“One Who Hears is Like One Who Recites”

In the previous Halachot we have discussed the laws of blessings of thanksgiving, such as the “Ha’Gomel” blessing, which require several conditions in order to recite them. Now we shall explain the law of “one who hears is like one who recites”. Our Sages teach us in Masechet Sukkah (38b) an important rule that applies…

Zecharyah 7-8

7 And it came to pass in the shnat arba of Daryavesh HaMelech, that the Devar Hashem came unto Zecharyah in the fourth of the chodesh hateshi’i (ninth month), even in Kislev; 2 And Beth-El had sent Sar-Etzer and Regem-Melech, and their men, to make entreaty for favor before Hashem, 3 And to speak unto the kohanim which…

You shall not despise

Ki Tetze21:10 If you go out to war against your enemy and the L-rd yourG-d delivers him into your hand, and you capture itscaptivity,If you go out to war – This [ 4‘If’] teaches us that Scripture is herespeaking of a permitted war “and you capture its captivity – to include Canaanites from outside EretzYisrael,…

Maran zt”l’s Tefillin-Checking

The month of Elul is meant as a time of self-introspection for the entire Jewish nation. It is therefore customary to pay attention to which Tefillin and Mezuzot need checking and to have them checked at this time. The Rambam writes: “If one writes Tefillin by himself or buys them from an expert or from…

Parashat Ki Tavo / פרשת כי־תבוא

Parashat Ki Tavo is the 50th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Deuteronomy 26:10 – 29:8 Summary Parshat Ki Tavo In this parashah, Moses tells the people that when they come into the “land of milk and honey” (“Ki Tavo” means “when you enter”) and have settled there, each of them…

Shining Light on Your Best Self

Toldos Yaakov Yosef, Re’eh 10.3 If the Heavenly proclamation is discernible, why doesn’t anyone hear it? Genesis 1:31 (31) And God saw everything that God had everything, behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. בראשית א׳:ל״א (לא) וַיַּ֤רְא אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וְהִנֵּה־ט֖וֹב מְאֹ֑ד וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם…

Repentance Among the Nations

Repentance Among the Nations of the World Question: Yesterday, we discussed the concept that repentance is a novel idea Hashem granted to the Jewish nation. Does the concept of repenting for one’s sins not apply to the other nations of the world as well? Answer: The Midrash Tanchuma (Parashat Nitzavim) states: “When the Jewish nation…

Injustice of Our Hands

So that We May Refrain from the Injustice of Our Hands During the Ne’ilah prayer, the prayer that culminates all the Days of Awe recited towards the conclusion of Yom Kippur, we state: “And You, Hashem our G-d, have given us this Yom Kippur etc. for pardon, forgiveness, and atonement so that we may refrain…

The Laws of Teshuva

The Laws of Teshuva (Repentance) The month of Elul is the Month of Mercy and Forgiveness when all, including men and women, are obligated to scrutinize their actions as much as possible during these days and to repent before Hashem. When we come before Hashem for judgment on Rosh Hashanah, He will be filled with…

Parshas Ki Teitzei

When you go out to war against your enemies and HASHEM your G-d will deliver them into your hands and you will capture its captivity. (Devarim 21:10)The Torah only speaks versus the “negative inclination” (Rashi)“When you go out to war against your enemies…” In this verse we find the strategy for success in war against our most dangerous enemies.The Lubavitcher Rebbe saw in…

Gabriel’s Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks

MOSHIACH’S LETTER THROUGH THE SHLIACH SHIMON KEFA TO THE BRIT CHADASHA KEHILLAH (ll) Shimon Kefa, an eved and Shliach of Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua: to the ones having obtained, with us [Shlichim of Moshiach], equally precious [orthodox Jewish] emunah (faith) [the Emunah of the true Dat HaYehudit] in the Tzedek Hashem [Dan 9:24i] of Eloheinu…

Parashat Shoftim Beating the Yetzer Hara

Parashat Shoftim – [Beating the Yetzer Hara at his Own Game and Utilizing these Valuable Days for Introspection and Spiritual Stock] From HaGaon Rav Zevadia HaCohen Shlit”a, The Head of the Batei Din in Tel Aviv(translated by our dear friend Rav Daniel Levy Shlit”a, Leeds UK) On Shabbat we shall read: “Appoint yourselves judges and…