This Week in Learning

The story of Esther has many intriguing elements. The third chapter begins with Haman’s meteoric rise to power. We witness a conflict between Haman and Mordechai. מגילת אסתר ג:ה–ו (ה) וַיַּרְא הָמָן--כִּי-אֵין מָרְדֳּכַי, כֹּרֵעַ וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לוֹ; וַיִּמָּלֵא הָמָן, חֵמָה. (ו) וַיִּבֶז בְּעֵינָיו, לִשְׁלֹחַ יָד בְּמָרְדֳּכַי לְבַדּוֹ--כִּי-הִגִּידוּ לוֹ, אֶת-עַם מָרְדֳּכָי; וַיְבַקֵּשׁ הָמָן, ל...

A fascinating Ibn Ezra appears in Parshat Ki Tisa that elucidates a number of foundational principles: אבן עזרא פירוש שני שמות לא:יח ויתן – ריקי מוח יתמהו: מה עשה משה בהר ארבעים יום וארבעים לילה. ולא ידעו, כי אילו היה עומד שם עם השם כמספר הזה וכפל כפלי שנים, לא יוכל לדעת חלק מאלף ממעשי השם ודרכיו וסוד כל המצות שצוהו. כי יחשבוהו שהוא העיקר, ואיננו רק הלבב והמעשה (והלבב) והלשון להרגיל, וכן כתוב: בפי...

We begin with an observation from King Solomon: משלי כד:י הִ֭תְרַפִּיתָ בְּי֥וֹם צָרָ֗ה צַ֣ר כֹּחֶֽכָה. Proverbs 24:10 If you are lax on the day of distress, your strength is weakened. מצודת דוד משלי כד:י התרפית – אם היית מרפא ידך מחברך מלעזור לו ביום צרתו אזי יהיה כחך צר ודחוק מלעזור לעצמך בבוא צרה עליך. Metzudot David - Mishlei 24:10 If you weaken your hand from your friend, [and fail] to help h...

Study and action are core values in the Torah system. The relationship between them is addressed in various parts of the Talmud. It surfaces multiple times in Pirkei Avot. Four approaches to their interplay are discussed below. משנה אבות ה:יד אַרְבַּע מִדּוֹת בְּהוֹלְכֵי לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ. הוֹלֵךְ וְאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה, שְׂכַר הֲלִיכָה בְיָדוֹ. עוֹשֶׂה וְאֵינוֹ הוֹלֵךְ, שְׂכַר מַעֲשֶׂה בְיָדוֹ. הוֹלֵך...

Parshat Mishpatim begins: שמות כא:א – וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר תָּשִׂ֖ים לִפְנֵיהֶֽם Shemot 21:1 And these are the ordinances that you shall set before them. Parshat Mishpatim lists a series of interpersonal monetary laws. In reading the narrative of the Torah, it is an abrupt transition following the revelation of the decalogue on Mount Sinai. Rashi explains that it is actually a conti...

שמות כ:יג - לֹ֥א תַחְמֹ֖ד בֵּ֣ית רֵעֶ֑ך לֹֽא־תַחְמֹ֞ד אֵ֣שֶׁת רֵעֶ֗ךָ וְעַבְדּ֤וֹ וַֽאֲמָתוֹ֙ וְשׁוֹר֣וֹ וַֽחֲמֹר֔וֹ וְכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְרֵעֶֽךָ Shemot 20:13 - You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, his manservant, his maidservant, his ox, his donkey, or whatever belongs to your neighbor. ר' אברהם בן הרמב"ם שמות כ:יג מאד יצמא השכל ויבקש לדעת למה פרט (ה')...

The final act of the exodus from Egypt is the miraculous splitting of the Red Sea. How do we relate to miracles in a scientific age? What is our approach to the miraculous? תלמוד בבלי – שבת קיח עמוד ב א״ר יוסי יהא חלקי מגומרי הלל בכל יום איני והאמר מר הקורא הלל בכל יום הרי זה מחרף ומגדף כי קאמרינן בפסוקי דזמרא. Gemara Shabbat 118b Rabbi Yosei said: May my portion be among those who complete hallel...

