Parshat Vayishlach 5773: Levado: In Our Generations — Individually, Nationally

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by Moshe Burt

We learn at the end of Parsha Vayeitzei that Yaakov and his family were escorted by a group of Melachim to the border of Eretz Yisrael where a second group of melachim took over and escorted them inside Eretz Yisrael. Yaakov declared both groups to be Holy and named this border point Mahanaim for the two camps of Melachim.

It was about this second camp that our Parsha begins by informing that Yaakov sent Melachim (angels) — some render a translation of messengers:

“… ahead of him to Eisev to the land of Seir, to the field of Edom… Thus shall you say … to Eisev, so said your servant Yaakov: ‘Im-Lavan garti’ (I have sojourned with Lavan) …” (Sefer Breish’t, Perek 32, posukim 4 & 5). read more

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Parsha Vayeitzei 5773: Discerning Kindness From Cunning, Compassion From Cruelty L’Shem Shemayim

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by Moshe Burt

In writing on Parshiyot Chayei Sarah and Toldos, this author cited Rebbetzin Shira Smiles from her sefer “Torah Tapestries” in discussing the attributes of unconditional kindness and bringing unity possessed by Rivka Imeinu and how these attributes in her merited the resumption of the Lamp burning and the Blessed Dough from Shabbos to Shabbos in the tent of Sarah Imeinu, as well as the Cloud of Glory which resumed hovering over the tent continuously. Rebbetzin Smiles (“Torah Tapestries”, Parsha Toldos, pages 89-90) cites Rabbi Eliyahu Yedid’s explanation of Rivka Imeinu’s Test of overcoming her nature of kindness and fostering of unity, and the role it played in Yaakov Avinu’s receiving his father’s Brachot: read more

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Parshat Toldos 5773: “When You are Aggrieved” — If the Jews Stray from Torah and Hashem’s Ways?

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by Moshe Burt

There are multiple lessons and discussions to come out of our Parshat Toldos: The Eisev paradigm of Kibud Av V’Eim (honoring one’s parents), how the childhood nurturing of Rivka Imeinu, in an atmosphere of wickedness, positioned and enabled her act l’Shem Shemayim so that the righteous child — Yaakov would receive the Brachot that Am Yisrael would descend from him and that the nations would serve his descendents, the contrast in personality between Yaakov and Eisev, Avraham Aveinu’s death and Eisev’s selling of his Birthright for some lentil soup, the deception of Yitzchak through the “tithing of salt and straw, the seeming deception through which Yaakov received the Brachot and more. read more

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Parsha Chayei Sarah 5773: Why Hevron’s Ma’arot HaMachpela for Sarah Imeinu’s Burial Place?

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by Moshe Burt

Our Parsha opens by giving Sarah Imeinu’s age upon her death:

“Sarah’s lifetime was one hundred years, twenty years, and seven years: the years of Sarah’s life.” (Sefer Breish’t, Perek 23, posuk 1)


Why was it necessary to break the 127 years into 3 sections rather than to merely say, as rendered in translation in The Living Torah Chumash by R’ Aryeh Kaplan z”l (Sefer Breish’t, Perek 23, posuk 1) :

“Sarah had lived to be 127 years old. These were the years of Sarah’s life.” read more

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Parsha Vayeira 5773: Prayer and Avraham, vs Israel and Chutz L’Aretz in Our Times

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by Moshe Burt


Our Parsha opens with Hashem, as we understand, visiting Avraham Aveinu on the 3rd day after Bris Milah, when Avraham was at the height of his pain following the circumcision, as Rashi indicates, “to inquire about his welfare.” (Metsuda Linear Chumash rendering of Rashi on Perek 18, posuk 1).

It’s not like Hashem needed to pay a visit to ascertain Avraham’s actual condition. Hashem is the Creator, The Master, The Ruler over the world who knows and is aware of everything. And so, as Hashem visited to inquire as to Avraham’s wellbeing, Avraham pardoned himself from Hashem when he spotted 3 travellers inviting them into his tent. read more

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Parshat Lech Lecha 5773: Avraham Avinu’s Search for Hashem, Our Creator and What It Means Today?

