The Call to Moshe
Simply because a law is not applicable today, that doesn’t mean it is irrelevant, or has nothing to teach us. The Torah is teaching us to elevate ourselves, to become more Holy, to emulate the Divine. In these cases it may not be obvious to us what lessons we are to learn, as we cannot put them “to practical use” or witness the Kohanim doing so. But if simply skimming the surface will leave us uninspired and unmoved, the answer is not to look away, but to look deeper.
The Right Way to Build
In this week's reading, Moshe gathers the entire nation to instruct them in the building of the Mishkan, the Sanctuary. He says, "these are the things which G-d has Commanded, for you to do them." [Ex. 35:1] And then he immediately talks about not doing work, on the...
The Purim Menorah
Here we are, at the Shabbos preceding Purim, and what are we going to read about? Lighting the Menorah! Of course, the Torah reading concerns the lighting of the original Menorah by Aharon and his descendants in the Tabernacle and Temple, but it's still somewhat...
The Wise Men of Chelm
Did you know that the city of Chelm truly had wise men? Or that the stories of "The Wise Men of Chelm" were old fables, deliberately cast upon the Rabbis of Chelm to belittle its Sages? This week's Torah reading comprises a long list of Commandments. Immediately after...
Connect with a Teacher
When Yisro comes to meet Moshe and the Jewish Nation, he finds that Moshe is taking questions all day. Moshe explains that everyone who has a question about G-d's Laws is coming to him for the answer, and everyone with a disagreement is coming to him to know who is...
Everyday Miracles
This week, we read about the formation of the Jewish people. They are taken out of Egypt to form a new nation, and the first thing the Jewish people see is an open miracle: the opening of the Sea to let them cross. Shortly after letting the Israelites go, Pharoah...