There are many details and facets of commemorating the exodus from Egypt. Even a casual attendee at a passover seder will note the complexity of the service. HaRav Aharon HaLevi in his Book of [Mitzvah] Education discusses why this mitzvah has so many elements, elucidating a sacred principle underlying our entire system of mitzvot. שמות יב (מו) בְּבַ֤יִת אֶחָד֙ יֵאָכֵ֔ל לֹא־תוֹצִ֧יא מִן־הַבַּ֛יִת...

There is a strange digression in the middle of the narrative where Moshe is commanded to approach Pharaoh. “So the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and He commanded them concerning the children of Israel and concerning Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to let the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt” (Shemot 6:13). The next verse continues, “These are the heads of the fathers' houses: The sons o...

שמות א (טו) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת אֲשֶׁ֨ר שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאַחַת֙ שִׁפְרָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית פּוּעָֽה׃ (טז) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר בְּיַלֶּדְכֶן֙ אֶת־הָֽעִבְרִיּ֔וֹת וּרְאִיתֶ֖ן עַל־הָאׇבְנָ֑יִם אִם־בֵּ֥ן הוּא֙ וַהֲמִתֶּ֣ן אֹת֔וֹ וְאִם־בַּ֥ת הִ֖וא וָחָֽיָה׃ (יז) וַתִּירֶ֤אןָ הַֽמְיַלְּדֹת֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְלֹ֣א עָשׂ֔וּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ן מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרָ֑יִם וַתְּח...

At the end of his life, Yaakov gathers his children together, the brothers that would be the foundation of the tribes of Israel. He gives them each a unique blessing. Yehudah is identified with the future political leadership of the Jewish people. בראשית מט:י לֹֽא־יָס֥וּר שֵׁ֨בֶט֙ מִֽיהוּדָ֔ה וּמְחֹקֵ֖ק מִבֵּ֣ין רַגְלָ֑יו עַ֚ד כִּֽי־יָבֹ֣א שִׁילֹ֔ה וְל֖וֹ יִקְּהַ֥ת עַמִּֽים: Bereisheet 49:10 The s...

In one of the most dramatic episodes in all of Tanakh, Yehudah stands up for his vulnerable brother Binyamin, correcting a past mistake of not standing up sufficiently for Yosef. Yosef finally reveals his identity, taking his brothers by surprise. Yosef and his brother Binyamin embrace after 22 years apart. בראשית מה:יד וַיִּפֹּ֛ל עַל־צַוְּארֵ֥י בִנְיָמִֽן־אָחִ֖יו וַיֵּ֑בְךְּ וּבִ֨נְיָמִ֔ן בָּכָ֖ה...

In somewhat uncharacteristic fashion, the Rambam begins his discussion of the laws of the Hanukkah by giving some historical background: משנה תורה - ספר זמנים - הלכות מגילה וחנוכה ג,א  בְּבַיִת שֵׁנִי כְּשֶׁמָּלְכוּ יָוָן, גָּזְרוּ גְּזֵרוֹת עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּבִטְּלוּ דָּתָם, וְלֹא הִנִּיחוּ אוֹתָם לַעְסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַמִּצְווֹת; וּפָשְׁטוּ יָדָם בִּמְמוֹנָם, וּבִבְנוֹתֵיהֶם; וְנִכְנְסוּ לַהֵיכָ...

משנה אבות א:טז רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל הָיָה אוֹמֵר, עֲשֵׂה לְךָ רַב, וְהִסְתַּלֵּק מִן הַסָּפֵק, וְאַל תַּרְבֶּה לְעַשֵּׂר אֹמָדוֹת Mishna Avot 1:16 Rabban Gamliel said, make for yourself a Rabbinic authority, remove yourself from doubt, and don’t generally separate tithes based on (your own) estimation. ספורנו על פרקי אבות אף על פי שאמרו הרוצה לעשות כדברי בית שמעי עושה, כדברי בית הלל עושה, מפני שאלו...

The relationship between parents and their children is complex. We see examples of children with similar characteristics to their parents, closely following in their footsteps and continuing their efforts and legacies. We also see examples of children paving their own path, sometimes appearing to move in an opposite direction from their family. Yaakov and Eisav are opposing characters. One is a co...

Sometimes the world seems to go our way, and sometimes it doesn’t. We hit the stoplights perfectly and make it to our appointment just in-time. Or we get a flat tire at what seems like the worst possible time (is there ever a good time?). What is the Torah’s approach to interpreting these experiences? Because this issue touches on many foundational principles of the Torah, this will not be an exha...

