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![]() Kenneth CohenThe Times of Israel (Blogs) |
The Torah contains 613 Mitzvot. There are 248 positive commandments and 365 negative commandments. The Book of Bereishit only contains three Mitzvot:...
Parshat Bo is the culmination of the devastation of Egypt, when the final three plagues, were administered by G-d. It is interesting that before the...
The great moment of the exodus, finally arrives in this week’s Parsha. Hashem tells Moshe Rabbeinu that it is essential that this great story be...
The Orchot Tzaddikim is a fantastic book that teaches how to properly look at life. It also explains so much about human nature, and how to refine our...
We learn an interesting concept related to Pharaoh and the Ten Plagues. Although a major principle of Judaism, is that man has free will, there are...
The explanation in the Torah for the skepticism of the Jewish people to initially get excited about their impending exodus from Egypt, is quite...
The last few words of the previous Parsha was that G-d promises that we will be driven from the land of Egypt with a יד חזקה, a strong hand. The...
Parshat Va’era contains a description of the first seven plagues brought on the Egyptians. It begins with Hashem tells Moshe that He has heard the...
During the week long dialogue between Moshe Rabbeinu and Hashem, Moshe is given the reason why it’s time to redeem the Jewish people. Hashem tells...
King Pharoah made a fatal mistake when he asked a very bad question. His response to Moshe and Aharon when told that the G-d of Israel has commanded...
There is an amazing Midrash that explains Moshe’s words, when he said, “Now the matter is known.” The usual interpretation is that Moshe...
The Torah tells us that the more the Egyptians afflicted the Jewish people, the stronger they got. This was a lesson for future history. Somehow, the...
The question was asked regarding Batya, the daughter of Pharoah, who saved the life of Moshe, when he was in his basket in the Nile. How could it be...
The story of the exodus from Egypt, had many instances of מסירות נפש. These were the individuals who risked their lives in order to save...
The Torah reading for Yom Kippur afternoon warns that we must not act כמעשה מצרים, like the actions of the Egyptian community. The Rambam...
The Haftarah of last Shabbat, contains an important message for all of us. King David calls to his son, Shlomo, to give his final instructions before...
The Gemara in Masechet Sota indicates how clever Yosef was in his dealings with Pharoah. Although their relationship began on the right foot, Yosef...
We were introduced to the fatherly blessing of one’s sons, from Yakov Avinu’s blessing of Yosef’s two sons. Unlike the blessing for daughters,...
The Gemara in Baba Metzia tells how Yakov Avinu asked to become weaker in order to prepare his family for his death. Until Yakov, people did not...
The Midrash often sheds light to the narrative in the Torah, that clarifies a certain behavior. An example of this, was the behavior of the brothers,...
The final Parsha of the Book of Bereishit is called, סתומה, or sealed. It is the only place in the entire where one Torah portion for one week,...
It was very clear that Pharaoh was very impressed when he met Yakov Avinu. It was well known that Egypt was blessed with the presence of a holy man...
When Yosef was reunited with his brothers, his embracing Binyamin, was particularly moving. The Torah describes this reunion by telling us that Yosef...
It is interesting to note that when the brothers originally came with the news that Yosef was alive, Yakov did not believe them. It was only after...
The Gemara in Chagiga, tells how Rabbi Eliezer reacted upon reading of Yosef’s revealing himself to his brothers. When he reached the verse that...
Parshat Vayigash is one of the most emotional Parshiot in the Torah. It discusses the reunion between Yakov and Yosef, after being separated for...
The Baal Haturim has a different explanation in connection with the first meeting between Yosef and his brothers. The traditional explanation as to...
Rashi quotes a Gemara in Masechet Taanit, that gives an important warning for Jews for generations to come. He is referring to a conversation between...
In the Jewish calendar, Chanukah and Purim are two holidays that were ordained by the Rabbis. They were seen as significant, miraculous events, worthy...
There is a very powerful Pasuk that speaks of the remorse of the brothers, in how they treated Yosef. They expressed this after they were accused by...
The Talmud in Masechet Shabbat comments on Yosef’s “coat of many colors.” We should learn from here that a parent should not show favoritism...
The story of Yehuda and Tamar has an aspect to it, that could be connected to Chanukah. Tamar was the daughter of Shem the son of Noach. She was...
One of the important themes of Chanukah is פרסומי ניסא, advertising the miracle. We are to proudly acknowledge the miracle of Chanukah by...
The message of Chanukah has great relevance in our times, just as it did during the period of the Maccabees. The story of Purim was one of a threat...
The story of Yakov’s family going down to Egypt to become a nation, began with the strife created between Yosef and his brothers. The Torah tells...
The Baal Haturim has an interesting comment regarding the first Pasuk of Parshat Vayeshev. He claims that there is a significant message just from the...
The Talmud in Masechet Sanhedrin tells a very puzzling story. It describes the efforts of Timna, the daughter of one of the kings descending from...
There is a well known Midrash that describes the reunion between Yakov and Eisav. This is a very different explanation than what is understood from...
The commentators ask how Yakov Avinu was left alone and unprotected, that made him vulnerable to the attack of the angel that wrestled with him. ...
There is a classic question asked of Yakov Avinu. Why does the Torah tell us that he was struck with intense fear. After all, he had already received...
Yakov Avinu gave a total of 550 different animals to his brother, Eisav. This corresponds to the 550 animals offered in the course of the year, for...
There is some debate concerning Yakov Avinu’s approach in his dealing with Eisav. Many commentators felt that it wasn’t right the manner in which...
There is some question concerning Yakov Avinu’s prayer to Hashem, before leaving Israel to find a wife. He chose to make a נדר, or a vow. We...
The dialogue between Yakov Avinu and Lavan, is quite shocking. Lavan admits that Yakov’s G-d appeared to him in a dream. Had he not been told to...
Harav Avigdor Burstein of Rananim Synagogue made an interesting and original observation about Yakov Avinu. He referred to the incident where Yakov...
The marriage of Yakov to Leah and Rachel, has a point that is not given enough emphasis. This is the behavior of Rachel towards Leah, and how this was...
There is an interesting commentary from the Baal Haturim, that shows how a great deal can be learned from every detail of the Torah. When Yakov...
This week, the focus of the Torah shifts to Yakov Avinu. We learn of the struggles that he went through in his life. When Rivka convinced Yakov to...