Search Results for: Parsha

Parsha Yithro 5769: What Brought Yithro to B’nai Yisrael?

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by Moshe Burt

We learn that when Yithro had heard all that Hashem did for B’nai Yisrael, he left Midian with Tzippora and Moshe’s two sons and went to join with the Jews.

We are not absolutely certain as to whether any one specific event Yithro heard boosted him to circumcise himself and to go out to join the B’nai Yisrael, and if so, which exact event it was, or whether it was the sum total of all he had heard which convinced him to become a Jew.

In the sefer Ner Uziel: Perspectives on the Parsha, Rabbi Uziel Milevsky z’l writes on Parsha Yithro (p. 380-383) writes indicating that were Yithro have come to join the Jews after Yetziat Mitziyim or after the cri’at Yam Suf, it would have been unlikely that he could have joined with the Jews due their concern as to what his motivations might be; i.e. whether he was anxious to be on a winning team, on the right side, not unlike many athletes who, when reaching free agency status, seek the best deal, to earn more that their peers, to join onto the team which has gone all-the-way. Rabbi Milevsky cites indications that B’nai Yisrael didn’t accept Gerim during the reigns of David HaMelech and Shlomo HaMelech when B’nai Yisrael was at the zenith of prestige and power in the world. read more

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Parsha Beshalach 5769: Moshe’s Paradigm for Being As One With Our Brother’s Suffering

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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.” (Sefer Sh’mos, Perek 17, posuk 12)

Rabbi Pliskin in Growth Through Torah cites a Rashi which states;

That Moshe did not sit on a comfortable pillow, but a rock. There was a battle going on with Amalek and Moshe wanted to feel the suffering of the people. This, said Rabbi Yeruchem Levovitz, is a lesson in feeling for another person’s suffering. Not only should we mentally feel their pain, but it is proper to do some action in order to feel some of the discomfort yourself when someone else experiences pain. This way [through empathy] you actually feel his pain. (Growth Through Torah, Rabbi Zelig Pliskin, page 177, citing from Daas Torah, page 152) read more

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Parsha Bo 5769: Tangible Darkness, Supernal Light and Jonathan Pollard

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By Moshe Burt

Before taking off on this train of thought, here’s follow up on this week’s earlier post about the Thursday night Mishmar L’Zechut Jonathan Pollard which took place last evening;

In addition to our Mishmar at Kehillat Beit Tefillah Yona Avraham, which was well attended, a few other Shuls in Ramat Beit Shemesh signed on to dedicate their learning, either last night or next week, l’Zechut Jonathan.

In addition, a news release was emailed to several email lists and Yahoo e-groups both in Israel and in Chutz L’Aretz regarding last night’s Mishmar and as to plans to continue a once-a-month Mishmar dedicated to Jonathan and encouraging the Shuls to sign on to this Mitzvah of Pidyan Shevu’im. read more

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Parsha Shemos 5769: The Evolution of Jewish Enslavement — Then and Now(?)

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By Moshe Burt

To sufficiently comprehend the evolution of the enslavement of B’nai Yisrael in Mitzriyim, it would seem that one needs to comprehend the closed nature of the two preceding Parshiyot; the concluding posuk of Vayigash;

“And Yisrael dwelt in the land of Mitzriyim in the land of Goshen, and they acquired property in it and… multiplied greatly.”

and the first posuk of Vayechi;

And Yaakov lived in the land of Mitzrayim for seventeen years…

We need to understand the gist of the Kli Yekar; that the Sh’vatim, the Am, knowing that they were to be in Mitzriyim for a definite period of time beyond their lifetimes thus perceived a permanence. Therefore, they adapted themselves to living in Mitzriyim long-term and were thus vulnerable to Mitzri “encouragement” to melt, to assimilate into Mitzri society, to work for the nation, etc. The B’nai Yisrael accumulated land, assets, wealth. With the passage of time and with Yaakov and the brothers — the tribal heads all passing from the scene, the Am forgot about their true home in Canaan, in Eretz Yisrael, and became complacent in Mitzriyim. And with the passing of heads of B’nai Yisrael, the Am no longer retained an elevated status in the eyes of the Mitzriyim who quickly forgot how Yosef saved them from famine. read more

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Parsha Vayechi 5769: The End of Corruption = Assent of Jewish Morality, Values

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by Moshe Burt

This author recalls a commentary by the K’li Yekar (Judiaca Press Chumash, Vol.3, page 600) on the first posuk of Parsha Vayechi which is leyned this Shabbos.