Lot - A Study in Mediocrity and Ambivalence Part 2 - Printer Friendly Version Lot was a member of Avraham’s family. He followed Avraham on his sojourns and adopted his values. But after living in Egypt, something changed. Lot was influenced by Egyptian society, which was technologically advanced, though morally primitive. After they left Egypt, Lot was no longer able to live with Avraham. He separ...

Lot: A Study in Mediocrity - Part 1 - Printer Friendly Version Lot features prominently in the life and times of Avraham our forefather. Yet he is not an inspiring character. If Lot was deleted from the narrative, what would be lacking in our picture? Lot goes through many of the same experiences as Avraham. He leaves his homeland. He sojourns in Egypt. He achieves wealth and success. But Lot’s de...

Wealth and Beauty - Printer Friendly Version The mishna makes an ostensibly odd comparison between Avraham and Bilam. It identifies 3 opposing qualities possessed by each, and then ascribes them to their respective students. The Rambam helps us understand each of their philosophies and how they are expressed in particular episodes recorded in the Torah. משנה אבות ה:יט כָּל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ שְ...

Thirsting for Knowledge - Avot 1:4 - Printer Friendly Version This mishna offers some practical advice about interacting with and learning from our sages, teachers, and role models. משנה כתב יד קאופמן אבות א:ד יוֹסֵה בֶן יוֹעֶזֶר אִישׁ צְרֵדָה, וְיוֹסֵה בֶן יוֹחָנָן אִישׁ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם קִבְּלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ. יוֹסֵה בֶן יוֹעֶזֶר אִישׁ צְרֵדָה אוֹמֵר: יְהִי בֵיתָךְ בֵּית וַעַד לַחֲכָמִים, וֶהֱוֵי מִתְא...

Towers of Insecurity - Printer Friendly Version The Talmud delves into the psychology of the generation of the dispersion. It offers an in-depth perspective on how man confronts his fears. Some approaches are more adaptive than others. תלמוד בבלי – סנהדרין קט עמוד א דור הפלגה אין להם חלק לעולם הבא וכו'. מאי עבוד אמרי דבי רבי שילא נבנה מגדל ונעלה לרקיע ונכה אותו בקרדומות כדי שיזובו מימיו מחכו עלה ב...

Printer Friendly Version The Tower of Babel episode is both strange and compelling. The entire story is contained in 9 verses at the beginning of chapter 11. The following analysis and expansion is based closely on the comments of Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch in his commentary on the Torah. His approach to interpreting this episode has striking similarities to our own society. וַֽיְהִ֥י כׇל־הָאָ֖רֶץ...

Printer-friendly Version After recounting the dramatic creation of the world and man’s dismissal from the garden, the Torah records the tragic story of Kayin and Hevel. בראשית ד (ג) וַֽיְהִ֖י מִקֵּ֣ץ יָמִ֑ים וַיָּבֵ֨א קַ֜יִן מִפְּרִ֧י הָֽאֲדָמָ֛ה מִנְחָ֖ה לַֽיהֹוָֽה׃ (ד) וְהֶ֨בֶל הֵבִ֥יא גַם־ה֛וּא מִבְּכֹר֥וֹת צֹאנ֖וֹ וּמֵֽחֶלְבֵהֶ֑ן וַיִּ֣שַׁע יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־הֶ֖בֶל וְאֶל־מִנְחָתֽוֹ׃ (ה) וְאֶל־קַ֥יִ...

Printer Friendly Version We are approaching the homestretch, the final 2 days of this string of holidays. Each holiday has it's own personality, it's own concepts and ideas, it's own קדושת היום Kedushat Hayom –distinctive holiness. Though it might seem similar, שמיני עצרת Shemini Atzeret –the 8th day is not part of the holiday of sukkot. As we see reflected in the formulation of our prayer service...

Printer Friendly Version הֲבֵ֤ל הֲבָלִים֙ אָמַ֣ר קֹהֶ֔לֶת הֲבֵ֥ל הֲבָלִ֖ים הַכֹּ֥ל הָֽבֶל -קהלת א:ב Vanity of vanities said Kohelet, vanity of vanities everything is vanity. -Kohelet 1:2 The Ramban asks, how could King Solomon, call the world הבל hevel –vanity, a breathe of air, when Moshe’s Torah calls the world טוב Tov –good and even טוב מאד Tov Meod –very good? The Ramban explains that physical...