Author: moshe

Parshat Tetzaveh 5772 — The Bigdei Kehunah, The Urim U’Tumim and the Balance Between Speech and Silence

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by Moshe Burt

Good Shabbos Subscribers;

We are offering sponsorships for the weekly Parshat HaShevua such as the sponsorship we announced several weeks ago.

If you read and enjoy these insights on the Parshiyot, we encourage you to sponsor an upcoming Parshiyot HaShevu’ot l’zechut an upcoming simcha or l’zechut the Yahrtzeit of a loved one. Please contact me here for more information and to place your sponsorship.

Regards,

Moshe Burt
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In our Parsha Tetzaveh, the laws regarding the anointment, the vestments and the Avodah (service) of the Kohanim are enunciated for the Jewish people. Moshe Rabbeinu is notably absent in our parsha. Both the laws concerning Kohanim and Moshe’s absence seem interwoven with the lesson of the delicate balance between when and how one should choose their words when speaking, and when one should remain silent. read more

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Parshat Terumah 5772: The Mishkan, Terumah and the “Crown of a Good Name” — Our Obligation to Divorced Single Parents and Their Children?

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by Moshe Burt

Good Shabbos Subscribers;

We are offering sponsorships for the weekly Parshat HaShevua. A few weeks ago, we announced the first of such sponsorships.

If you read and enjoy these insights on the Parshiyot, please don’t delay in sponsoring upcoming Parshiyot HaShevu’ot l’zechut an upcoming simcha or l’zechut the Yahrtzeit of a loved one. Please contact me here for more information and to place your sponsorship.

Regards,

Moshe Burt
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Back in Philadelphia, in the “old country”, R’ Moshe Ungar would speak about the Mizbeiyach in terms of both the Beit HaMikdash and in terms of the personal Mizbeiyach which burns eternally in our hearts. And there is the well-known wish to a Chosson and Kallah that the fire of their personal Mizbeiyach burn eternally. read more

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Parshat Mishpatim 5772: Justice, Truth in Judgement — by Judges and by Us

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by Moshe Burt

Good Shabbos Subscribers;

We are offering sponsorships for the weekly Parshat HaShevua. A few weeks ago, we announced the first of such sponsorships.

If you read and enjoy these insights on the Parshiyot, please don’t delay in sponsoring upcoming Parshiyot HaShevu’ot l’zechut an upcoming simcha or l’zechut the Yahrtzeit of a loved one. Please contact me here for more information and to place your sponsorship.

Regards,

Moshe Burt
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Yishai Chasidah’s Encyclopedia of Biblical Jewish Personalities (pages 306-309) provides a fitting introduction to parsha Mishpatim in citing an example of how Yithro, for whom our previous parsha was named, was positioned to express insights to Moshe Rabbeinu which were crucial to the evolution of Torah’s judiciary system. Chasida cites Midrash HaGodol on BaMidbar (perek 10, posuk 30) which gives insight into Yithro’s kindness. After a drought year, Yithro stated; read more

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Parshat Yithro 5772: Yithro’s True Motivation for Joining B’nai Yisrael?

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by, Moshe Burt

Good Shabbos Subscribers;

We wrote, a while back, that we are offering sponsorships for the weekly Parshat HaShevua. A few weeks ago, we announced the first of such sponsorships.

Those wishing to sponsor upcoming Parshiyot HaShevu’ot l’zechut an upcoming simcha or l’zechut the Yahrtzeit of a loved one, please contact me here.

Regards,

Moshe Burt

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We learn that when Yithro had heard all that Hashem had done for B’nai Yisrael, he left Midian with Tzippora and Moshe’s two sons and went to join with the Jews. Sefer Shemos, Perek 18, posuk 9 states “Vayichad Yithro” which Rashi renders as Yithro “rejoiced” at seeing B’nai Yisrael free of Mitzri bondage, at seeing K’riyat Yom Suf and at B’nai Yisrael’s victory over Amalek. read more

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Parshat Beshalach 5772: Shirat HaYam and Moshe’s Paradigm of Inspiration, Unity, Empathy: Applied Today?

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Good Shabbos Subscribers;

A while back, we wrote that we are offering sponsorships for the weekly Parshat HaShevua. Three weeks ago, we announced the first of such sponsorships.

Those wishing to sponsor upcoming Parshiyot HaShevu’ot l’zechut an upcoming simcha or l’zechut the Yahrtzeit of a loved one, please contact me here.

