Mechanics of Counting Omer
Before counting the Omer, one recites the following blessing: “Blessed are you, O Lord, our God, King of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us regarding the counting of the Omer.” Both the blessing and the counting are said, le’chatchilah, in a standing position. If one said them while sitting, he has nonetheless fulfilled his obligation (Sh.A. 489:1). There are two components … Continue reading Mechanics of Counting Omer
ADV Parsha Shmini
שמיני בס”ד In a leap year, the Parsha read usually after Pesach is אחרי מות, which also speaks of the passing of נדב ואביהוא. The number of pesukim in Parshas שמיני is ninety one, and the סימן given is עבדיה. The truth is, the concept of שמיני and of עבדיה are opposites, the eighth being עולם השכר or ימות המשיח, and עבד- יה is the … Continue reading ADV Parsha Shmini
DIVREY YA’AKOV LESSON’S 19-21
Closeness to HashemChapter NineteenT he Prohibition of Anger The gemarah and the Zohar deal very severely with theprohibition of becoming angry – see Nedarim 22 and Pesachim66, and that which is brought in sha’arei Kedusha, part 2:sha’ar4, in the name of the Zohar – there is no place here to elaboratefurther. It is written in the book ‘Sha’ar Ruach Hakodesh’ of HaravChaim Vital in the … Continue reading DIVREY YA’AKOV LESSON’S 19-21
LESSON FOUR: JOHN PART 1
“I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, … Continue reading LESSON FOUR: JOHN PART 1
Parsha Tzav
Ramban TZAV’ (COMMAND) AARON. In the [preceding] section of Vayikra, Scripture stated, Speak unto the children of Israel,1 for there He gave the command about the bringing of the offerings, and it is upon the Israelites to bring them. But here He states, Command Aaron and his sons,2 for He now speaks of the rites of the offerings and these are performed by the priests. … Continue reading Parsha Tzav
Erev Pesach Which Coincides With Shabbat
We have mentioned that this year, 5781, Erev Pesach will coincide with Shabbat. We shall now discuss what one may eat for this coming Shabbat’s meals. The Shabbat Night MealOne may eat Chametz for the Shabbat night meal, for the time when Chametz becomes prohibited has not yet arrived. It is likewise permissible to eat Matzah during this meal, for when our Sages forbade eating … Continue reading Erev Pesach Which Coincides With Shabbat
ADV Parsha Tzav
The Rishonim say that the connection between Parshas צו and Pesach, is that in Parshas Tzav, we learn of the mitzvah of הגלת כלים. All the flour offerings throughout the year, except the קרבן תודה (ten out of forty loaves), which was not a חיוב, and the שתי הלחם on שבועות were of matza- לא תאפה חמץ . In the בהמ”ק, there was a taste … Continue reading ADV Parsha Tzav
Shabbat HaGadol
Shabbat HaGadol (“Great Shabbat” שבת הגדול) is the Shabbat immediately before Passover. The first Shabbat HaGadol took place in Egypt on 10 Nisan five days before the Israelite Exodus. On that day, the Israelites were given their first commandment which applied only to that Shabbat, “On the tenth day of this month (Nisan)… each man should take a lamb for the household, a lamb for … Continue reading Shabbat HaGadol
DIVREY YA’AKOV Lesson 18
C loseness to H ashemC hapter E ighteenT he P rohibition of H aughtiness In the Nefesh Hachaim in the additional chapters betweensha’ar 3 and sha’ar 4, he writes [adapted], “You the reader, hereis your guidance, with Hashem’s help, in the ways of truth, toshow you the way that you should safely go. You will then beable to slowly rise through the aforementioned levels, accordingto … Continue reading DIVREY YA’AKOV Lesson 18
Expanding our understanding
The word bina is related to the word livnot, meaning “to build”, for this is the essential quality of bina. The abstract, non-dimensional, incomprehensible point that represents chochma is expanded and built into a three-dimensional structure, sometimes compared to the physical dimensions of length, breadth, and depth. In the context of sefirot they signify three aspects of bina, each with its own unique relationship to the other sefirot. 1) The “depth” of bina is the aspect of bina which … Continue reading Expanding our understanding
ADV Parashat Vayikra
ויקרא בס”ד Parshas ויקרא is referred to as תורת כהנים, the most difficult of the five חומשים. The months of Elul and Adar are sister months, both the last months of the year- אלול is ר”ת איש לרעהו ומתנות לאביונים, where in Adar, we’re involved with performing this mitzvah. In Elul we read of מחיית עמלק in כי תצא, and in Adar in פרשת זכור. … Continue reading ADV Parashat Vayikra
LESSON THREE: MARK AND LUKE
“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of G-d. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe … Continue reading LESSON THREE: MARK AND LUKE
