poor and rich

Parashat Ki Tavo – materialism and egoism

“When you enter the Land that God is giving you…you shall take from the first of all the fruit of the ground” (Dt 26:1-2).   From these words we learn that everything that is for God’s sake should be of the best and most beautiful (cf. Rambam), as the Torah says: “Kol Khelev leHaShem” – Read More

nest

Ki Tetzei: The Bird’s Nest

  “If you come across a bird’s nest in the way… Do not take the mother bird together with the children” (Deut 22:6)   A RATIONAL APPROACH Like most commands in the Bible, God doesn’t tell us his reasons for this command. It is up to us to obey first and then understand, as stated Read More

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Parashat Ekev – the Heel and Messiah

“It will come to pass, because (eikev) you will listen to these judgments… God will safeguard unto you the covenant and the kindness he swore to your fathers” (Dt7:12).   One expects this to be conditional: “If you’d listen to these judgments” (Im tiShmeun et hamishpatim haEleh), but it says: “Because you will listen to these Read More

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Parashat Hayei Sarah – Three Periods in Sarah’s Life

REVIEW Let’s briefly review the relevant information we have been gathering to this point. It all began when we disclosed that Noah in symmetry becomes Khen (grace, favor or charm), as it is said: “Noah [was] found [as] Khen in the eyes of God”. Noah was 600 years old when the flood began. The two Read More

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Parashat Vayikhi – Trein Mishekhin (The Two Messiahs)

ABOUT SHILOH “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s-staff from between his feet, until Shiloh will come, and to him shall the subduing of the peoples be” (Gn 49:10). Even though my lectures deal with the Soul of Messiah, this verse requires of me to stay closer to Pshat this time: “The Read More