Regards,

Moshe Burt

by Moshe Burt

Near the end of our Parsha, we read:

“And the hands of Moshe were heavy and they took a rock and placed it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Chur supported his hands, one on either side, and his hands remained an expression of trust until sunset.” (Sefer Sh’mos, Perek 17, posuk 12) read more

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Parshat Bo 5772: The Message to B’nai Yisrael of Bris Milah, Korban Pesach

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by Moshe Burt

Good Shabbos Subscribers;

A while back, we wrote that we would soon begin offering sponsorships for the weekly Parshat HaShevua.

Those wishing to sponsor upcoming Parshiyot HaShevu’ot l’zechut an upcoming simcha or l’zechut the Yahrtzeit of a loved one, please contact me here.

Regards,

Moshe Burt

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Parshat Bo is the one which, for me, annually relates to that crazy tune which played back “in the Old Country” a few decades ago, “Does Your Korbon Pesach Lose It’s Flavor Tied to the Bedpost Overnight?” (Actually, the real title to the song was “Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It’s Flavor on the Bedpost Overnight?”) read more

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Parshat Va’era 5772: Reconnecting the Disconnection From Jewish Power Sources — Then and Now

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by Moshe Burt

At the conclusion of Parsha Shemos, Moshe and Aaron are confronted, upon exiting Pharoah’s Palace, by the B’nai Yisrael who are in deeper despair than before because of the increased workload, i.e. finding their own straw while the quotas remain the same, which resulted from Pharoah’s fury at Moshe’s first effort to secure their freedom and exit from Mitzrayim.

Our Parsha begins with the dialogue which Moshe Rebbeinu has with Hashem prior to again speaking to the B’nai Yisrael. And so, after Hashem rebukes Moshe for his complaint and reassures him that redemption is at hand, Moshe again addresses the B’nai Yisrael as to his meeting with Pharoah; read more

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Parshat Shemos 5772: Assimilation, the Evolution of Jewish Enslavement In Mitzrayim, and Now (?) and Bringing Redemption

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Good Shabbos Subscribers;

A while back, we wrote that we would soon begin offering sponsorships for the weekly Parshat HaShevua. We are happy to announce the first of such sponsorships — Rabbi Feivel Smiles is sponsoring Parsha Shemos l’zechut the publishing of Rebbetzin Shira Smiles’ Torah Tapestries on Sefer Shemot, the 2nd of the five sefer Torah Tapestries series. Torah Tapestries on Sefer Breish’t was published in October, 2010.

Those wishing to purchase these 1st two S’forim, or who wish to sponsor Parshiyot in any of the subsequent 3 S’forim scheduled to go to print during the coming year — please contact Rabbi Feivel Smiles at his email address. Be sure to tell Rabbi Smiles that you heard about Torah Tapestries here. read more

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Parshat Vayechi 5772: Yaakov to the Sh’vatim: Come Together as One, Bring the Redemption!

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by, Moshe Burt

A couple of years ago, this author heard a profound vort on Parshat Vayechi at a Thursday night Mishmar which could be understood to amplify on a topic repeated on this blog numerous times over the years — that Jewish unity is prerequisite to bringing about a Halachic, Just State of Israel, the prerequisite to bringing about the Geula Shlaima — the Ultimate Redemption. This vort bears repeating.

On last week’s Parshat Vayigash, this author spoke about Yosef’s treatment of the brothers, i.e. the bogus espionage charges, compelling the delivery of Binyamin to him, about the frame job of having the Viceroy’s cup planted in Binyamin’s possession, and the resultant Teshuvah by Yehuda and the other brothers. And it was noted that the Teshuvah and resultant unity amongst the brothers is seen as a paradigm for what is needed to heal today’s wounds caused by the gradual fractionalization and polarization which peaked with the expulsion of Jews from their land, their homes, their communities, shuls and parnossa (jobs, businesses, etc.) and which continues and grows to this day, including amongst one sector toward the other(s) in the religious world. read more

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Parsha Vayigash 5772: Yosef, the Brothers and Distinguishing Real Teshuvah From Mere Words

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by Moshe Burt

Every so often, over the past 6 1/2 years since the expulsion of our brethren from their homes and neighborhoods in Gush Katif and the 4 Shomron towns, we read a piece on one of the news sites or receive an email voicing regret from those who either supported the expulsion or who sat on their hands and did nothing and who now would beg forgiveness from their evicted brethren in the hope of bringing peace to within Am Yisrael.

There was an Israel National News report last year about how former IDF Chief Rabbi Yisrael Weiss expressed regret at having supported the expulsion, or as they call it the “disengagement.” read more

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