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

moshe

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

Uncategorized

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

moshe

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

Uncategorized

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

moshe

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

Uncategorized

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

moshe

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

Uncategorized

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

moshe

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

Uncategorized

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

moshe

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

Uncategorized

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

moshe

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

Uncategorized

Dayenu 5771: Taking the Korban Pesach; Its Contemporary Sequels in Kindness, Emunah?

moshe

by Moshe Burt

This year will mark sixeen years, and my thirteenth Pesach in Eretz Yisrael, in which I have emailed, as it has become tradition with me from prior to my Aliyah, the rendition of Dayenu quoted from the book “Dear Brothers.” In each year, Dayenu holds a unique perspective, unlike the perspective of any previous year.

Each year, this author puts forth factors that relate to the state of B’nai Yisrael — right here and right now. And so, the lessons of Dayenu are vital now, just as they were in the first year that I emailed this vort out or, for that matter, as vital as they were when it was quoted in Segal’s compilation of the book in its copyright year 1988. read more

Uncategorized

Parshat Acharei Mos 5771: The Kohen Gadol’s Clothing of National Atonement

moshe

by Moshe Burt

Parshiyot Acharei Mos and Kedoshim are normally what baseball fans refer to as another of the “doubleheader” parshiyot — but not in this year of 2 Adars. And just as Parshiyot Tazria and Metzora are extensions of each other, visa vi Tumah and Ta’Hara regarding post-birth, regarding skin, hair, clothing or regarding one’s home or building; Acharei Mos and Kedoshim are extensions of each other regarding Kohanim, Yom Kippur, the Kohen’s Yom Kippur avodah in the Kadosh Kedoshim and the Kohanic model of Darchim, which ideally the entire B’nai Yisrael would embrace and exhibit as a paradigm, as model, as a light for all mankind. read more

Uncategorized