by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Feb 25, 2016 | Lifeline
In this week’s reading, G-d instructs Moses to make the anointing oil, describing its composition. He tells Moshe to anoint the holy items and vessels, and the Kohanim Gedolim (High Priests) of future generations. (Kings from the House of David were also...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Feb 19, 2016 | Lifeline
There is an interesting interruption at the beginning of this week’s reading. Last week we learned about the construction of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle, and this week we learn about the garments worn by the Kohanim, the Priests, when they served within it. Yet...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Feb 5, 2016 | Lifeline
When I saw the headline for the article on Torah.org, “Murder and the Super Bowl,” I knew I had to have a look. The article is by Rabbi Yisroel Ciner, whom I’ve known for many years, long before he became Rabbi of Beth Jacob Congregation in Irvine,...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Jan 28, 2016 | Lifeline
In this week’s reading, we are told that “Yisro heard all that G-d had done for Moshe and Israel his nation, for HaShem had taken Israel from Egypt” [18:1]. Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) asks: what did Yisro hear? He answers, “the parting of...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Jan 14, 2016 | Lifeline
From the entire Book of Genesis, we learn only three Commandments: be fruitful and multiply, circumcision, and to not eat the sinew in the thigh (the same touched by the angel that fought with Ya’akov). The first Commandment given to the nascent Jewish nation,...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Dec 30, 2015 | Lifeline
The Biblical Book of Exodus begins with the tale of Pharoah and the Jews under Egyptian rule. Most people are at least vaguely familiar with the story, but few notice that it is the first account of organized, institutional anti-Semitism against the Jews. At the end...
