by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Jan 23, 2014 | Lifeline
Immediately following the Ten Commandments in last week’s reading, G-d instructs Moshe to tell the people to build a Mizbeyach, an Altar. And then, He goes on to say, at the beginning of this week’s portion: “And these are the judgments which you...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Jan 17, 2014 | Lifeline
The Medrash says that when all the Jews were told to assemble at Mount Sinai, the souls of all their descendants, and those of all future converts, were brought to join them. Everyone had to be there, personally, at the moment when G-d Himself spoke to the Jewish...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Jan 10, 2014 | Lifeline
When the Egyptians pursued the Israelites that they had just freed, the Jews were very afraid. They turned to Moshe and said, “was it due to a lack of graves in Egypt, that you took us out to die in the desert?” [Ex.14:11] From which we learn that sarcasm...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Jan 3, 2014 | Lifeline
After the plagues had killed the Egyptian’s animals and most of their crops, Moses and Aharon tell Pharoah that unless he lets the Jews go into the desert to worship G-d, locusts will be sent to finish off whatever the hail didn’t destroy. Pharoah asks...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Dec 26, 2013 | Lifeline
Did you ever notice that the first three plagues were not performed by Moshe? G-d appoints Moshe to lead the people out of Egypt, and sends him to Pharoah to demand that Pharoah let the Jews go. Moshe impresses Pharoah with his staff, with the signs G-d showed him,...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Dec 20, 2013 | Lifeline
This week, I came across a commentary by the Malbim that “spoke to me,” and I’d like to share it with you. When Moshe first encounters G-d, in the well-known story of the Burning Bush, G-d tells him that he will lead the Jews out of Egypt, but Moshe...
