Torah Tidbits
Sefirat Ha'Omer: How to Make Each Day Count!
Rabbi S.R. Hirsch explains that Sefirat Ha’Omer connects CHEIRUT HAGUF of Pesach with CHEIRUT HANEFESH of Shavuot. To be physically free and not to know what to do with one’s life is not true freedom. One is still a slave to his YEITZER HARA. That is why Shavuot is called ATZERET, climax of Pesach, because on Shavuot we received the Torah, which was the aim and purpose of the Exodus. On Pesach, G-d took Israel out of slavery; on Shavuot, He took slavery out of Israel.
Published May 27, 2011P'sukei d'Zimra: ASHREI Living in Hashem’s Kingdom
Meaning: translation…
Of the glory of Your kingdom they will speak, and of Your power they will tell. To inform human beings of His mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of His kingdom.
My Teacher, My Father
It was November, 1938. Dark clouds were gathering over all of Europe, and particularly over the Jewish communities in countries like Poland and Lithuania. Although few foresaw the horrific extent of the Holocaust that lay ahead, everyone knew that those communities were in very grave danger.
Published May 27, 2011Natural Medicine - Conclusions
Over the past few weeks we have discussed the issue of using and relying on non-conventional medicine. We can conclude that one is obligated to seek medical treatment for their ailments and must seek out the expert in the field whenever possible. Treatment must be something that has undergone testing and has been proven to heal. This is even more important in cases where a potential prohibition is included, such as performing the treatment on Shabbat or where a non-kosher ingredient is involved.
Published May 27, 2011HASHEM'S LAND
This week we begin the book of Bamidbar, which recounts, according to the Abarbanel, the reasons for Israel’s long sojourn in the desert and everything that happened to them there. For forty years of wandering the nation had to get used to live under difficult conditions, away from other inhabited locations, without a way to set up a permanent civilization. Living through the desert experience taught the Jewish nation how to cope, survive and even thrive physically and spiritually with conditions that might not be considered optimal. We all know that life is full of surprises and we are not always given the opportunities of our choice, but we must learn to persist no matter what comes our way.
Published May 27, 2011Parsha Points to Ponder
1) Why is 20 the army age according to the Torah (1:3)?
2) Why was Aharon excluded from leading the census done in Parshat Ki Tisa (Sh’mot 30:11) but G-D specifically instructs Moshe to include him as a leader in the census in this week’s Parsha (see 1:3)?
CHIZUK-and-IDUD-for-Olim-not-yet-Olim-respectively
You may have noticed that Parshat Bamidbar (literally, in the desert) always precedes the holiday of Shavuot, when we received the Torah at Sinai. Many reasons have been offered to explain why HaShem gave us the Torah in the wilderness. Some commentators have pointed out that God chose the wilderness to teach us that Torah can be learned and practiced everywhere, even in the darkest times and places throughout Jewish history. Others have pointed out that to accept and understand the Torah, we need to rid ourselves of arrogance and hubris, and be as simple and open as the stark desert landscape.
Published May 27, 2011Vebbe Rebbe
Question: I have enough money to buy an apartment in Israel but I do not plan to live there in the near future. I could also use the money to help support people or programs in Israel. Which is the preferred way to fulfill yishuv Eretz Yisrael?
Published May 27, 2011FROM A MEASURE OF BARLEY TO 2 LOAVES OF WHEAT [4] by Dr. Meir Tamari
There are two customs observed today during S’fira that are not Biblical at source and seem to be quite disconnected from the Omer of Barley, the counting of seven weeks, and the Shtei HaLechem on the 50th day. Firstly, there are the mourning customs connected with the students of Rabbi Akiva and then there are the celebrations on Lag BaOmer associated with R’ Shimon Bar Yocha. Although it may seem stretching somewhat, nevertheless, there is a serious ideological connection between all of them.
Published May 27, 2011Lesson # 562 Defects in the item purchased
A buyer is entitled to purchase an item with the assumption that the seller’s representations regarding the item are true and free of defects. The seller, whether a merchant or non-merchant is prohibited from deceiving the buyer or misleading him by failing to disclose the true nature of the thing being sold or defects, whether the buyer is a Jew or a Gentile. A seller may not change the appearance of the item he is selling to make it look better than it is. He may not paint old things to make them look newer than they are. The seller cannot make any statement that will mislead the buyer into thinking he is buying something better than the actual thing sold. Not only is the seller prohibited from deceiving the buyer but if the seller is aware of a defect in the thing sold he has an obligation to so advise the buyer. The seller also has the obligation to test products before he puts them on the market. The defects must be correctly stated.
Published May 27, 2011Bamidbar Stats
34th of 54 sedras;
First of 10 in Bamidbar
Written on 263 lines in a Sefer Torah, ranks 3rd
30 Parshiyot; 23 open, 7 closed, ranks 4th
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