Parshat Metzora 5774: The Kohen and the Metzora — “Meeting Halfway”

Shalom Friends;

Our Parshat HaShevua Metzora is being sponsored by Benjamin and Gina Fishman and Family of Ramat Beit Shemesh. To the Fishman family, many thanks for your sponsorship and for your continued kindnesses.

You can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a
Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShevua.

Please be in contact with me with any questions, or for further details. read more

Uncategorized

Parshat Tazria 5774: Ascertaining Individual/National Ta’amei/Tahara and Individual/National Sincerity of Contrition in Teshuvah

Shalom Friends;

Our Parshat HaShevua Tazria is being sponsored by Baruch & Yaffa Swinkin of Ramat Beit Shemesh in honor their daughter Racheli’s Bat Mitzvah. To the Swinkin family, many thanks for your sponsorship and for your continued kindnesses.

You can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShevua.

Please be in contact with me with any questions, or for further details. read more

Uncategorized

Parshat Shemini 5774: Loving Wisdom = Taking Joy in the Wisdom of Others?

Parshat Shemini 5774: Loving Wisdom = Taking Joy in the Wisdom of Others?

by Moshe Burt

After learning in Parsha Tzav that for seven days, Moshe taught Aaron HaKohen and his sons the laws of their Avodah (the Kohanic Service, i.e. in the Tabernacle and later in the Beit HaMikdash — ” The Temple”) in the Mishkan, our Parsha Shemini begins by relating that on the eighth day, Aaron and his sons commenced their Avodah HaKodosh (Holy Service). It is interesting and ironic that our parsha is the other side of the term; “Tzav-Shemonah” which is the document or order issued by the Israel Defense Forces calling reservists to active duty in event of war. But the alignment of these two Parshiyot, one-after-the-other, seems to this author, to have deeper meaning, above and beyond mobilization and deployment in time of war. This deeper meaning seems to denote a constancy of vigilance, of guard over Am Yisrael and their connection to Hashem, to Torah and to their sanctity (consecration, purity, holiness). And with this constancy of vigilance of Am Yisrael’s sanctity, our Parsha also teaches us about Kashrut, and “abstain[ing] from impure, non-Kosher item[s].” (L’ilmode U’Lamed, by Rabbi Mordechai Katz, Parsha Shemini, page 108) read more

Uncategorized

Purim 5774: The Poison Plot and Esther’s Humility — Keys to Jewish Redemption from Haman’s Eradication Plot

Purim 5774: The Poison Plot and Esther’s Humility — Keys to Jewish Redemption from Haman’s Eradication Plot

by Moshe Burt

This vort endeavors to explore and reconcile two insights, from amongst the “127 Insights into Megillat Esther” (compiled from the words of Chazal by Rabbi Mendel Weinbach of Jerusalem) which are, in many instances, expanded upon in the sefer, “Let My People Live”, by Yosef Deutsch. These two insights seem central to the saving of the Jews and their re-acceptance of Torah. read more

Uncategorized

Parshat Tzav 5774: The Bamidbar Paradigm of Jewish Constancy, Self-Control Vs Today’s Rote, Intellectual Complacency, Laxity and Assimilation?

Shalom Friends;

Our Parshat HaShevua Tzav is being sponsored by Dr. Pinchas & P’nina Klahr of Ramat Beit Shemesh, Lilui Nishmas for the Yahrtzeit of Avraham Moshe ben Mordechai which is on Tet Adar Bet. To the Klahr family, many thanks for your sponsorship and for your continued kindnesses.

You can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShevua. read more

Uncategorized

Parshat Vayikra 5774: Distinguishing True, Strong, Yet Humble Leaders From the Fraudulent Incumbents

Shalom Friends;

Our Parshat HaShevua Vayikra is being sponsored by Dr. Dov & Debbie Rosen of Ramat Beit Shemesh. To the Rosen family, many thanks for your sponsorship and for your continued kindnesses.

You can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShevua.

Please be in contact with me with any questions, or for further details.

Best Regards, read more

Uncategorized