R’ Hirsch connects the first 5 Commandments to the last 5 in a general sense, but I think there’s a 1-to-1 parallel we can draw between them, with an important (and scary) lesson that comes out of it.
Category: Chaggim
And Aharon was Silent
As I was driving home today, watching the sun set on Yom HaShoah, I was thinking about the siren earlier today, and what two minutes of silent contemplation can accomplish. In shul this past week, we read וידום אהרון which we usually translate as “And Aharon was silent.” Aharon’s two oldest sons, Nadav and Avihu,… Continue reading And Aharon was Silent
What’s your goal on Seder night?
What are we actually trying to do on Seder night? What is the goal of the Haggadah and the seder in general? You can say “to teach my kids about leaving Egypt”, but what about people who don’t have kids? Or their kids fall asleep? And even if you have kids, it should be transformational… Continue reading What’s your goal on Seder night?
Why We Drink
In Parshat Shemini, after Nadav and Avihu are killed, Aharon is instructed by Hashem not to drink wine when serving in the Beit HaMikdash. Some commentators even say that Nadav and Avihu’s sin was that they were inebriated while bringing their sacrifice. When that commandment is given to Aharon, a reason is also provided: .וַיְדַבֵּר… Continue reading Why We Drink
Marriage to G-d
In the Hagadah, we quote the Pasuk in Shemos 12:12– “Viavarti beeretz Mitrayim balaylah hazeh, vihakisi kol bachor beeretz Mitrayim, maadam viad behama, vechol Elok-ay Mitzrayim eeseh shephatim ani Hashem.” “And I passed over Egypt and killed every firstborn in Egypt, from animal to person and to all of the Egyptian G-d’s I did justice,… Continue reading Marriage to G-d
הקדמה לליל הסדר
When a Jew sits down at the table on the night of the Passover Seder, he engages in an endeavor to answer key questions about his life: Who is he, and why is his life lived as it is? This is primarily an exercise in memory—his own and that of his people—as he must ask… Continue reading הקדמה לליל הסדר
Pesach- Eat Right!
A thought from Rav Shimshon Pincus, Tz”l on pesach. Rav Pincus explains that our eating on Pesach is unique. It is the only holiday in the Torah, besides for eating karbanos/sacrifices in general, in which the commandment to eat something is focused on the particular food that you are supposed to eat. There are many times… Continue reading Pesach- Eat Right!
Is Honey Chametz?
As Sefer Vayikra begins, we are all keenly aware that Pesach is approaching and the smell of cleaning products is in the air. We have just completed Sefer Shmot with a month of Torah readings describing the construction of the Mishkan and now we begin to read about all the different Korbanot offered therein. One… Continue reading Is Honey Chametz?
Shabbat Duality: The Value of Inaction
In this week’s Parsha, right after discussing the details of the construction of the Mishkan the Hashem instructs Moshe to tell the Jewish people about Shabbat. There it states (in full): וְאַתָּה דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֵאמֹר,אַךְ אֶת-שַׁבְּתֹתַי, תִּשְׁמֹרוּ: כִּי אוֹת הִוא בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם, לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם–לָדַעַת, כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶם. וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם, אֶת-הַשַּׁבָּת, כִּי קֹדֶשׁ הִוא, לָכֶם; מְחַלְלֶיהָ,… Continue reading Shabbat Duality: The Value of Inaction
Judging a book by its cover
Contrary to common belief and practice, there are very few instances where Judaism actually cares about what clothing you wear. This weekend we will experience two out of the four such instances. These are: Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, when we wear white; Tu B’Av, when single girls borrow each others’ dresses; Purim, when we… Continue reading Judging a book by its cover