by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Jun 12, 2015 | Lifeline
This week, we read the portion of the spies, send by the Children of Israel to go spy out the land that they would enter. This wasn’t, as Rashi tells us from the Medrash, a Commandment — but rather “if that’s what you want to do, send...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Jun 5, 2015 | Lifeline
In this week’s reading, Aharon is Commanded to light the Menorah in the Temple. What happens when you light a flame? Lighting a second candle takes nothing from the first one. Doing so merely spreads the light, adding to it. If you’ve ever seen a building...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | May 29, 2015 | Lifeline
The Talmud [Rosh Hashanah 17b] records an exchange between Bluriah, a convert, and the Rabbis. She questioned an apparent contradiction: the Torah says that G-d does not show favor [Deut. 10:17], but the Kohanim bless the nation in this week’s reading [Num....
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | May 15, 2015 | Lifeline
Our reading this week begins with an unusual juxtaposition: “HaShem spoke to Moshe at Mt. Sinai, saying: Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them that when they come to the land which I am giving them, they shall let the land rest, a Sabbatical for...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | May 8, 2015 | Lifeline
In this week’s reading, we find the Commandment not to slaughter a mother animal and its own child on the same day. Why are we instructed to do this? What is the Torah trying to tell us? The Sefer HaChinuch, Rav Yosef Babad’s compendium of the 613...
