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R’EI – INFINITE BLESSINGS AND FINITE CURSESA Puzzling Midrash This week’s parsha opens with the words: “See, I present before you today a blessing and...
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EKEV – THE CURE FOR INFERTILITYJuxtaposition As a reward for our commitment to the commandments G-d promises us many things, among them we read the...
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Vo’Eschanan – DOUBLE CONSOLATION“Comfort, Comfort My People…” The haftarah for this week is taken from Isaiah, who declares: “Nachamu, nachamu Ami-Comfort, comfort My...
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DEVARIM – SNOW WHITEThe Names of Mount Hermon In his final soliloquy, Moses recounts the events since the exodus from Egypt. He describes...
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PINCHAS – THE ROAD TO REDEMPTIONThree Questions The end of last week’s parsha describes how Pinchas zealous killing of the consorting Jewish prince, Zimri with...
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MATOS-MASEI – FIGHTING THE WARS OF MIDIAN AND AMALEKAnashim-Righteous Men After the Midianite leadership corrupted many of the Jewish men, causing a major plague that killed 24,000 Jews,...
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CHUKAS BALAK – MEZUZAH POWERSichon and Og The Jewish nation stood on the cusp of their conquest of Canaan, situated in close proximity to...
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KORACH – TALIS VERSUS TZITZISKorach’s Challenge Korach, Moses’ cousin, started a rebellion, directed against Moses and Aaron. Korach argued that Moses had arrogated to...
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NIRTZA – 15 Steps of the Seder (Part 16)WORDS Unlike the previous 14 steps, this last and final step does not manifest itself in any prayer or action....
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HALLEL – 15 Steps of the Seder (Part 15)THE SECOND HALF OF PRAISE Although we have already recited half of the Hallel (the special Psalms of praise to...
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BEIRACH – 15 Steps of the Seder (Part 14)NO MORE FOOD! When we are ready to recite the Birkat Hamazon, as we do whenever we eat bread, the...
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SHULCHAN OREICH – 15 Steps of the Seder (Part 12)THE CHAGIGAH OFFERING A “set table” is a reference to the festival meal that we are obliged to eat every...
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TZAFUN – 15 Steps of the Seder (Part 13)GO NORTH?! Following the meal, we eat the Afikoman (the larger half of the middle Matzah that we broke and...
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KOREICH – 15 Steps of the Seder (Part 11)THE DIVINE SANDWICH The creation of a sandwich is attributed by some to an 18th century English aristocrat. As Jews,...
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MARROR – 15 Steps of the Seder (Part 10)WE’RE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET After we have internalized the dynamic and liberating force of G-dly awareness, it...
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MATZA – 15 Steps of the Seder (Part 9)THE MITZVAH OF MATZAH In the next step of the Seder, we recite a blessing that praises G-d for giving...