Three Months and Three Kinds of Food
05/16/2019 11:10:39 AM
Three Months and Three Kinds of Food
In the Torah, only three months are explicitly connected with the Exodus: Nisan, Iyyar, and Sivan. Nisan is the month when the Exodus occurred, and we celebrate it with the holiday of Pesach. Iyyar is the month in which we count the Omer every one of its days. Sivan is when the Revelation at Sinai happened, the Torah was given, and Judaism was founded and celebrated with the...Read more...
My Letter to Lori Gilbert Kaye
05/08/2019 03:02:20 PM
Dear Lori,
I did not have the privilege of meeting you, of knowing you during your life. However, I do feel privileged for knowing you now. Lori you are a Kedosha, a holy person, a person who died for Kiddush Hashem the sanctification of G-D's name. A Jew who is murdered for the sole reason that she is a Jew is a Kedosha.
But your Kedusha Is magnified, is amplified. Because you, Lori, were murdered in a holy place, and on a...Read more...
rabbi's column - how to receive people
01/18/2017 01:29:15 PM
Gemilut Chasadim is one of the three supporters of the world. Along with Torah Study and Divine Worship, it is imperative to Bestow Kindnesses.
The three Patriarchs of the Jewish people personified these fundamental components of Judaism. Jacob was the Torah scholar and Isaac was a personal offering to Hashem. Abraham was the bestower of kindness par excellence. His stellar behavior brought...Read more...
rabbi's column - “Maoh Doh Eretz Yisroel” make israel here
01/18/2017 01:13:54 PM
In the nineteenth century, a disciple approached his rabbi for advice. Should he leave Eastern Europe and relocate to the Land of Israel? The rabbi’s response was to stay put and “Make Israel Here.”
It is obvious that from the Torah perspective, the Land of Israel is our homeland, the Holy Land, the ultimate place on earth for every Jew. When Moshiach comes we will all live...Read more...
rabbi's column - Yehudah vs Yoseph | Mitzvot vs. Torah
01/18/2017 01:10:59 PM
Both the Parsha and Haftorah speak about Yehudah and Yoseph. The Parsha indicates that Yoseph is greater in that he was the viceroy and Yehudah pleaded with him about Binyamin. The Haftorah, however, clearly indicates that Yehudah will be the King over all the Jews. Moshiach will be a member of his tribe, the descendant of King David.
We are supposed to not only learn Torah but live Torah....Read more...
rabbi's column - why not destroy all the oil?
01/18/2017 01:09:02 PM
We all know the story line. The Syrian-Greeks controlled and desecrated the Holy Temple in Jerusalem for three years. They erected an idol in front of the Altar and, daily, sacrificed a pig on the Altar. Their goal was to prevent the Jews from ever worshipping Hashem in the Temple.
When the Maccabies liberated the Temple from their control, their primary desire was to reinstate the Temple...Read more...
rabbi's column - Project “M.O.M.”
01/18/2017 01:04:27 PM
Story:
Mother wakes son up – “Moishe, it’s late. Get up for Minyan.”
Son – “I’m tired. Let me sleep.”
Mother – “Get up. They need you.”
Son – “I don’t get along with the people there.”
Mother – “Moishe, you have to go. You are the...Read more...
Rabbi's Column - Purim: G-d is Concealed
03/23/2016 12:17:46 PM
2) The name of the Megillah,
3) The absence of a word. Purim means "lots", a method of choosing something by chance. However "Purim" is a Persian word for lots (according to the Ibn Ezra). When the Megillah tells us they named the day "Purim", it says,...Read more...
Rabbi's column - purim
03/16/2016 05:01:56 PM
Both Purim and Chanukah are Rabbinically ordained celebrations. They both commemorate miraculous salvations of the Jewish people from their enemies. Yet we recite Hallel on Chanukah, but not on Purim.
Question
Why do we not recite Hallel on Purim?