The K’li Yekar explains the lack of a space between the end of the previous sedra Vayigash and our parsha as meaning that the two poskim are understood together. The final verse of Vayigash reads;

And Yisrael dwelt in the land of Mitzriyim in the land of Goshen, and they acquired property in it and… multiplied greatly. read more

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Parsha Vayigash 5769: Jewish Unity, Still As Elusive As Ever

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by Moshe Burt

Parsha Mikeitz records the whole affair between Yosef and the brothers when they came to Mitzrayim to buy food and were accused by the Viceroy of being spies. We learned how after hearing their story and family history, Yosef demanded that they bring their youngest brother to him and incarcerated Shimon as insurance that the brothers would indeed return with Binyamin, their youngest brother. We learn that in the middle of Parsha Mikeitz, with the imprisonment of Shimon, the brothers recognized and attributed their predicament to the sin they had committed earlier by throwing Yosef into the pit and then selling him to the Mitzriyim. Yosef heard and understood their conversation and left their presence to cry silently. (Perek 42, posukim 21-24) read more

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Parsha Mikeitz/Shabbos Chanukah 5769: The Miracle Cure of Yosef’s Marriage

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Moshe Burt

In previous years, this author has written about Yosef’s being thrown in a bor (pit) seething with snakes and scorpions — yet emerging unscathed, his being sold and ensuing journey to Mitzrayim and his slavery, his imprisonment and his liberation and ascendency to the position of Viceroy, second only to Pharoh. And this author wrote a vort based on Jay Shapiro’s book “Almost Midrash.” Shapiro encorporated the story of Yosef into a fictional story entitled “Duaf of Memphis” and this author dealt with the contrast of Yosef in Mitzrayim, the years after Yosef and the other brothers were niftar, the ensuing long period of cruel bondage; and persecution and the dialogue of Page 13 A & B of Gemora Megillah Esther (the dialogue between Achashveirosh and Haman resulting in the evil decree against the Jews). The point of the Torah Vort at that time was that with longevity in Shushan and throughout Achashveirosh’s Empire, as in Mitzrayim, the Jews were disparaged as either useless or too powerful. In both cases, the antagonists conveniently forgot about Yosef and the Jews got comfortable, complacent, sought to own property and saw where they were at the time as home and forgetting and losing track of who and what they are. read more

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Parsha Vayeishev 5769: Yosef and the Brothers’ False Perceptions

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by, Moshe Burt

A few years ago, just before Chanukah, a short article appeared on the INN website entitled; “Mortar Shells Filled With Chanukah Light” told about the Menorah made from some of the spent Islamic mortal shells which were launched on Neve Dekalim over the years.

Reading about this special Menorah which was lit at one of the Jerusalem hotels which temporarily housed many former Neve Dekalim residents, took me back in time to Philadelphia, in “the “old country” and to a point made by Rav Yehoshua Kaganoff about the pit in which Yosef was thrown. The point bears repeating. read more

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Parsha Vayeitzei 5769: Yaakov and Practical Applications of Compassion and Cruelty

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by Moshe Burt

In last week’s Parsha Toldos, we learned about Rivka, who rose above an evil environment while internalizing it’s insights and was thus well positioned to urge Yaakov to claim the Bracha, and about Yaakov, the “Ish Tam”. We learn that Yaakov was “totally honest, a man of great integrity” but was also master over the trait of being “tam”, a “‘plain man’, … without trickery. This means that Yaakov did not allow this “Ish Tam” character trait to dominate him. He knew when and where to act otherwise. We knew that from his demand for the birthright from Eisev in exchange for the lentil soup. These traits surely seemed inculcated to Yaakov as a result of Rivka Imeinu’s nurturing. read more

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Parsha Toldos 5769 Addition: Rifka and Application of Nurture L’Shem Shemayim

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by Moshe Burt

There is an additional dimension to Rifka’s elevated Torah morality and ethic which was not previously discussed in the earlier Parsha HaShevua for Parsha Toldos.

The Midrash Says (Sefer Breish’t, page 225) notes, near the end Parsha Chaye Sarah, Rifka’s unequivocal decision to accompany Eliezer back to Avraham and Yitzchak.

It is said that both Lavan and Rifka’s mother attempted all kinds of rouges to delay Rifka’s departure. Her father, Besuel, died of his own poison which he planted in Eliezer’s food but a Moloch switched plates. And so they demanded that Rifka remain behind to mourn for her father and to prepare a Bridal trousseau. read more

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