“And you shall teach them thoroughly to your children and speak of them while you sit in your home, while you walk on your way, when you retire and when you rise.[1]” This passuk is the source of the mitzvo of Talmud Torah, the mitzvo that is
Read more →Author: HaRav Gershon Eidelstein *Attending Torah Scholars in Yeshiva* Another most important facet leading to success in one’s Torah studies is /shimush talmidei chachomim/, the services one provides in attending to the needs of Torah scholars. Many young students make light of this, these days; they think
Read more →Some old song Just a drop of water In the endless sea All we do Crumbles to the ground Though we refuse to see Dust in the wind Now, don’t hang on Nothing last forever But the earth and sky It slips away And all my
Read more →“The Nile will swarm with frogs, and when they emerge, they will be in your palace, in your bedroom, and [even] in your bed. [They will also be in] the homes of your officials and people, even in your ovens and kneading bowls.” (Exodus 7:28) The second
Read more →Nevaila and the Talmid Chacham We have in the parsha the issur of eating nevaila-an animal that dies on its own without shechita. Chazal say that “Kol Talmid Chacham Sh’ein Bo Daas, Nevaila Tova Mimenu”. Rav Yaakov Weinberg zt”l would constantly struggle with this Chazal to figure
Read more →“And God spoke to Moses in the Sinai desert”: Anyone who does not make himself hefker (ownerless) like the desert cannot acquire wisdom or Torah, and therefore it says, “…in the Sinai desert.” (Midrash – Bamidbar Rabba 1:7) A hefker object is one of such little value to its owner that he formally
Read more →“In the beginning of God’s creating the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) Rebbe Yitzhak said: “It was not necessary to begin the Torah [here], but rather with “This month shall be to you” (Exodus 12:2), the first mitzvah commanded to the Jewish people. (Rashi to Genesis 1:1) Rashi begins
Read more →An introduction to the Torah, the Jewish guide to living. “I call heaven and earth to witness on you this day, that I have set before you life and death… choose life that you may live…” (Deuteronomy 30:19) Where do you go to seek answers about life?
Read more →Yaakov chooses to give the prominent bracha to Efraim over Menashe, although Menashe was the bechor. Rashi says that from Menashe would come Gidon who would perform miracles but from Efraim would come Yehoshua who would teach Torah to Klal Yisrael as well (besides performimg miracles). The
Read more →We all believe in God, but we constantly struggle with the same issue: how do we increase our faith in Him? Is there anything active that we can do to deepen our belief in God? This week’s Torah portion provides the answer. The second verse in Parshat
Read more →R’ Shlomo Aiger said of R’ Akiva Aiger. RA”E had to stay once at an Inn at night. Inns were run almost all by Jews. RA”E asked for some seforim but the Innkeeper said he was in the process of moving and moved most of his seforim.
Read more →We are living in a society that enjoys game shows. Who wants to be a millionaire for example. We enjoy the idea of being tested under pressure. Will I have the right answer? if I do, will I be able to articulate it. Many people ‘cram’ for
Read more →The Rambam says (Hilchos Talmud Torah 3:1):”With three crowns Israel was crowned – the crown of Torah (Kesser Torah), the crown of Priesthood, and the crown of Kingship… Keser Torah is resting, standing and prepared for all of us in Israel as it says, ‘Moses commanded us
Read more →Thanks go out to Rabbi Robert Scheinberg and Aaron Levy who compiled this list. A later edition was the number of Chapters in each Tractate. Credit for this goes out to Aryeh (Louis) Bernstein. B=Talmud Bavli (36 tractates) Y=Talmud Yerushalmi (39 tractates) Numbers indicate amount of Chapters
Read more →At Rabbi’s Office: Rabbi Hyman Krustofski: You I told to go away. Bart: But, but but, but Rabbi – does it not say in the Babylonian Talmud and I quote, “A Child should pushed aside with the left hand and drawn closer with the right.” Rabbi: Yes
Read more →1. Leviticus 19 13. You shall not defraud your neighbor, nor rob him; the wages of he who is hired shall not remain with you all night until the morning. 14. You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but
Read more →History and roadmap of Talmud What it is: Superstructure: 6 orders (seeds, seasons, women, damages, holiness, purity) 63 tractates Mishna, 36 Talmud 2711 pages (7yrs+156 days) History Copied by hand until early 15th C Modern format early 16th C in Italy Public Burnings: 681 Toledo 1239 Pope
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