Torah and Inspiration

Learning from Abraham and Jacob

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We read an unusual verse in Isaiah that says;

Therefore thus saith HaShem, who redeemed Abraham, because of the house of Yaacov: Yaacov shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale;( Isaiah 29:22)

Avraham was redeemed for the sake of Yaacov. What can that mean? Avraham who was called the friend of G-d needed the merits of Yaacov to be redeemed
We read the following in Divrei Hayamim/, Chronicles:

“Didst You not O our G-d, drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your  people Israel, and gave it to the seed of Avraham Your friend for ever? ( 2 Chronicles 20:7)

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Kever Rochel Painting

The Matriarch Rachel’s Gravesite

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Kever Rochel Paintingby Shira Smiles

(Israelnationalnews.com) There is a certain mysterious aura about Kever Rachel. What is the magnetic pull that draws so many Jews to pray there? Why was Rachel not interred in Me’arat Hamachpeila, the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hevron? According to Rashi, she was buried on the roadside so that the Jews being led to exile could pray at her grave.

In Parshat Vayeitzei, two midrashim further explore Rachel’s burial. When Yaakov met Rachel at the well in Charan, he wept because he foresaw that she would not be buried with him. The midrash again mentions Rachel’s burial in the story of the dudadim, mandrake root, when she made light of Yaakov and was punished by losing her place in Me’arat Hamachpeila.

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Psalm 37: My Feet Will Not Stumble

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Rabbi Chanan Morisson ( based on the writings of Harav Kook)

Are our powers of logic and reason sufficient in order to know how to live a life of morality and holiness?

Solomon’s Problem

Solomon had finished building the Temple in Jerusalem, but there was an unforeseen complication. Everything was done; the entire structure and all of its vessels were complete. All that remained was the final act of placing the ancient Ark – containing the luchot from Mount Sinai – into the Holy of Holies.

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Sukkah

The Sukkah: Heaven and Earth

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“And ye shall keep it a feast unto HaShem seven days in the year; it is a statute for ever in your generations; ye shall keep it in the seventh month. Ye shall dwell in sukkot seven days; all that are home-born in Israel shall dwell in sukkot; that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in sukkot, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am HaShem your G-d.”

Our sages disagree as to the meaning of the verse, “that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in sukkot.” According to Rabbi Eliezer, the word sukkot refers to the Clouds of Glory with which God protected the Jews. Rabbi Akiva teaches that it refers to the actual booths that they lived in during their time in the wilderness.

The understood principle in all such disagreements is “these and these are the words of living Torah.”

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Israel

Come Home!

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Israelby Rabbi Nachman Kahana      (Israelnationalnews.com)

The year 5771 has begun, but it’s yet too early to judge if it entered as a lamb or a lion – time will tell.

The alphabetical symbols for the numerals 5771 are:

Tav Shin Ayin Aleph

which, in my mind, serves as a double acrostic. The first is:

Tiyeh Snay Aliyah Artsa

May this year be one of mass aliya to our land

The second acrostic will come later.

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Shofar

Knowing the Teruah-Blast

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Shofar

By Rabbi Chanan Morrison

The order of the shofar blasts on Rosh Hashanah may be understood as corresponding to major stages in the history of the universe. There are two basic types of shofar blasts:

  • Tekiyah — one long, constant blast.
  • Shevarim-teruah — several short blasts followed by numerous staccato blows.

The shofar blasts are organized in sets of “tekiyah, shevarim-teruah, tekiyah.”  First we blow one long blast, then several broken and staccato blasts, and then a long concluding blast. What do the different blasts symbolize, and why this particular order?

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Man Blowing Shofar

Elul: Teshuvah for the Generation of Rebirth

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“For some time I have been struggling with an inner conflict, and a mighty force impels me to speak about teshuvah (penitence). All my thoughts are focused on this theme alone. Teshuvah holds a primary place in Torah and in life; all the hopes of the individual and of society depend on it.”

So begins Rav Kook’s introduction to “Orot HaTeshuvah” (Lights of Penitence), probably his most popular work, first published in 1925. The compact, succinct book was beloved by its author, and he himself studied it during the month of Elul after the morning prayers. One student related that he heard Rav Kook say, ‘I worked extensively on “Orot HaTeshuvah”. Whoever studies it properly will find light in every word.’ He also declared, ‘”Orot HaTeshuvah” must be studied without end.’

What is so special about the book’s outlook on teshuvah?

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Two Loves for The Land Of Israel

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Torah Portion Eikev

The Blessings of Torah Scholars

The Talmud (Berachot 50a) gives a litmus test to determine if an individual is truly a Torah scholar: listen to how he recites berachot (blessings). Clearly, when berachot are recited sincerely, they reflect a proper outlook on life and help instill important traits such as gratitude to God. What is less obvious is that even the detailed laws for blessings reflect fundamental concepts of the Torah. For this reason, Torah scholars are punctilious in their blessings.

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