. Recorded at OU Israel’s L’Ayla Rosh Chodesh Iyyar 5779 Women’s Event sponsored in memory of Mrs Linda Pruwer-Brachfeld, מרת חיה סאשא בת ר’ יוסף הלל.  

 Shiur provided courtesy of Naaleh.com Adapted by Channie Koplowitz Stein The Torah tells us that when Bnei Yisroel accepted the Torah, they were encamped betachtic hahar/under the bottom of the mountain. The common translation of “at the foot of the mountain” is not as accurate as the one here presented. It is this unusual phrasing that gave […]

What is Yetziv Pitgam? Why is it inserted in the Haftarah for the Second day of Shavuot (which is taken from Chavakuk)? Why is there a piyut for laining on the first day and for the haftarah on the second day? Why do we say Akdamut before leining and Yetziv Pitgam in the middle of […]

What is Torah LiShmah? (It’s much easier to define תורה שלא לשמה). Is it something attainable for the masses? The Rambam says even learning for the spiritual reward is considered שלא לשמה, rather תורה לשמה is learning because one loves God and wishes to draw closer to Him. This is the ultimate goal, what should […]

Yom Yerushalayim, Shavuot, and Parshat Bamidbar. The first census, which counted those who left Egypt took place on Rosh Chodesh Iyar, a month after the Mishkan was completed. There was another census, taken when the mishkan was built (the silver from which was used for the sockets of the Mishkan) 6 months earlier. The numbers […]

“ויאמר יהוה מסיני בא וזרח משעיר למו הופיע מהר פארן ואתה מרבבת קדש מימינו אש דת למו” Rashi says that this pasuk teaches that in heaven, the Torah is like black fire on white fire. The Ramban says that in Hashem’s Torah which is black fire written on white fire, the letters are contiguous (not […]

If you would like to learn a selected topic on Shavuos night but don’t know where to begin, look no further! Rabbi Immanuel Bernstein has prepared a number of topics, adapted from his book Journeys in Talmud, designed to guide users through the primary Gemaras, the positions of the Rishonim and selected insights of the Acharonim. […]

From Gleanings: Reflections on Ruth (YU Press and Maggid/Koren Books, 2019) edited by Rabbi Dr. Stuart W. Halpern The biblical story of Ruth has been frequently mined for insights, both halachic and ideological, into the conversion process. The Talmud[1] cites Ruth’s words to Naomi as examples of the type of mitzvah acceptance — Kabbalat Ol […]

The Rashba asks: Why don’t we recite Birchat HaTorah when we finish learning as we do when receiving an aliyah to the Torah? Because we don’t make a bracha when mitzvot are over. The Steipler asks: What kind of question is that – the reason should be because we never finish learning! When you make […]