“Redemption: When the World Will Accept our Teaching” — Rabbi Shlomo Riskin’s thoughts on Parshat Re’eh
Rabbi Shlomo Riskin
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Parshat Reeh (Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17) Rabbi David Stav Our Torah portion this week, Re’eh, is replete with religious and social mitzvot, of which one is to take place during the Sh’nat Sh’mitah, the Sabbatical Year: the principle of Sh’mitat K’safim – the absolution of debt. Simply put, all creditors must absolve their debtors from repaying debt in …
This week’s edition is dedicated in celebration of the 3rd birthday of Yakira Bryna Elison — 28 Av by her loving grandparents, Ian and Bernice Charif of Sydney, Australia Parshat Re’eh (Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – “See, I am giving before you this day a blessing and a curse…” (Deut 11:26) So opens …
Parshat Ekev (Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25) Rabbi David Stav In Parshat Ekev, Moshe continues his series of farewell addresses to the People of Israel. I would like to focus on the promising and encouraging component of his address that describes the virtues of the Land of Israel, which is “…a land with brooks of water, fountains and depths …
Parshat Ekev (Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – “And it shall come to pass, because you hearken to these laws, safeguarding and keeping them, that the Lord your God shall keep the covenant with you and the mercy that He swore unto your ancestors, and He will love you, and …
Parshat Vaetchanan (Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – “When it shall be difficult for you, all of these words [Heb: “devarim”] will find you at the end of the days, and you shall return to the Lord your God and hearken to His voice” [Deut. 4:30]. Curiously, our Sages …
Parshat Va’etchanan (Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11) Rabbi David Stav This coming Sabbath is called “Shabbat Nachamu”, in reference to the Haftarah, an excerpt from the Book of Yishayahu (Isaiah) that begins, “‘Comfort, comfort My people’, so says Hashem” [Is. 40:1]. This is the first of the Seven Haftarot of Consolation read every week between the Shabbat following Tisha …
Parshat Devarim (Deuteronomy 1:1 – 3:22) Rabbi David Stav This Shabbat, we will begin a new book of the Chumash, the Book of Devarim (Deuteronomy). The special name given to this Shabbat – Shabbat Chazon, which immediately precedes the fast day of Tisha b’Av – is associated with the first haftarah of the book of Deuteronomy, …
Parshat Devarim (Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel — “How (eichah) am I able to bear your contentiousness, your burdens and your quarrels?!” [Deut. 1:12] Just prior to the conclusion of the 1978 Camp David Accords, U.S. President Jimmy Carter submitted a letter for Prime Minister Menachem Begin that caused the …