Part One: Buttons The Torah relates how Moshe Rabbeinu’s detailed report of what transpired to the Jewish people in the previous year impacted heavily upon Yitro. Rashi explains that Yitro was on both sides of the royal curtain, and therefore understood even better than Moshe and Aharon how the diabolical plans of Pharaoh and his

Part One: There is no Torah like the Torah of Eretz Yisrael This d’var Torah is directed at the thousands of my beloved brothers in the yeshivot of chutz la’aretz (outside the land of Israel), the roshei yeshiva, rabbanim and students. At the top of the list is the yeshiva in Lakewood, New Jersey, where

Parshat Va’era 5767 “And Yehuda too will make war on Yerushalayim” (Zechariah 14:14) The Parsha begins with Hashem’s disappointment at Moshe’s emotional shift at the turn of events, from elation that the time for Jewish redemption has finally arrived to the realization that his efforts only worsened an already intolerable situation. As brought by Rashi,

Part One Our parsha marks the beginning of the miraculous exodus of our nation from Egyptian bondage, but ends in a grave and somber mood. The hopes and aspirations for freedom and spirituality which Moshe infused into the people, turned at the end of the parsha into a disillusioned nation and very angry leader. Why?

Part One: Four stages of Redemption Part Two: To Forgive and Forget Part Three: Messengers for Mitzvot Part One: In the final hours of his corporeal existence, Yaakov Avinu gathers together his 12 sons, the progenitors of the tribes of Israel, to reveal to them what lies in store for the Jewish nation at the

Part One: The day after Part Two: Parshat Va’yey’gash 5765 Part I: The Day After Devarim 28:10 וראו כל עמי הארץ כי שם ה’ נקרא עליך ויראו ממך “And all the world’s nations will see that the name of God is upon you and they will fear from you…” Tractate Berachot 6a “Rabbi Eliezer the

Part One: Parshat Miketz 5767 Part Two: The second Shabbat of Chanuka 5766 I. (Yishayahu 44:25:) משיב חכמים אחור ודעתם ישכל “He who turns wise men backwards, and turns their knowledge into foolishness” Upon the brothers’ arrival in Egypt, Yosef accuses them of being spies. Why spies? Why not accuse them of being thieves or

BS”D Parshat Vayeshev and First Shabbat of Chanuka 5767 Notwithstanding the differences of time and substance which exist between the episode of Yosef in the parsha and the miracles of Chanukah, both present us with problems relating to disproportionate quantities.In the parsha, Yosef, a young man of seventeen, is sent by his father to inquire

BS”D Vayishlach 5767 Several questions: 1- Two episodes dominate our parsha: Yaakov’s dramatic reunion with his brother Eisav and the destruction of Shechem, at the hands of Shimon and Levi. Are these apparently unrelated episodes, just two more in the stormy life of Ya’akov, or do they have a causal relationship? 2- In last week’s

Am Yisrael is a nation steeped in the search for truth. There are billions of people who are satisfied with believing in falsehoods, regardless how absurd or ludicrous they may be, because it is convenient and because their fathers believed in them. If one’s conception of religion is belief in ‘immaculate conception’, so be it!