The Library

In this week's parshas Tzav, we find the last shalsheles in the Torah (where the baal koreh reads a triple sound). It appears on the word "vayishchat - and he slaughtered". Why?? We find a shalsheles in the following 4 places in the Torah: By the wife of Lot: "Viyismama -...

In the Gemara in Sanhedrin (26:) Rav Nachman states that even though someone who committed a sin is disqualified from serving as a witness, the aveira of arayos is not as stringent. Tosafos explain that even though the general rule is that a mumar leta'ovin is considered ...

This weeks Parsha begins with the famous word Vayikra - with the small Alef. Much has been said about the small Alef. Bardichev will attempt to add a relevant message. In the perek Tehillim that we say every Friday night right before lecha dodi, there are 7 references to ...

"Vayovo'u ho'anoshim al hanoshim, kol n'div leiv - And the men came with the women, all those whose hearts wished to donate" Rashi says: "im hanoshim, usmichim lahem - (they came) with the women, and close to them". I've been wondering for many years about this posuk, wha...

We are standing now at the cusp of Chodesh Nissan and we are reading this Shabbos about the SHIVAS YIMAY HAMILUIM - and we are actually in the days of the Miluim. The Medrash Tanchumah tells us the Moshe Rabbainu built the Mishkan twice every, and another opinion holds he...

The gemara says that K'lal Yisroel were not re'uyin le'oso ma'aseh, they were not really on such a low level as to commit a terrible aveiro as idolatry, elo lehoros teshuvah lerabim, to teach everyone that even for such an aveira, they CAN still do teshuvah. Perhaps this ...

This weeks Parsha teaches us about the classic fall: The chet ha-egel - the Golden Calf. Many lessons can be learned and applied to our struggle. Here is one: (Bards-b-q style of course :-) We find when the Jews approached Aharon Hakohen to help the with their idol, he an...

R' Yeruchum explains a Rashi in parshas Shelach (by the Meraglim). Rashi brings down that Hashem said, "I will give them room to make a mistake ." R' Yeruchum explains that Hashem didn't MAKE them do an aveirah - He just took away the help that he always provides, and onc...

The Pasuk doesn't say "I will dwell in it". Rather, it says "I will dwell in them". Every Jew can make his heart like a Tabernacle for the divine presence to dwell inside of him. Ahron (whose story appears here on our site, and here on Aish.com) wrote to me yesterday: For...

I was reading on Aish.com an article about the parsha Mishpatim, and some words moved me. "God instructs every Jew that if he has a Jewish slave working for him, then after six years he is to be set free. On the surface, it seems like when the seventh year arrives the sla...

The Zohar on Parshas Balak talks about Matan Torah and says that before Hashem gave the Torah to Am Yisrael, He first offered it to all the goyim of the world. And he also gave them Bilaam, a Navi as great as Moshe Rabbeinu, so they couldn't say they didn't have a fair ch...

In this week's Parsha we have the Aseres Hadibros: the Corner Stone of Yiddishkeit. There is so much to be said. I would like to focus on the last commandment: "LO SACHMOD - You (what's with the whole 'thou' thing?) should not be envious of all that is your friends".... o...

Lehavdil, Harvey ended his talk with the following message: It is true that we can lose everything by sharing our secrets with strangers in the groups. But chances are it will happen a lot faster if we don't get sober. Our addiction is a disease, like diabetes. If the wif...

This week's Parsha tells the story of the personal destruction of Korach. Korach, as we all know, was no small street fighter; he was a Gadol of great proportions. So for me and my little American head to say "pshat" in Korach is almost silly. But the Torah and chaza"l wa...

The following piece is in honor of R' Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk ZT"L, talmid of the Baal Shem Tov and author of the Sefer Pri Ha'aretz whose Yartzeit was recently on Rosh Chodesh Iyar. It has been mentioned on the forum in various contexts, that many of us felt disgusted...

"Ach es Mateh Levi lo sifkod - Don't count Shevet Levi" (1:49) Rashi says that Hashem foresaw that there will be a decree on all those who were counted from age 20 that they will die in the desert, so He said, "These shall not be included, because they are mine, for they ...

We are at the start of a new Sefer, a new Parsha and a new month. A simple question: Why does Parshas Bamidbar always precede the Yom Tov of Shavuos? The Medrash tells us that Torah needs three attributes: Fire, Water and "Midbar - a Desert" Midbar signifies mesiras nefes...

"V'im beheimah asher yakrivu mimena korban laShem kol asher yitein mimenu laShem yiyeh kodesh (27:9) And if an animal which you will bring from it a sacrifice for Hashem, whatever he shall give from it to Hashem will be holy." If someone who is led by his animalistic desi...