These final parshiyot of the Torah always coincide with the approaching end of the old year and the beginning of the new year. This is in line with the contents of these parshiyot which contain the review of Moshe’s career as the leader of Israel and of his life and its achievements. So too does the end of the year demand of us a review, if not of our entire past life at least a review and... READ MORE →
הפרשיות האחרונות האלה בתורה תמיד נקראות לקראת סוף השנה ותחילת השנה החדשה. מועד קריאתן מתאים לתוכנן של הפרשיות האלה, שבהן מופיעה סקירה של מסכת חייו של משה רבנו, של חייו ושל הישגיו כמנהיג עם ישראל. בסוף השנה גם אנחנו... READ MORE →
This week’s parsha describes the two very different situations in Jewish life that have been present throughout our long history as a people. One situation is when we inhabited and controlled our own land – the Land of Israel. That is clearly indicated in the opening words of the parsha – ki tavo – when you will come into your land. The second much more difficult situation is outlined... READ MORE →
פרשת השבוע מתארת שני מצבים שונים מאוד בחיים היהודיים, מצבים שהיו קיימים לכל אורך ההיסטוריה שלנו כעם. מצב אחד הוא כאשר אנחנו שוכנים בארצנו, ארץ-ישראל ושולטים בה. ברור שזאת הכוונה בדברי הפתיחה של הפרשה - "והיה כי תבוא" -... READ MORE →
Jewish homiletical tradition has dealt with the “enemy,” who is being warred against in the opening verse of the parsha, as being the evil instinct of the “warrior” itself. In the immortal words of the famous cartoon character Pogo, “we have met the enemy and they are us!” This is in consonance with the words of the Talmud that the opening topic of the parsha – marriage to the... READ MORE →
The Torah is in favor of a lawful, peaceful, ordered and fair society. In order to begin to achieve this lofty goal, the Torah commands us to have a competent legal system of judges and courts and also having police able to monitor and enforce the courts’ decisions and policies. The Torah demands this not only of Jewish society but of all of human society as well. A just and efficient... READ MORE →
Moshe seemingly interrupts his long oration to the Jewish people about their history and destiny with a surprising review of the year’s calendar holidays. The calendar has always been central to Jewish life and survival. Under the dark regime of Stalin, Soviet Jewry was forbidden from owning or possessing a Jewish calendar. The depths of loyalty of Soviet Jewry, to their inner faith, is... READ MORE →
Ekev – the word itself and the parsha generally – stresses the cause and effect equation that governs all human and Jewish history. Blessings and sadder events are conditioned on previous human behavior, attitudes and actions. Life eventually teaches us that there is no free lunch. The rabbis stated it succinctly in Avot: “According to the effort and sacrifice, so too will be the... READ MORE →
This Shabat is Shabat Nachamu, the Shabat that begins for us a cycle of comfort and consolation after the weeks of sadness and mourning over the past tragedies of the Jewish people. These next seven weeks of healing comfort will lead us into the bright, new year that awaits us. In this week’s parsha there is to be found, so to speak, the short course and synopsis of all of Judaism – the Ten... READ MORE →
השבת הזאת היא שבת נחמו, השבת שמתחילה את מחזור הנחמה אחרי שלושה שבועות של עצב ואבל על האסונות שפקדו את העם היהודי בעבר. שבעת שבועות הנחמה יובילו אותנו אל השנה החדשה והמזהירה שמחכה לנו. בפרשת השבוע אפשר למצוא תקציר... READ MORE →
