A few weeks ago, we read in Parshat Besahlach (Shmot 15:17) a verse that is part of the Az Yashir Prayer, the Song of the Sea, which is recited each morning:You will bring them and plant them (tivieimo vetitaeimo) on the mountain of your inheritance, the place for...
Parshat Truma, Shmot 25:1-7, describes the building materials that were requested of B’nai Yisrael for the construction of the Mishkan (Tabernacle):God spoke to Moshe saying: "Speak to B'nei Yisrael and have them take for Me a terumah (donation) offering. You...
Sponsored by Steven Toberman and Bonnie and Mickey Kamel in honor of their Mother’s 15th yahrzeitMiriam bat Ya’akov Hersh Halevi and Devora, Marion Betty Tomsky TobermanBorn on Sept. 27 1922 in St. Paul Minnesota The Mishkan...
As if Corona hasn’t already made this year crazy enough, this coming week in Jerusalem we will be celebrating Purim Mishulash, three days of Purim! While most other cities in the world will only be observing Purim on Thursday evening and Friday, in Jerusalem...
The Talmud, Taanit 16a asks: What is the meaning of Har HaMoriah (Mount Moriah)? Rabbi Levi bar Chama said that it was the mountain from which Torah instruction (horaa) went out and Rabbi Chanina said that it was the mountain from which fear went out to the...
In Parshat Trumah, we read about how B’nai Yisrael gave generously of their own volition for the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) as it says in Shmot 25:2, “Have them take for Me a Trumah offering. From every man whose heart impels him to generosity...
In Parshat Trumah we find the commandment to build the Sanctuary (Shmot 25:8) “They shall make for Me a Sanctuary that I may dwell among them.”Sefer HaChinuch (95) points out that this mitzvah is in force when the majority of Israelites (Jewry) are...
In Memory of Hadar Cohen z”l who was murdered while protecting JerusalemThe Talmud, Taanit 29a states: Mishenichnas Av mamitin b’simcha, when the month of Av begins, we curtail joy. Mishenichnas Adar marbin b’simcha, when the month of Adar...
Light is a central theme in Judaism.In Parshat Trumah we read about the construction of the Menorah and in Parshat Titzaveh we are commanded to light a ner tamid, an eternal flame.Although the Beit HaMikdash no longer stands, we still light an eternal flame in...
When we read the parshiot in order, first we read Trumah followed by Tetzave and Ki Tisa. The commandment to build the Mishkan is in Trumah and the Sin of the Golden Calf is in Ki Tisa. If we follow the order in the Torah then the command to build the Mishkan comes...
Parshat Terumah gives us a very detailed description of what the Menorah should look like. Is there any significance to all of the details- the seven lamps, the six branches, the three almond shaped cups on each branch etc? Although we don’t know...
There are thirteen psukim devoted to the making of the aron (ark). Why does the aron get more attention than any of the other objects that were being prepared for the mishkan (tabernacle)? An answer can be found in Midrash Tanchuma: When God instructed...
In Parshat Terumah we read the words (Shmot 25:8): “V’Asu li Mikdash v’Shachanti Bitocham”, “They shall make a Sanctuary for Me and I will then dwell in their midst”. Abravanel asks the following question: If God is...
In Parshat Terumah (Shmot 25:1-2) it says “God spoke to Moshe saying: Speak to B’nai Yisrael and let them take for me a portion (terumah)…” According to T’na D’Bei Eliyahu, immediately following the words of B’nai...
The Gemara in Eruvin 2a-b states that the words Mikdash (Temple) and Mishkan (Tabernacle) can be used interchangeably. If that is the case, then why does the Torah need to use both words?The words Mikdash and Mishkan have different connotations. The root of the...
Parshat Teruma begins with the words (Shmot 25:1-2) “God spoke to Moshe saying: ‘Speak to B’nai Yisrael and have them take for me a Teruma (portion of their resources) offering. From every man whose heart impels him to generosity shall you take my...