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by Moshe Burt

Midrashim tell how Avraham Avinu deduced at an early age that Hashem was the Creater and Ruler of the world. He tried worshipping the earth, the rain, the sun, the moon, etc. but deduced that not one of these forces regulated the world and that:

There must be a higher intelligence directing them [the various forces].

“I have not seen Him,” said Avram, “but I can understand that only a mighty and merciful G-d could have created the… world around me, and only his superior intelligence is able to keep it going. To Him will I bow.” (The Midrash Says, by Rabbi Moshe Weissman, Sefer Breish’it, Parsha Noach, page 118.) read more

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Parshat Noach 5773: “Chamas”, Compromised Principles, Perceived “Larger Cheshbonot” Revisited

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by Moshe Burt

There is a Midrash Says at the end of Parsha Breish’t (pages 78-80) which is prelude to No’ach (pronounced No’akh) and the Mabul. It speaks about Hashem, as it were, Bemoaning His Making of man. The Melachim say to Hashem that they would do far better than man and would sanctify Hashem’s Name. So they came down and were more evil than man.

The Midrash Says notes that these Melachim were referred to in Torah as “the sons of judges”, “the lofty ones” for “they took for themselves wives from whomever they chose.” And so Gilui Aroyot (coveting illicit intimacies) became the “right of passage” expected by the “lofty ones” — the powers to be of the era such that this evil became institutionalized,what they wanted expecting and institutionalizing this usurpation. Therefore, common man, ever more victimized, sunk further and further into evil. read more

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Simchat Torah and Parshiyot V’zot HaBracha – Breish’t 5773: Completion and New Beginnings; The Continuim of Torah

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by Moshe Burt

Somehow, not being rabbinic or a Talmud Chacham, it has always seemed difficult to put a true and deep meaning of Hashem’s creation to words to express the continuim of the end and the beginning of Torah.

Shem Mishmuel concludes a vort on V’zos HaBracha this way;

Let us propose that these brachot are eternal, that they were not just pronounced by Moshe to Klal Yisrael on his last day on earth, but like the rest of Torah, their influence is everlasting. Indeed, the beautiful blessings which Moshe bestowed upon us are still with us, as if he were standing and blessing every one of us today. Of course, as with their inception, the quality of the brachot will depend upon the ability of each of us to successfully receive them. read more

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Succot 5773: Moshiach, Redemption — Are We Systemically Programmed for Personal, Collective Success or Failure? Revisited and Updated

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by Moshe Burt

Having emerged from Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur and, hopefully we have all been inscribed and sealed for a happy, healthy, successful and meaningful year and years ahead, we find ourselves in the midst of Succot.

During Succot, the B’nai Yisrael, as an Am Segula (a nation apart and unique from the other nations), as Hashem’s special, chosen people, visit, bond, and celebrate our special and unique relationship with HaKodosh Borchu.

Prominent in our thoughts during Succot are the Haftorahs which the prophecy of the War of Gog and Magog, Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima (the Redemption) and the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash are pronounced. Or, as the expression goes among baseball fans each springtime — right down to the fans of the most hapless MLB team; “Hope springs eternal!” read more

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Yom Kippur 5773: Kannoi’yim, Unity, Yom Kippur and the Galbanum of Ketores Revisited and Updated

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by Moshe Burt

Having just come through Yom Kippur, this author thought to reflect on our tefillot and our process of teshuvah. There is d’var Torah by the Shem Mishmuel (Sefer Shem Mishmuel, Rabbi Shmuel Bornstein, translated to English by Rabbi Zvi Belovski, pages 440-441). The thoughts expressed by the Shem Mishmuel seem particularly pertinent this Yom Kippur, with emphasis locally, as well as throughout the Jewish world.

In this d’var, Shem Mishmuel cites Moshe Rabbeinu’s final address to the B’nei Yisrael (Devarim, Perek 29, posukim 9-10): read more

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