yehoshua steinbergDec 29, 20186 minBamidbar: Dad’s Army ~ Tzvi AbrahamsParshas בַּמִדְבָּר Dad’s Army צַב: covered carriage, turtle צְבִי: deer, desire, splendor צָבָה: to swell צָבָא: army ה’ צְבָא-וֹת: Lord...
rabbirckleinNov 29, 20183 minNasso: Razor Sharp ~ Rabbi Reuven Chaim KleinWhen detailing the laws of the Nazirite, the Torah forbids him from cutting his hair by stating, “A razor (taar) shall not pass over his...
rabbirckleinNov 28, 20183 minNasso: A Crown is a Crown ~ Rabbi Reuven Chaim KleinA Crown is a Crown Malbim defines these three words by explaining the differences in their physical properties. He explains that an...
yehoshua steinbergNov 28, 20185 minNasso: The Greater the Responsibility, the Greater the Load ~ Tzvi AbrahamsParshas נָשֹׂא The Greater the Responsibility, the Greater the Load נָשֹׂא: raise, carry נָשִׂיא: prince מַשַׂא: burden, a load...
yehoshua steinbergOct 31, 20187 minBihaaloscha: Pesach Sheni, Absent-Minded Passover? ~ Yehoshua SteinbergThis week's Torah portion discusses the highly unusual opportunity to fulfil a biblical precept -the Passover offering- who's...
rabbirckleinOct 30, 20183 minBehaalotcha: Desiring a Desire ~ Rabbi Reuven Chaim KleinThe Torah relates that not long after the Jews left Mount Sinai, the erev rav — who were the “mixed-multitudes” of Egyptians that joined...
rabbirckleinOct 29, 20183 minBehaaloscha: A Variety of Enemies ~ Rabbi Reuven Chaim KleinThe Torah mentions a special prayer which Moshe would say when the Ark of the Covenant would begin to travel (we say this prayer when...
Rabbi Tzvi AbrahamsOct 29, 20189 minBiha’alotcha: Only The Poor Get Answered – Who Is Rich, Who Is Poor? ~ Tzvi AbrahamsParshas בְּהַעֲלֹתְךָ Only the Poor Get Answered — Who Is Rich, Who Is Poor? עַנָוָה: humble עוֹנִי: affliction עֹנֶה: answer, testimony...
yehoshua steinbergSep 30, 20185 minShelach/Yom Kippur: Pardon Me? ~ Yehoshua SteinbergShelach: Pardon Me? לע“נשלמהבנימיןבןרפאלתנצב“ה Three words are used to generally describe forgiveness and atonement: סליחה, מחילה, כפרה....
rabbirckleinSep 28, 20183 minShelach: Spy versus Spy ~ Rabbi Reuven Chaim KleinSpy versus Spy Conventional linguists trace the origins of the English word “tourist” to the Old French word tourner (“to turn”)....
Rabbi Tzvi AbrahamsSep 27, 201810 minShelach: If You Love Someone, Set Him Free ~ Tzvi AbrahamsParshas שְׁלַח If You Love Someone, Set Him Free שְׁלַח: send שֻׁלְחָן: table שְׁלַח: Send שְׁלַח לְךָ אֲנָשִׁים וְיָתֻרוּ אֶת אֶרֶץ...
yehoshua steinbergAug 31, 20185 minKorach: Concomitant Connection and Chasm ~ Yehoshua SteinbergFollowing the start of Korach's mutiny, Moses told him to bring an incense offering, קטורת in Hebrew. Why was קטורת chosen as an...
rabbirckleinAug 29, 20184 minKorach: The Land Down Under ~ Rabbi Reuven Chaim KleinThe Land Down Under When relating the story of Korach and his household being miraculously swallowed into the ground, the Torah (Numbers...
Rabbi Tzvi AbrahamsAug 29, 20187 minKorach: Grave Questions, Grave Implications ~ Tzvi AbrahamsParshas קֹרַח Grave Questions, Grave Implications שׁוֹאֵל: borrow שָׁאוּל: King Shaul שְׁאֵלָה: question שְׁאוּל: grave וַיֵּרְדוּ הֵם...
yehoshua steinbergJul 31, 20186 minChukat: Settling on a Bite – Yehoshua SteinbergFollowing the Israelites' murmuring against the manna sent from heaven, God dispatched snakes to bite them. The word "נשיכה" appears only...
rabbirckleinJul 29, 20183 minChukas: Afraid of Fright or Ready to Fight? ~ Rabbi Reuven Chaim KleinAfraid of Fright or Ready to Fight The social sciences like psychology and sociology seek to quantify man’s reactions to various types of...
Rabbi Tzvi AbrahamsJul 29, 20186 minChukat: The Kiss Of Death ~ Tzvi AbrahamsParshas חֻקַּת The Kiss of Death שֹׁקֶה: irrigate, saturate, quench תְּשׁוּקָה: desire, longing מַשְׁקֶה: liquid, drink שׁוּק: market...
yehoshua steinbergJun 30, 20182 minBalak: Doubt, hitting, abundance/satiation ~ Yehoshua SteinbergSomeone sent me the following question: Anyone knows why do doubt and satisfaction, ספק וסיפוק, share the same Hebrew root? Answer: very...
yehoshua steinbergJun 30, 20183 minBalak: A Short but Revelatory Article ~ Yehoshua SteinbergNumbers 22:32 – And the angel of the Lord said to him, Why did you strike your she-donkey these three times? Behold, I went out to...
yehoshua steinbergJun 29, 20187 minBalak: A Hollow Curse – Yehoshua SteinbergThe bulk of the Torah portion "Balak" concerns Bilaam cursing Israel. The primary word used for cursing though is the highly unsual term...