Not On Bread Alone

How Tardiness Destroyed The Mikdash

Not On Bread Alone Eliezer Meir Saidel

Chava’s sin, born of frustration at her husband’s lack of diligence, was thinking she could create life without involving Adam or even Hashem.

Sacrifices and Banquets – Vayikra

Not On Bread Alone Eliezer Meir Saidel

If the sin originated with food, then its remedy and atonement must involve food. This is why Purim is so food oriented...

The First Pesach Seder – Toldot

Not On Bread Alone Eliezer Meir Saidel

This is not the first Pesach Seder mentioned in the Torah; that was when the three angels visited Avraham and he instructed Sarah to make matzos.

Was There Food On Har Sinai? – Parshat Mishpatim

Not On Bread Alone Eliezer Meir Saidel

The Torah here does not say anything about what Moshe ate or drank during those forty days and nights.

The Power Of One

Not On Bread Alone Eliezer Meir Saidel

The concept of the Twelve Tribes and mutual responsibility is a “collective” concept, in which the individual appears to be secondary, however the opposite is the case.

Healing Bread

Not On Bread Alone Eliezer Meir Saidel

If you look beneath the surface of the story of the three angels visiting Avraham and the feast he served them, you will see it is a replica of a korban todah.

Thanksgiving Matzo – Tzav

Not On Bread Alone Eliezer Meir Saidel

I know very few who enjoy matzo year round. Most people can’t wait for Pesach to end, to get rid of all their leftover matzo.

If you think that wealth is limited to your investment portfolio, you are very much mistaken (although money is one form of wealth). There are other forms of wealth, which many tend to regard as mundane, but which are often more valuable than all the money in the world.

Presence In Residence

Not On Bread Alone Eliezer Meir Saidel

If you analyze the overall structure of the Mishkan (and Beit HaMikdash) you see that it is layered according to the level of holiness.

A Female Bird

Not On Bread Alone Eliezer Meir Saidel

Midyan therefore embody a double-edged sword. On the one hand, being descendants of Avraham with the attribute of controlled chesed, they are attracted to Am Yisrael, out of love. On the other hand, they are not Am Yisrael and do not have our Torah values – so they potentially pose a threat.

Lechem Hapanim And Amalek

Not On Bread Alone Eliezer Meir Saidel

Bilam’s advice was that Amalek stood no chance against the spiritually strong in Am Yisrael, but they did have a faint possibility to inflict damage on those in Am Yisrael who were spiritually weak.

Bendable Beams

Not On Bread Alone Eliezer Meir Saidel

Why was it necessary to use specific wood from specific cedar trees? The other raw materials used in building the Mishkan were simply from the spoils that Am Yisrael took with them from Egypt – gold, silver, wool, linen, etc.

Professional Happiness – Parshat Re’eh

Not On Bread Alone Eliezer Meir Saidel

A genuine smile is a form of energy, an inner light radiating out from the soul.

A Tale of Two Donkeys

Not On Bread Alone Eliezer Meir Saidel

With this in mind, let us contrast two iconic figures in the Torah, both with donkey-related incidents.

A Head In The Lap

Not On Bread Alone Eliezer Meir Saidel

Our Sages tell us that when Hashem creates something or someone, at the same time He creates their opposite.

A Mother’s Blessing – Chayei Sarah

Not On Bread Alone Eliezer Meir Saidel

Instead of Avraham donning his “superman cape” and praying to Hashem for help, he defers all responsibility to his wife, Sarah. Avraham seems powerless and totally dependent on Sarah for their salvation.

Happy Hotline – Tazria

Not On Bread Alone Eliezer Meir Saidel

Even more curious is the latter part of the Midrash – to prevent becoming afflicted with the nega’im, what should one do? Eat, drink and be happy! Have a continual party – that is the remedy!

Rejoicing the Rain – Shabbat Chol HaMoed Sukkot

Not On Bread Alone Eliezer Meir Saidel

Unlike a regular celebration where one hires professional performers, the entertainment in Simchat Beit haShoeva was provided by the Gedolei Hador – the tzaddikim and wise men of the generation.

Purim And The Mishkan

Not On Bread Alone Eliezer Meir Saidel

Assimilation was quite prevalent at the time with many prosperous exiled Jews preferring a liberal, cosmo-political approach as opposed to a conservative, separatist approach. Very few remained true to the old teachings and values, like Mordechai, the former head of the Sanhedrin.

The Supreme Stamp Of Approval

Not On Bread Alone Eliezer Meir Saidel

The Korban Sotah in Marah removed all doubts from the minds of Bnei Yisrael regarding the integrity of their families.

Body And Soul

Not On Bread Alone Eliezer Meir Saidel

Steering clear of hazardous objects and environments are obligations no less than the above in preserving our bodies and souls.

Bread And Torah – Or Torah And Bread?

Not On Bread Alone Eliezer Meir Saidel

Instinctively, one would think the Torah is more important because it is the reason for the existence of the entire world.

Wine To Gladden The Heart – Parshat Noach

Not On Bread Alone Eliezer Meir Saidel

Noach was a tzaddik; his generation had sinned, had not repented, and had been wiped out. This caused Noach extreme grief, not because he now had to contend with a post-apocalyptic world but because he felt that perhaps he did not do enough to prevent it.

Purim Bread?

Not On Bread Alone Eliezer Meir Saidel

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.