There is no break between Vayigash and Vayechi, Rashi describes it as a closed Parsha, because of the “closure” (emotional/spiritual) Bnei Yisrael felt when Yaakov died. Why describe the feeling as “closed”? The three reasons we fast on Asara B’Tevet are 1) because the Torah was translated into Greek, Ezra passed away, and because siege […]

 Shiur provided courtesy of Naaleh.com Adapted by Channie Koplowitz Stein            We are all familiar with the story of Chanukah, of how the Syrian Greeks tried to eradicate the Jewish connection to Hashem by desecrating the Beit Hamikdosh and enacting laws to sever that connection, including even prohibiting speaking Hashem’s name. The miracle unfolds when Hashem helped […]

 Shiur provided courtesy of Naaleh.com Adapted by Channie Koplowitz Stein Among the sins that we ask Hashem for forgiveness on Yom Kippur are “the sins that we committed before You bli daat/without knowledge.” While Artscroll interprets these sins to be the result of self – imposed ignorance, Rabbi Meislish notes these sins are the result of ignorance, […]

 Shiur provided courtesy of Naaleh.com Adapted by Channie Koplowitz Stein We all know that Hashem commanded us to hear the sound of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah. The basic number of sounds that need need to be blown is thirty, yet we blow the shofar at a minimum of two cycles of thirty, one cycle immediately […]

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

 Shiur provided courtesy of Naaleh.com Adapted by Channie Koplowitz Stein             Among all our holidays, Shavuot has the unique distinction of not having any specific positive commandment associated with its observance. While Pesach has the eating of matzah, for example, and Sukkot has the lulav and etrog, we have no symbolic mitzvah associated with Shavuot. True, […]

 Shiur provided courtesy of Naaleh.com Adapted by Channie Koplowitz Stein             An integral part of the Haggadah is the recitation of Hallel comprised of five paragraphs from Psalms. The Hallel begins with the introductory paragraph,”Therefore it is our duty to thank, praise… from slavery to freedom, from sadness to joy, from mourning to festivity, from darkness […]

 Shiur provided courtesy of Naaleh.com Adapted by Channie Koplowitz Stein             “Mishenichnas Adar marbin b’simcha/From the arrival of the month on Adar we increase joy.” This well known Chazal seems to be the linchpin for all the Purim festivities. But, as Rabbi Rothberg notes in Moda Labinah.[quoting Rashi] the motto talks not about the one day […]

 Shiur provided courtesy of Naaleh.com Adapted by Channie Koplowitz Stein             We tend to think of our holidays as commemorating events in our history, but our Sages tell us that the Torah with all its precepts existed before the world was created, and all the holidays and mitzvoth were in place before the Jews were commanded […]

 Shiur provided courtesy of Naaleh.com Summary by Channie Koplowitz Stein             As we leave the Days of Awe with the close of Yom Kippur and begin our preparations for Sukkot, we are left to ponder the deeper significance of the holiday and the central command to dwell in sukkot for seven days. Is there a connection between Yom […]