TORAH SHORTS: Parshat Beshalach: Tactical Deception and Clueless Pawns
Those who are skilled in producing surprises
Are as infinitely varied as heaven and earth,
And as inexhaustible as the great rivers. -Sun Tzu
The Tree Of The Field (Part II)
The overarching texts and principles that guide the Seder Tu B’Shvat are the two trees that were created in the Garden of Eden and the biblical passage stating that the human being is a tree of the field (Devarim 20:19).
Natural Miracles
Seeing the Egyptians close in on them, the Jews did what they had originally done to escape oppression; they cried out to G-d to save them. But this time, G-d threw the ball into their court and said, “a titzak elei, daber el benei Yisrael veyisau – Why are you crying out to me, speak to the Israelites and let them start moving (14:15).
The Art Of Silence (Part II)
This concept is consistent with the Gemara in Masechtas Sanhedrin that states categorically, Adam la’amal peh nivrah – A person was created primarily for the toil of the mouth. In other words, the greatest arena of achievement in life is in one’s control of their speech.
A Compassionate Heart
In order to perform acts of kindness with each other, they would each have to overlook the deficits and defects of the other.
Making Music
Even the animals have been singing to G-d every day, since Creation. Every time you hear a bird chirping, a rooster crowing, a donkey braying etc., they are singing praise to G-d. If you want to know what they are singing, refer to Sefer Perek Shira.
The First Mitzva – Parshat Bo
How does the bracha of kiddush levana relates to Kabalas Pnei HaShechina?
These Are My People
For 210 years, they labored in Egypt under extremely harsh conditions. But like a small child with a dirty shirt, they didn’t even realize how inappropriate it was for them to be slaves.
Redeeming Relevance: The Importance of Being Alone
" I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."
Henry David Thoreau
Be A Living Example
The Kerem Shlomo says further that if the children receive a Torah true chinuch they can recognize that their parents seek Hashem, and they are therefore galvanized to give over that same chinuch to their children.
The Art Of Silence (Part I)
The fundamental idea of how important is the trait and the power of keeping ones mouth shut is echoed in Pirkei Avos where it teaches us, Shimon b’no omeir, Kol yomai gadalti bein hachachamim, v’lo matzasi l’guf tov m’shtika – Shimon, his [Rabban Gamli’eil’s] son said, All my life I grew up amongst the sages and I never found anything better for the body than the art of silence.
Four Rosh Hashanas – Tu B’Shvat (Part I)
In the fascinating and unjustifiably obscure text Semichat Chachamim by R’ Naftali Katz HaCohen, the question is asked why Rosh Hashana in Tishrei and the one in Nissan, the new year for kings and for festivals, seem to be reversed.
First Born
According to Meir Panim, the entire episode of Am Yisrael in Egypt and the Exodus, was to atone for this sin. This is why we are commanded to eat matzos when we left Egypt, to atone for the chametz bread baked by Chava.
Why Frogs? – Parshat Va’era
Offhand, one could think of scarier pests than frogs.
The Language Of Redemption
It is possible to be enslaved but not to suffer brutality, and also to be tormented without being a slave.
The Subversive Jewish Wisdom Aristotle Would Not Hear
While I respect many of the moral accomplishments of the West, I believe that Judaism still has much to offer in critique of the West’s many remaining failings.
Classified Information
When a person is beleaguered with problems that disrupt his avodas Hashem and his Torah learning, he may ponder why he is suffering when his friend – who is not as devout – enjoys the good life, is well-to-do and at peace.
What’s Your Potential?
Reb Moshe asks, Why would we need someone coming out of a coma to teach us something so obvious?
Promises of Geulah
How often in ancient and contemporary Jewish history have we seen things become desperate before they improved? And yet we persevered and survived. And with this perseverance, our faith in G-d as our ultimate savior survived too.
Well-Staffed
This staff was given by G-d to Adam HaRishon. It was then passed down from generation to generation, to Shet, Chanoch, Metushelach, Noach, Shem, Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov and then to Yosef.
Introductions – Parshat Shemot
Which father?
Torah Shorts: Parshat Shemot: The Diamond in the Cesspool
Each of us is like a diamond, and each of us has the potential to be brilliant. -Simon T. Bailey
Who Named Moshe and What Does His Name Connote? – Parshat Shemot
Did Pharaoh's Daughter Speak Hebrew?
Redeeming Relevance: Beginnings and Ends: Musings about History
Historical perspective should humble us. It should make us realize how little we understand the true nature of what is going on around us. But it should also make us realize that things truly worthwhile have a staying power.
Hashem Has Accounted For Us
The double language of reckoning also encompasses two aspects of the Divine Judgment that the true redeemer would have to know to invoke – Hashem will do good to Israel and lead us out of our misfortune, and He will also punish those who tormented us and hold them accountable.
Seize The Moment
The thought process of believing that rather than having a child murdered he would separate from his wife was incorrect. Miriam revealed the will of Heaven that the exact opposite was appropriate.
Chazak, Chazak, V’nis’chazeik!
While the yeitzer hara has many arrows in his quiver, and his aim is focused on getting us to speak lashon hara and to fight with our spouse, to look at the wrong things, and to say hurtful words, there is nothing that the yeitzer hara tries harder to accomplish than to stop people from learning Torah.
Anatomy Of Exile
When Yosef entered, Pharaoh tested him – he said hello to him in Dutch, Greek, and Danish and each time Yosef conversed with him fluently in each language and ascended another step until finally he was on the top 70th step together with Pharaoh.
A Special Note For The Kotel
It was difficult for him to write without errors, but his ambition was so extraordinary. It would have been worth it to me to stand there for hours in the sun or the rain just for the opportunity to help him in his quest.