Parshat Ki Tisa (Exodus 30:11 – 34:35) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel — “And God spoke unto Moses: Take sweet spices – nataf, shelet and helbena – these sweet spices with pure frankincense [levona], all of an equal weight” [Ex. 30:34]. Suddenly, I felt myself awakened during a flight by a rather startling question. …
Parshat Tetzaveh (Exodus 27:20 – 30:10) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – “You shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under Heaven; do not forget!” [Deut. 25:19]. Parshat Zachor – Deuteronomy 25:17-19 Each year on Shabbat Zachor, the Sabbath that precedes the festival of Purim, we read from a selection in the Book of Deuteronomy …
Parshat Terumah (Exodus 25:1 – 27:19) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel — “And the cherubs shall spread their wings on high, spreading over the kapporet, as they face one another; towards the Kapporet shall they face” [Ex. 25:20]. Concerning the construction of the Holy Ark and the cherubs, two technical textual questions are raised …
Parshat Mishpatim (Exodus 21:1-24:18) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel — “And he took the Book of the Covenant, and read it into the ears of the nation, and they said, ‘Everything that the Lord has spoken we shall do and we shall understand” [Ex. 23:7]. At Sinai, the Jewish nation entered into its second covenant with God, a pact based …
Parshat Yitro (Exodus 18:1-20:23) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – “And the entire nation responded together and said, “Everything the Lord has spoken we shall do” (Ex. 19:8). Religious coercion has long threatened Israeli society, bringing to the surface all the tensions inherent in our unprecedented experiment of maintaining …
Parshat Beshalach (Exodus 13:17-17:16) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel — “And when Israel saw the great hand that God had wielded against the Egyptians, the people feared God; they had faith in God and in His servant, Moses” [Ex. 14:31]. Why does the heart of the Haggadah almost completely omit mention of Moses, limiting him to one “cameo” …
This week’s edition is dedicated in memory of Edith “Ginny” Nusbaum (Frumit Bat Yosseif, ע”ה) by her loving husband, Dr. Mark Nusbaum and family Mr. Dan and Mrs. Shari Weil and family, Toronto Dr. Mark and Mrs. Suzy Pomper and family, Miami Beach Mr. Larry and Mrs. Naomi Pinczower and family, Ramat Beit Shemesh Dr. Joshua and …
Parshat Vaera (Exodus 6:2-9:35) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel — “These are Aaron and Moses, whom God has said are to take out the People of Israel from the land of Egypt…they are Moses and Aaron” [Ex. 6:26-27]. By virtue of an acclaimed Broadway production of recent vintage, many have come to a renewed appreciation of the fascinating …
Parshat Shemot(Exodus 1:1-6:1) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel –– “And Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” [Ex. 3:11] It is “received wisdom” that successful leaders must possess a certain level of ego and degree of narcissism in order to …
Parshat Vayechi (Genesis 47:28-50:26) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel — “And when the days of mourning for Jacob were over, Joseph spoke to the house of Pharaoh saying, ‘If now I have found favor in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, My father made me swear, and he declared: I am dying. In my grave that I have …