Koheles: Introduction

I thought that it would be nice for once to think a little bit about Parshas Mas’ei. As it is usually connected to Parshas Matos, a parshah which itself is packed with important yesodos it tends to receive short shrift, but there really is a tremendous amount here that needs our attention. Let us turn… Read More

Parshas Chukas is a parsha which we expect to be difficult for us to understand. Shlomo Hamelech already said about the mitzvah of Parah Adumah (Koheles 7:23) as follows: כָּל־זֹ֖ה נִסִּ֣יתִי בַֽחָכְמָ֑ה אָמַ֣רְתִּי אֶחְכָּ֔מָה וְהִ֖יא רְחוֹקָ֥ה מִמֶּֽנִּי: I have tested every wisdom; I said that I would become wise but it is distant from me.… Read More

Most of us are very well acquainted with the details of the very sad story of Zimri. We know how he came and challenged Moshe. Our horrified minds can all too well imagine the scene. Moshe and all the Zekeinim stand by helplessly as Zimri commences his depraved chillul Hashem, even as the moans and… Read More

I often think of this week that transitions between Parshas Beha’alosecha and Parshas Shelach Lecha to be one of the saddest weeks of the year. Thinking about the contrast between what once was and could have always been, and what actually transpired is just an extremely painful experience. Let us go back in time, to… Read More

The presence of the mitzvah of Pesach Sheini in Parshas Beha’aloscha opens up a wonderful opportunity for us to revisit the parsha of the Korban Pesach. We last encountered it back in Parshas Acharei Mos-Kedoshim. There we were acquainted with the unbelievable words of the Chizkuni who helped us translate the following very difficult pasuk… Read More

Just about every single Yom Tov in our calendar comes along with its own cheftza shel mitzvah. In a very large way, these items put the Yom Tov into a framework for us. It is through the intensive preparations of these items before the Yom Tov as well as the correct usage of them on… Read More