This Dvar Torah is in honor of my beautiful son, Azariah Simcha, who had is bris yesterday. This is a very auspicious week to have a Bris, as the third pasuk in the Parsha is: וּבַיּוֹם, הַשְּׁמִינִי, יִמּוֹל, בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתו And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised I would… Continue reading The Significance of a Bris
Tag: Kli Yakar
Human Master or Divine Authority?
In this week’s parsha, the Torah discusses the laws of eved ivri – a Jew who is sold as an indentured servant to another Jew. If a man steals and cannot afford to pay restitution, he is sold into slavery for up to 6 years. Alternatively, a man can voluntarily, because of severe poverty, choose… Continue reading Human Master or Divine Authority?
Keeping Perspective
וַיַּסַּע מֹשֶׁה אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל מִיַּם-סוּף, וַיֵּצְאוּ אֶל-מִדְבַּר-שׁוּר; וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁלֹשֶׁת-יָמִים בַּמִּדְבָּר, וְלֹא-מָצְאוּ מָיִם. וַיָּבֹאוּ מָרָתָה–וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לִשְׁתֹּת מַיִם מִמָּרָה, כִּי מָרִים הֵם; עַל-כֵּן קָרָא-שְׁמָהּ, מָרָה. וַיִּלֹּנוּ הָעָם עַל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר, מַה-נִּשְׁתֶּה. יִּצְעַק אֶל-יְהוָה, וַיּוֹרֵהוּ יְהוָה עֵץ, וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ אֶל-הַמַּיִם, וַיִּמְתְּקוּ הַמָּיִם; שָׁם שָׂם לוֹ חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט, וְשָׁם נִסָּהוּ. And Moshe led Israel onward from the Sea of Reeds, and… Continue reading Keeping Perspective
Femininity at the Sea
“And Miriam the Prophetess, the sister of Aharon, took the tambourine in her hand and she went out with all the women after her in music and dancing. And Miriam answered them, “Sing to HaShem, for He is greater than the great, horse and rider He has plunged into the sea!” (Exodus 15;20-21) After Moshe… Continue reading Femininity at the Sea
Becoming a Nation
There is a book called The Fugu Plan, which tells the story of a Japanese plot to encourage Jews to move to Japan following World War II. The Japanese leadership was presented with a translated copy of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion and, in a move entirely at odds with other nations’ reactions… Continue reading Becoming a Nation
The Power of Names
This week’s Dvar Torah is dedicated for a Refuah Sheleima for Sarah Freida bat Shoshana. הַמַּלְאָךְ הַגֹּאֵל אֹתִי מִכָּל-רָע, יְבָרֵךְ אֶת-הַנְּעָרִים, וְיִקָּרֵא בָהֶם שְׁמִי, וְשֵׁם אֲבֹתַי אַבְרָהָם וְיִצְחָק; וְיִדְגּוּ לָרֹב, בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ. The angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named in them, and the name… Continue reading The Power of Names
Man vs. Animal
In its opening chapter, the Torah discusses the creation of the heavens, earth, animals, Man and finally Shabbat. In Chapter 2, the Torah takes a step back to describe the creation of man in more detail. In Bereishit 2:7 it says: וַיִּיצֶר יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים אֶת-הָאָדָם, עָפָר מִן-הָאֲדָמָה, וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו, נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים; וַיְהִי הָאָדָם, לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה… Continue reading Man vs. Animal