“Then”, Moshe and the Children of Israel shall sing By Rabbanit Rachel Reinfeld-Wachtfogel, Rabbanit of OTS Jennie Sapirstein Junior High and High School for Girls in Ramot, Jerusalem On the seventh day of Passover, we will read (individually this year, in our homes) a passage of the Torah describing one of the greatest and most …
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Shabbat Shalom: Pesach 5780 By Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – That Moses’ name is not mentioned even once in the Haggadah is one of the fascinating paradoxes in our tradition – the person who dedicated his entire life towards redeeming people is removed from the limelight on the one night when we focus all …
Parshat Tzav: Gratitude from Time Immemorial Rabbanit Sally Mayer is the Rosh Midrasha of Midreshet Lindenbaum‘s Maria and Joel Finkle Overseas Program Why does the korban toda – the thanksgiving offering – involve so much bread, which is eaten very hastily; and how does birkat hagomel – the thanksgiving prayer – substitute for it after the Beit …
Shabbat Shalom: Parshat Tzav (Leviticus 6:1-8:36) By Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – “And brought near the second ram, the consecration-inauguration ram, and Aaron and his sons leaned their hands upon the head of the ram. And slaughtered it” (Lev. 8:22-23) The second part of our portion of Tzav deals with the seven-day induction ceremony of …
Parshat Vayikra: Accepting God’s Commandments, Especially when we don’t Understand Rabbi Reuven Spolter is the director of OTS Amiel BaKehilla Many years ago, in a discussion about the Passover Seder with a rabbinic colleague who happened to be a vegetarian, he explained that instead of a shank bone he would place a piece of sweet …
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This week’s “Shabbat Shalom” has been dedicated by Mike Aron in honor of Issy Aron, a remarkable example of Chesed, Resilience and Emunah Shabbat Shalom: Parshat Vayikra (Leviticus 1:1-5:26) By Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – “He called to Moses, and the Lord spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting saying…” (Leviticus 1:1) So opens …
Parshat Vayakhel-Pekudei: “Chochmat nashim banta beita“- The wisdom of a Woman Builds her Home Is the spinning of yarn mentioned in this week’s Parsha laudatory or derogatory? Adv. Tamar Oderberg is an attorney at Yad La’isha: The Monica Dennis Goldberg Legal Aid Center and Hotline “And all the skilled women spun with their own hands, …
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Shabbat Shalom: Parshat Vayakhel-Pekudei (Exodus 35:1 – 40:38) By Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – “You shall not kindle a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day” (Exodus 35:3) The Sages of the Talmud query the significance of this verse; after all, the Bible commands us in several places not to do …
Parshat Ki Tissa: Tablets and Fragments Did Moses break the tablets because he was shocked by the Golden Calf, or was it premeditated? Rabbi Shlomo Brown, Executive Director of Midreshet Lindenbaum “As soon as Moses came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, he became enraged; and he hurled the tablets from his …
Shabbat Shalom: Parshat Ki Tisa (Exodus 30:11 – 34:35) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the Two Tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord” (Exodus 34:29) What is the significance …
Parshat Tetzaveh: Moses is Missing…Really? David Nekrutman is the Executive Director of Ohr Torah Stone’ Hertog Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation (CJCUC). The observational humor of Jerry Seinfeld has made audiences laugh for decades. His take and comic delivery on human behavior has even caused an existential crisis for many who buy donut …
Shabbat Shalom: Parshat Tetzaveh (Exodus 27:20 – 30:10) By Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – “Now you bring near to yourself Aaron your brother and his sons with him…. to minister to Me. You shall make vestments of sanctity for Aaron your brother, for honor and splendor” (Exodus 28:1,2) The two leaders during this interim …
