Torah Tidbits
Living with Eyes Wide Shut! by Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher - Dean of Students, Diaspora Yeshiva
The Talmud in Megila 13b explains that when Haman targeted the Jews for annihilation, he said to Achashveirosh, “Let us implement the final solution to destroy the Jews.” Achashverosh replied, “Not so fast. I am afraid of their G-d lest He do to me what He did to my predecessors, Pharaoh and Nevuchadnetzar.”
Continue ReadingAliya by Aliya Sedra Summary
[P> X:Y (Z)] and [S> X:Y (Z)] indicate start of a parsha p’tucha or s’tuma. X:Y is Perek:Pasuk of the beginning of the parsha; (Z) is the number of p’sukim in it.
Continue ReadingIs Bilvavi Enough?
BILVAVI is a beautiful song, the words of which are based on the Sefer Chareidim, written by R’ Elazar Azkari, a 16th century (actually, our 54th century) kabbalist, a contemporary of the Ari z"l. By the way, he also wrote YEDID NEFESH.
Continue ReadingDivrei Menachem
Parshat T’rumah introduces us to the subject of the Mishkan, the Dwelling Place of Hashem’s Divine Presence and the central location where service to G-d would take place in the wilderness. Our rabbis were intrigued concerning the very essence and purpose of such a focal point of prayer and sacrifice, especially at this highly spiritual juncture when the people had just experienced Revelation at Sinai.
Continue ReadingTTriddles
are Torah Tidbits-style riddles on Parshat HaShavua (sometimes on the calendar). They are found in the hard-copy of TT scattered throughout, usually at the bottom of different columns. In the electronic versions of TT, they are found all together at the end of the ParshaPix-TTriddles section. The best solution set submitted each week (there isn’t always a best) wins a double prize a CD from Noam Productions and/or a gift (game, puzzle, book, etc.) from Big Deal
Continue ReadingACACIA WOOD
The Rashi that I learned on the words ATZEI SHITIM - acacia wood (25:5) was very intriguing. He asks where in the world did the Jews find these tall trees in the desert? He says that R’ Tanchuma explains that Yaakov saw that in the future his descendants would build the MISHKAN in the desert, so he brought acacia trees to Egypt and planted them there. He instructed his children to take the trees with them when they were redeemed from Egypt. This was definitely long-term planning on Yaakov’s part.
Continue ReadingParsha Points to Ponder
1) Why does the Torah first refer to the Tabernacle as the MIKDASH (25:8) and then one verse later refer to it as the MISHKAN?
Continue ReadingCHIZUK and IDUD for Olim not yet Olim respectively
“Speak unto the children of Israel… from every man who has the impulse in his heart to offer a contribution shall you take my T’rumah” (Sh’mot 25:2).
Continue ReadingVebbe Rebbe
The Orthodox Union - via its website - fields questions of all types in areas of kashrut, Jewish law and values. Some of them are answered by Eretz Hemdah, the Institute for Advanced Jewish Studies, Jerusalem, headed by Rav Yosef Carmel and Rav Moshe Ehrenreich, founded by HaRav Shaul Yisraeli zt"l, to prepare rabbanim and dayanim to serve the National Religious community in Israel and abroad. Ask the Rabbi is a joint venture of the OU, Yerushalayim Network, Eretz Hemdah… and the Israel Center. The following is a Q&A from Eretz Hemdah…
Continue ReadingWord of the Month
A weekly feature of Torah Tidbits to help clarify practical and conceptual aspects of the Jewish Calendar, thereby better fulfilling the mitzva of HaChodesh HaZeh Lachem…
Continue ReadingIn This Issue of Torah Tidbits
- Lead Tidbit
- Guest Article
- Candle A Day
- Gold from the Land of Israel
- Aliya-by-Aliya Sedra Summary
- Sedra Stats
- Maharal on the Sedra
- Vebbe Rebbe
- Portion of the Portion
- Oz Torah
- Parsha Points to Ponder
- TTriddles "Report"
- Person In The Parsha
- Word of the Month
- The Trade and Commerce of the Talmid Chacham- Tamari
- Chizuk and Idud
- Unlocking the Torah Text
- Divrei Menachem
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- Issue 1039 - Shabbat Parshat Tzav-Hagadol-Shmini
- Issue 1038 - Shabbat Parshat Vayikra
- View All Issue Archives
Candle Lighting and Havdala
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Sedra Stats
19th of 54 sedras;
7th of 11 in Sh’mot
Word of the Month
With the molad of Adar on Sunday, February 10th, late afternoon - the first opportunity for Kiddush L’vana is Wednesday evening, the eve of the 4th of Adar, February 13th.
For strict 7-day-after-the-molad people, the first op is Sunday night, February 17th.
For most people - that’s how it goes - Kiddush L’vana will be said (weather permitting) on Motza’ei Shabbat Parshat T’rumah, Feb. 16th.