The Mouth That Destroys, The Mouth That Rebuilds Not long ago, we all felt it.The silence. The distance. The ache of being apart.During the Covid lockdowns, even Pesach seders were held in empty rooms. Shabbos meals with no guests.Some of us were lucky to have family.But too many were completely alone — no one to…
This week’s parsha begins with a moment charged with destiny:“Vayehi bayom hashmini”—And it was on the eighth day.It was the first of Nisan, but more than that—it was the eighth day since Moshe began erecting the Mishkan.For seven days, Moshe built it, served as the Kohen Gadol, performed the Avodah, and disassembled it each evening.But…
The Hidden Fire: Seeing the Miraculous in the Mundane In Parshat Tzav, we encounter a striking commandment: “A continual fire shall burn upon the altar; it shall not go out.” (Vayikra 6:6) Day and night, year after year, the fire on the mizbeiach never went out. But there’s something even more fascinating beneath the surface.…
The Double Mishkan: A Promise of Redemption This week’s parsha begins with a curious phrase:“Eileh Pekudei HaMishkan, Mishkan HaEidut…”Why the double language—Mishkan, Mishkan? Rashi, quoting the Midrash, explains that the repetition hints at something deeper.The word Mishkan can also be read as Mashkon—a collateral. This teaches us that the two Batei Mikdash in Yerushalayim were…
Parshat Vayakhel begins with Moshe gathering kol adat Bnei Yisrael—every single Jew: men, women, and children. This wasn’t just another speech. It was a moment of unity. The Mishkan would be built through the collective effort of Am Yisrael, but before any work could begin, Moshe emphasized one crucial point: Shabbos. The connection between Shabbos…
Did you know that Hashem’s name is incomplete? The Torah tells us exactly why. This week is Parshat Zachor, when we fulfill the mitzvah to remember Amalek. But Amalek isn’t just an ancient nation—it’s an ideology. They stand for randomness and coincidence, for a world without Hashem. They are the opposite of emunah. When Amalek…
In Parshat Yitro, just before Matan Torah, the Torah describes Bnei Yisrael’s encampment at Har Sinai: “וַיִּחַן שָׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶגֶד הָהָר” – “And Israel encamped there opposite the mountain.” (Shemot 19:2) Rashi famously points out the unusual singular form of “וַיִּחַן” (they encamped), rather than the expected plural, explaining that Bnei Yisrael were united “כְּאִישׁ…
David Hamelech writes in Tehillim: “Tov L’hodot L’Hashem”—”It is good to give thanks to Hashem… To declare Your Chesed in the morning and Your Emuna at night.” (Tehillim 92:2-3) It is easy to sing Hashem’s praises when life is smooth—“L’hagid baboker chasdecha”—we naturally feel Hashem’s kindness in those moments. But what about the darkness? What…