Celebration in the Shadow of Death
Rebbe Akiva. He is the Jewish hero par excellence, which means that, on some level, his life story encapsulates the values and ideals of the Jewish people. And yet, perhaps not coincidentally, he lived in the shadow of death.
Street Cleaners
Based on one’s Torah stature in the community [one] must conduct himself beyond the measure of the law.
The Harsh Lesson of the Death of the 24,000 Talmidei Rebbi Akiva
We must know that the mitzvah of kavod haTorah is even greater than learning Torah. As the Gemara in Masechtas Megilla in the first perek states categorically that while learning Torah does not supersede the hearing of the megillah, giving honor to the Torah does.
Purim Bread?
One might say that the menorah and the ketoret were temidin, while the lechem hapanim was only switched once a week, on Shabbat. However, although it was only switched once a week, the lechem hapanim was on the shulchan every day, a korban in itself, a repeating miracle that occurred each day anew.
Barriers to Entry
Before the Kohen Gadol could come into G-d’s chamber with the blood of the sacrifice, there was a barrier to entry. That barrier is called lashon hara, slander. G-d cannot abide the presence of slanderers (Arachin 15b).
Torah Without Flour
Flour is the most basic ingredient needed to feed the body, but once it is made into bread, it becomes more associated with physical urges and pleasures and thus potentially detrimental to spiritual growth.
Torah Shorts: Jewish Demonology: Parshat Acharei Mot – Kedoshim
I don’t believe in ghosts. But I’m afraid of them.— Edith Wharton
Positive Reinforcement
The Talmud states that when a tzaddik does not pray for another person who needs to do teshuva, then the tzaddik becomes partially responsible for the sinner’s actions and liable for punishment.
Don’t Delay
Sometimes, the yetzer hara pushes us off until the summer – and then in the summer, he tells us that we need to rest in order to recharge our batteries before the coming winter.
The Secret of 33
The Ramban says that the word se'ir (goat) is also reminiscent of Eisav, who Yaakov describes as sa'ir (hairy).
Too Big For One’s Boots
Because one imagines oneself superior to others, one feels entitled to misappropriate their belongings or relationships, to withdraw any assistance from them, to lie under oath when it gives one a leg up, or if all else fails, to push people out of one’s way.
Sefirat Ha’Omer: The Transition From Animal To Human
Through the counting of the Omer, Rav Kook explains, we don’t so much transition from the animal barley to the human bread; rather, we unite these elements in ourselves. We connect Pesach with Shavuot – liberation from bondage followed by receiving the Torah.
The Heart Of The Matter
When one performs gemilus chesed he is really doing chesed for himself. The merit of helping another protects the individual himself as well as his entire family.
The Great Treasure Of Pirkei Avos
It is a shame that many do not open up a Pirkei Avos with a sense of thirst and exhilaration. Perhaps, if we would keep it in a glass case, and charge ten dollars per minute for a peek inside, people would better appreciate its value.
G-d’s Traffic Light
G-d does not immediately punish us or strike us down with a bolt of lightning if we speak lashon hara. He warns us in stages.
Focusing On The Pesach In Our Relationships
We ate matzah – boom! We received an injection of faith for the entire year. This dose of faith is absorbed into our bodies and souls. It doesn’t matter how we felt. Consciously or unconsciously, we have been transformed by this experience.
Glory In The Greatness Of The Great
Aharon was silent out of pride in his sons.
No Excuses
Why was it preferable, then, for Hashem to penalize Nadav and Avihu for their wrongdoing on this very special day during the chanukas hamishkan when it certainly detracted from the happiness of all the people gathered?
A Mikdash Menagerie
According to one opinion, the second keruv on the parochet was not a lion but had the face of an eagle! This eagle was present in both the first and second Batei Mikdash, until they were destroyed.
What The Maidservant Saw Upon The Sea
When Hashem judges us and confers upon us the things we deserve in this world, our Sages teach, He responds to us middah keneged middah, in a manner befitting the conduct we have exhibited.
The Miracle At The Red Sea
It is interesting to note that while everyone assumes that the drowning of the Egyptians in the Red Sea was punishment middah k’neged middah for drowning our children in the Nile, this is really not such a simple explanation.
What Makes This Shabbat Great
On the Shabbat before Pesach, Israel risked everything to begin offering the Korban Pesach, and in doing so we made ourselves great, making G-d that much greater in proportion. This manifestation of the Divine light of redemption – in just the moment we most needed to see it – was the greatest thing Hashem could do for us.
There But for the Grace of G-d Go I
Unlike the Olah which was entirely burned on the altar, only a handful of the flour, called the kometz, was burned on the altar (Vayikra 6:5).
Making Pesach with Our Hands
Involving our bodies in the holiness of looking for chametz or preparing for Shabbat is something that can become a habit. That is not to say that we shouldn’t use our minds to superimpose even greater meaning on these actions while we perform them. But it does mean that accustoming our bodies to do good things has value unto itself
Amen!
We are all believers. We believe in Hashem and all the Thirteen Principles of Faith. However, we are a work in progress, growing our emunah every moment of every day.
Being An Educator At The Seder
It is no coincidence that the seder night was when Yitzchak gave the blessings both to Yaakov and to Eisav, thus demonstrating his love for Eisav too!
Fire
Fire is something that belongs in Heaven, that is its place. It is therefore not difficult to understand that fire came down from Heaven onto the mizbe'ach. What is difficult to understand is the mitzvah for us to add our own fire.
The Purpose Of Korbanot
Sometimes, because of the low spiritual state of Israel going out of bondage, there are intermediate steps in order for growth to be achieved. The Rambam understands the sacrificial rite in this spirit. He sees the korbanot as serving a practical purpose in weaning Israel off of the idolatrous customs of primitive civilizations.
Self Made Men
When we perform a mitzvat aseh, like davening, putting on tefillin, sitting in the sukkah, keeping Shabbat, with full concentration, while putting aside all other thoughts and preoccupations, it pleases G-d no end, because it justifies His experiment in creating mankind.
Cultivating Wholesome Eyes
The Gemara teaches us that one who has three traits can consider himself a true talmid, a disciple, of Avraham Avinu. One of these traits is ayin tova, a good eye, which means the characteristic of seeing the good in everyone.
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