Though not clearly described in the Torah as the day of the receiving of the Torah Shavuot is clearly that. We read the following in the book of Sh’mot/Exodus 19:1: “In the third month after the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, that same day (bayom hazeh) came they … Read more
Moshe Kempinski. The torah portion of BeChukotai begins with the words; “ If you walk in my My statutes and observe My commandments and perform them, I will give your rains in their time, the Land will yield its produce, and the tree of the field will give forth its fruit.( Leviticus 26:3-4) That concept … Read more
Rabbi Eliezer Melamud By counting the Omer, we gradually elevate ourselves in two ways. By counting the Omer, we draw a line that continuously ascends from Pesach to Shavuot. The holiday of Pesach represents Israel’s national side, for the Exodus from Egypt revealed Israel’s uniqueness, in that God chose us from among all the other … Read more
The Talmud in Nedarim 35b describes the kohanim as sheluchei didan, our agents. When they perform the Temple service, the kohanim act as our emissaries. Yet this idea that the kohanim act as agents for the Jewish people — appears to violate the legal definition of a shaliach. An agent acts on behalf of … Read more
From Ron Jager Yom Hazikaron, Yom Haatzmaut are back to back, and Yom Hashoah is only a few days earlier. The weeks following Pesach are always an emotionally charged period in Israel. From celebrating the redemption of the Jewish nation during Pesach, we move on to Yom Hashoah, the annual Holocaust Remembrance Day. We then … Read more
Former Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks Covenant & Conversation on Judaism’s definition of love. It is hard to trace with any precision the moment when a new idea makes its first appearance on the human scene, especially one as amorphous as that of love. But love has a history.[1] There is the contrast we find in … Read more
Rabbi Chanan Morisson The main theme of the Passover holiday is, undoubtedly, freedom. But we must understand what this freedom is all about. Does it refer simply to the end of Egyptian slavery? Is it only political freedom — a luxury which has eluded the Jewish people for most of their 4,000 year existence? True … Read more
Moshe Kempinski (In preparation for Passover) We were slaves (Avadim HaYinu) to Pharaoh in Egypt. And HaShem our G-d brought us out from there with a strong hand (Yad Chazaka) and an outstretched arm. We read in the Passover Haggada the following words; We were slaves (Avadim HaYinu) to Pharaoh in Egypt. And HaShem our … Read more