Answer
1) Chanukah took place in the Holy Land of Eretz Yisrael. Purim took place in the Diaspora, in Persia. Hallel is only recited for...Read more...
parsha insights - pekudei
03/09/2016 03:28:05 PM
This concluding Parsha of the Book of Exodus contains an exact accounting of the gold, silver and copper donated for the Tabernacle. That's what Pekudei means - the counting. Everything in G-d's Torah contains an eternal lesson for every Jew.
Question
What can we learn from the Torah's recording of the exact amount of these precious metals?
Answer
Every Jew has precious "metals", raw...Read more...
Parsha Insights - Shekalim
03/01/2016 06:13:20 PM
Parsha Insights - Tetzaveh
02/17/2016 11:50:21 AM
Why doesn't the verse use the more common verb "Le'hadlik", to kindle? Answer
The soul of a Jew is called a...Read more...
CSA KASHRUT GUIDELINES
01/27/2016 12:22:46 PM
RABBI'S PARSHA INSIGHT - beshalach
01/20/2016 09:50:18 AM
Manna and Torah
The purpose of the Exodus was not just freeing the Jews from slavery. G-d told Moshe at the Burning Bush that the purpose was to receive the Torah at Mount Sinai. Therefore all the events recorded in this week's Parsha are lessons that are prerequisites to receiving the Torah, as related in next week's Parsha.
Beshalach records the story of the Manna in great detail. It fell from heaven every...Read more...
rabbi's parsha insight - Bo
01/12/2016 03:21:42 PM
“Yetziat Mitzrayim,” the Exodus from Egypt, is the highlight of this week’s Parsha. As Jews, we constantly mention this fundamental event, since then we became a “nation,” chosen by G-d for a spiritual mission.
Biblically, we are commanded to remember the Exodus twice daily, which we perform at the end of the Shema. “I am Hashem, your G-d, who took you out of the land of...Read more...
Rabbi's Parsha insight - Va'Era
01/07/2016 01:44:41 PM
Seven of the ten plagues occur in this week's Parsha. However, there is something different about the first three: Blood, Frogs, and Lice. G-d told Moshe, "Say to Aaron, take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt...and they will become blood." Say to Aaron stretch out your hand with your staff...and bring up the frogs." "Say to Aaron stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the ground and it will...Read more...
rabbi's Parsha class - shmot
12/30/2015 02:34:05 PM
Parsha Insights – Shmot
The Burning Bush
G-d appears to Moshe Rabbainu in a burning bush. It is described as “burning in fire, and the bush is not consumed.” At this event, Moshe was chosen as the “Go’el Yisrael,” the redeemer of Israel; he who would lead the Jewish people out of the Egyptian exile.
G-d revealed Himself to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai. There, too, Sinai is described as...Read more...
Rabbi's parsha class - veyechi
12/23/2015 10:57:31 AM
Parsha Insights – VaYechi
Joseph brought his two sons to Jacob for a blessing. Jacob placed his right hand on the head of Efrayim, the younger brother, instead of Menashe, the first born of Joseph. Joseph protested. “This one is the first born. Put your right hand on his head!”
Question: Why was Joseph so insistent that Menashe be blessed first and strongest? What lesson can we derive...Read more...
Rabbi's parsha class - VaYigash
12/14/2015 02:43:30 PM
Rabbi's Parsha Insight – Vayigash
The Parsha records the beginning of the Egyptian exile. Jacob and his entire family leave the land of Canaan and arrive in Egypt where Joseph is the viceroy. Prior to their arrival the verse states, "He (Jacob) sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph, to direct...Read more...
monday night parsha classes for december
12/09/2015 03:05:10 PM
MONDAY NIGHT PARSHA CLASS
taught by Rabbi Yechezkel Kornfeld
7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the shul
Rabbi Kornfeld leads an in depth study of the weekly Torah portion in light of classical Rabbinic and Mystical commentaries.
December 14th - Vayigash -...Read more...
