The historical development of Yom Haatzmaut as a holiday among Torah-observant Jews. According to the Ramban. part of the commandment of יישוב ארץ ישראל, to settle the Land of Israel, is to cultivate the land, not to leave the land desolate (שממה) and to consider any land other than the Land of Israel as a […]

ויבאו בני ישראל בתוך הים ביבשה והמים להם חומה מימינם ומשמאלם” – שמות יד:כב” ובני ישראל הלכו ביבשה בתוך הים והמים להם חמה מימינם ומשמאלם” – שמות יד:כט” Why does the Torah virtually repeat the pasuk with minor differences? Did they go into the sea which then turned into dry land or did they walk […]

The four cups represent the four dangers from which we were saved: physical, spiritual, lack of connection to history, and a lack of connection to hope. In order to merit redemption we had to take a proactive step in each of these areas. Chazal say that we were redeemed because of four merits. Delivered at […]

The Seder night is the only time when there is a positive obligation to eat matzah. The beginning of the Haggadah says we eat matzah to remember what our ancestors ate in Egypt. Rabban Gamliel gives a completely different reason – when our ancestors were freed they didn’t have time for the dough to rise. On […]

There are 2 mitzvot connected to Amalek – remembering what they did and eliminating them. We are never vulnerable to the external Amalek unless there is a part of Amalek that is in our character. Thus, even if we can’t eradicate Amalek externally, we can eradicate those aspects of our personalities. The two traits of […]

There were two half-shekel offerings: a one-time donation (for the building of the mishkan) and the annual half shekel (for korbanot) – building fund vs. operating budget. Why was there an upper limit for the machatzit hashekel, why can’t a rich person give more? Reish Lakish says that the Machatzit HaShekel counters the shekalim that […]

Ptolemy ordered the sages to translate the Torah into Greek. The day it was translated is considered by a Chazal to be a dark day. Why? Chazal say some fast on the 9th of Tevet but they wouldn’t give a reason why. Machzor Vitry provides a reason. Unlike 17 Tammuz and 9 Av, the 10th […]

Download the mekorot here Recorded at OU Israel’s L’Ayla Rosh Chodesh Women’s Event

Even with the grief of what we don’t have there is still the obligation to rejoice over that which we do have. Yerushalayim has over 100 names in Tanach. Linguists tells us that when society has many names for 1 concept, it indicates the concept’s centrality.

Delivered at the OU Israel Center, March 25, 2018 (9 Nisan 5778) Rabbi Breitowitz Sunday Morning shiur is sponsored by Mel David in Gratitude to Hashem for the many blessings he has been given.