Parshat Shemini opens with a powerful phrase:“Vayehi bayom hashmini” — And it was on the eighth day. But before that?Seven days of repetition.Seven days where Moshe built the Mishkan… and took it down.Again and again. Day after day. Build. Dismantle. Repeat. Imagine the frustration. The confusion.Why pour your heart into something, only to undo it?Why…
How can someone so holy, so close to Hashem, be punished so harshly? In this week’s parsha, we read the shocking story of Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aharon. Filled with spiritual passion and awe, they bring a korban that Hashem did not command—and are immediately consumed by a heavenly fire. They had just…
Most of us aren’t being chased by taskmasters or whipped into labor. But the truth is—we’re still enslaved. Not physically. Mentally. We live with chains you can’t see: fear of failure, low self-worth, and the inner voice that whispers: “You can’t.” “You shouldn’t.” “You’re not enough.” This isn’t just psychology—it’s Mitzrayim. The Hebrew word Mitzrayim comes from meitzar—a…
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…
It starts with who—and what—you surround yourself with. Every morning, I get to live what feels like the dream. I head to shul a bit early for Shacharit. And I don’t rush out. After davening, I stay. I do Shnayim Mikra, say some Tehillim, whisper a few extra tefilot, and then sit down to learn—with…
Imagine a child giving their parent a drawing. The paper is crumpled, the lines are messy, and the colors don’t stay inside the lines. Objectively, it’s not worth much. But to the parent? It’s priceless. Because it wasn’t about the paper or the crayons—it was about the love behind it. In this week’s parsha, we…
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…
The other day, my three-year-old walked into the house like a king returning to his palace. He threw down his bag, kicked off his shoes, and marched straight to his toys without a second thought. It struck me—he had absolute trust that everything he needed would be taken care of. Rent? Electricity? Water? Those concerns…