of Family Purity come from a description of a state of female impurity, known as זבה, “Zava.” The word itself means...
The Alshich comments that we should be grateful for the make up of the human body. Death is reflected by the soul leaving the body. But while the soul...
Usually, the Parshiot of Tazria and Metzora, are read together. Although Tazria begins with the subject of a woman giving birth, the main subject is...
The Torah speaks of the difference for a woman giving birth to a male, rather than a female. The amount of impurity connected with a female, is double...
This year, the period we are in that commemorates Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Day, Yom Hazikaron, Remembrance Day for our fallen soldiers, and Yom...
Many years ago, a Noachide couple were invited to speak to a group of students at Machon Meir. The couple were raised Christian, but abandoned their...
Rav Dovid Grossman of Migdal Haemek, told a fascinating story of how he was instrumental in helping a stewardess become an observant Jew. The...
Immediately after Aharon is given the news about the death of his two beloved sons, he is expected to carry on his duties as the newly inaugurated...
In Parshat Shemini, we read of the sin of Nadav and Avihu on the day of the dedication of the Mishkan. The day that should have been so joyous, was...
The Jewish people left Egypt on the fifteenth of Nissan, corresponding to the first day of Pesach. This took place 2448 years of creation. Since we...
The theme of Pesach is the prohibition of eating Chametz. Specifically, this refers to the dough rising and turning into leaven. Matza is referred to...
This year Pesach is unique as we are in the middle of a war. It is also special in that the original exodus from Egypt took place on a Thursday, and...
This Shabbat, the Songs of Songs, “Shir Hashirim,” is read in Ashkenazi synagogues. The book hints to the time of ultimate redemption, which is...
The commandment to eat from the Pesach sacrifice is one of two positive commandments that carry the prohibition of “Karet” for its...
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