Parsha Shelach 5771: Distorted Modern-Day Shelach: The Perfect “Out” for Severing the Bond

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by Moshe Burt

In observing the evolution of Israel’s political governmental scene today, this author’s memories harken back to one Yom Nora’im (High Holidays) the late-1980s in Philadelphia, in the years just prior to becoming Ba’al Teshuva.

The conservative synagogue attended for Rosh Hoshana and Yom Kippur had a practice of bringing in a young JTS (Jewish Theological Seminary) guest Rabbi to help and assist the synagogue’s long-time Rabbi who was getting on in years. This particular Yomim Tovim, they brought in a young fellow who proceeded to pitch the philosophies of Breira, one of the leftist-agendized predecessors of Shalom Achshav. read more

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Parsha Beha’aloscha 5771 — Trickle-Up Leadership: Mirror Reflection of Us and Our Tefillot?

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by Moshe Burt

Commentators discussing our Parsha speak about the reasons for the separate section delineated by the inverted “nuns”:

“When the Aron (the Ark) would journey, Moshe said, ‘Arise Hashem, and let your foes be scattered, let those who hate you flee from before you.’ And when it rested, he would say, ‘Reside tranquilly, O, Hashem, among the myriad thousands of Israel.’” (Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 10, posukim 35-36)

Preceding these posukim are the posukim which speak about the journey of the Aron and of B’nai Yisrael from Har Sinai to their next resting place, “…a three day distance…” (Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 10, posukim 33 & 34). read more

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Shavu’ot 5771: Megillat Ruth and the Impact of Actions

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by Moshe Burt

The Sefer Shem Mishmuel (page 302) cites Rabbi Berachyah in Shemos Rabbah Perek 28, posuk 1:

“The Tablets were six tefachim (handbreadths) long — in some sense, Hashem grasped two tefachim, Moshe grasped 2 tefachim and 2 tefachim bridged the gap between them.”

Shem Mishmuel then explains (pages 302 – 304):

We can sub-divide all mitzvot, and indeed, all human endeavors into three spheres: thought, speech and action. There are some Mitzvot which require a Jew to think in a particular way. For example, the first of the Ten Commandments demands belief in Hashem. read more

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Parsha Naso 5771: Unity and Fair, Honest Dealings Between Jews; Toward Ger’im, Ba’alei Teshuva and Newly Arrived

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by Moshe Burt

Please Note the UPDATE Below!

With Shavu’ot coming 3 days after Shabbos Parsha Naso, there are various common threads between Shabbos Parsha Naso and Chag HaShavu’ot. There is the thread of national unity expressed by the Kohanim in the Birchat Kohanim, the thread of diversity and unique expression within unity exemplified by the 12 repetitions of the same offering brought by each of the Sh’vatim at the inauguration of the Mishkan, and the thread regarding the importance of caring for the Ger Tzeddik. read more

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Parshat Bamidbar 5771: Diversity Within Unity Toward Bringing the Ge’ula Shlaima

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by Moshe Burt

Our Parsha Bamidbar speaks of the spiritual beauty and innovation which results from diversity within a unity — within uniformity. This uniformity is well expressed by the Ohr HaChayim who mentions 3 prerequisites for unity, in Parsha Yithro:

  • – Real. objective, concrete effort, devoid of external influences.
  • -Modesty; Har Sinai symbolizes the anavah needed to accept Torah.
  • -Kol Eretz Yisrael B’Yachad – A national unity where everyone is on the same page.

Once getting past the numbers crunching of the census, our Parsha speaks of Degalim: the flags of the Sh’vatim (Tribes), as a paradigm of Unity, yet which expresses diversity within the various components, all of which play essential roles within a collective unity. Within a unity, there is room for integration and cooperation of diverse individual and group attributes, skills, strong points and actions when channeled toward the common goals of Unity, i.e. the common goals of B’nai Yisrael: read more

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Parsha Bechukotai 5771: The Tochocha and a Jew’s Connection With Eretz Yisrael

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by Moshe Burt

Our Parsha Bechukotai is but another in the series of Parshiyot usually paired with the one it preceeds, in this case Parsha Behar, as a doubleheader.

Therefore, yet another opportunity exists to emphasize, in another way, the connection between the Jew and Eretz Yisrael.

In Parshat Behar, Hashem instills in us to parallel the laws of Shabbos: six days you shall work and you shall rest, refrain from all manner of avodah on the seventh day… to keep it Holy, just as in emulation of Hashem’s creation of the universe; with the laws of Shemittoh: ‘I will command My blessing during the sixth year and it will provide produce for three years’ we see beyond the Hatam Sofer’s explanation that: read more

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Parsha Behar 5771; Thoughts on Shemittoh and the Bond Between Jew and HIS Land

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Moshe Burt

Rashi asks a critical question on the very first posuk of our Parsha:

“Hashem spoke to Moshe on Har Sinai, saying…” (Parsha Behar, Vayikra Perek 25, posuk 1)

Rashi asks why the laws of Shemittoh are singled out as having been given at Sinai. Were not all of the Mitzvot said at Sinai?” He answers that just as all of the Mitzvot; their general rules and their specifics were taught at Sinai, so too were the general rules and specifics regarding Shemittoh taught at Sinai. Rashi then reasons that the posuk comes to teach us that every utterance said to Moshe, they were all from Sinai. read more

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Parsha Emor 5771: The Kohanic Paradigm of Purity, and Little-Known Eligibility Cases

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by Moshe Burt

The positioning in Torah of our Parsha Emor, following last week’s Parsha Kedoshim gives rise to thought and contemplation. In the previous 2 twin Parshas; Acharei Mos and Kedoshim, and Tazria and Metzora before them, we learn about the Kohen as the only one Divinely invested with ruling as to Tumah or Ta’Hara regarding ones’ skin, hair, clothing or homes as well as with being the vehicle for Yom Kippur avodah in the Kadosh Kedoshim and as the model of Darchim for the entire B’nai Yisrael to ideally emulate as a model for all mankind. read more

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Parshat Kedoshim 5771: The Jewish Nation – Unity, Protexia or Me First and Only?

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by Moshe Burt

One of the main themes underlying Parsha Kedoshim is the loving care with which each Jew is to treat his Jewish brother. Indeed, we see that the first posuk of our Parsha conveys that spirit, “Hashem spoke to Moshe saying, “Speak to the entire assembly of B’nai Yisrael and say to them: You shall be holy, for holy am I, Hashem, your G’d.” (Sefer Vayikra, Perek 19, posuk 1) Our Parsha then goes on to enumerate the Asseret HaDivrot, the Ten Commandments in depth. read more

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