Yeshua Centered Judaism

Pirkei Avos Chapter 6, Mishna

The 48 Ways Chapter 6, Mishna 6, Introduction “Torah is greater than priesthood and kingship, for kingship is acquired with 30 qualities, priesthood is acquired with 24, whereas the Torah is acquired with 48 ways….” This mishna lists the 48 skills or qualities needed to “acquire” the Torah. This list is commonly referred to as…

Parshas Shlach

Note: The Shabbos Torah Reading is divided into 7 sections. Each section is called an Aliya [literally: Go up] since for each Aliya, one person “goes up” to make a bracha [blessing] on the Torah Reading. 1st Aliya: Moshe sends the Spies on their mission. 2nd Aliya: The Spies return carrying the massive fruits of…

Parshas Shlach

Parshas Shlach Note: The Shabbos Torah Reading is divided into 7 sections. Each section is called an Aliya [literally: Go up] since for each Aliya, one person “goes up” to make a bracha [blessing] on the Torah Reading. 1st Aliya: Moshe sends the Spies on their mission. 2nd Aliya: The Spies return carrying the massive…

SHELACH

NUMBERS 13 (ONKELOS) — 1 And the Lord spake with Mosheh, saying: 2 Send thou men, that they may explore the land of Kenaan, which I will give to the children of Israel: one man for each tribe of their fathers shall you send, each one a ruler among them. 3 And Mosheh sent them…

Parashat Sh’lach / פרשת שלח־לך

UNIVERSAL TORAH: SHELACH LECHA By Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum Torah Reading: SHELACH LECHA, Numbers 13:1-15:41Haftara: Joshua 2:1-24 With the arrival of the summer solstice and the longest day of the year, we are now standing on the threshold of TEKUFAT TAMMUZ, “the season of the month of Tammuz”, the hottest time of the year. For long…

Parashat Sh’lach / פרשת שלח־לך

UNIVERSAL TORAH: SHELACH LECHA By Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum Torah Reading: SHELACH LECHA, Numbers 13:1-15:41 Haftara: Joshua 2:1-24 With the arrival of the summer solstice and the longest day of the year, we are now standing on the threshold of TEKUFAT TAMMUZ, “the season of the month of Tammuz”, the hottest time of the year. For…

The Fourth Blessing of the Amida Prayer

“Ata Honen Le’Adam Da’at” (The Fourth Blessing of the Amida Prayer) The Reason Why the Blessing of “Ata Honen” Was Instituted as the First of the Series of ‘Blessings of Requests’ Maran Ha’Shulchan Aruch (Chapter 115) writes: “Since the advantage of human beings over animals is understanding and intelligence, our Sages instituted the blessing of…

The Land of Israel and Honoring One’s Parents

Question: If one resides in Israel and one’s parents reside outside of Israel and the parents request that the individual come to live with them in their country of residence (outside of Israel), is one obligated to listen to one’s parents because of the commandment to honor one’s parents? Answer: Our Sages relate an incident…

Prepare Yourselves Before G-d, of Israel

Question: Is there a reason why Yeshiva students customarily pray only while wearing a nice suit jacket and not just while in their shirtsleeves? Answer: Maran Ha’Shulchan Aruch (Chapter 98, Section 4) writes: “Prayer is in the place of sacrifices; thus, one must be careful that one’s prayer resembles an offering through concentration and not…

Parshas Summary

Parshas Behaaloscha Note: The Shabbos Torah Reading is divided into 7 sections. Each section is called an Aliya [literally: Go up] since for each Aliya, one person “goes up” to make a bracha [blessing] on the Torah Reading. 1st Aliya: Aharon is instructed to light the Menorah, and the Menorah’s construction is reviewed. Moshe is…

Taking Three Steps Back Before Praying

The Roke’ach (quoted by the Rama in his notation on Chapter 95) writes that before beginning to recite the Amida prayer, one should take three steps back, then take three steps forward (to one’s original place), and then stand there and begin praying silently. The reason for this is because this resembles an endearment and…

LET’S STUDY ONKELOS

LET’S STUDY ONKELOS A Guide for Rabbis, Teachers and Torah Students to Study and Teach the Parashat Hashavua through the Eyes of its Most Important Translator By Stanley M. Wagner and Israel Drazin Based on the five volume, Onkelos on the Torah (Genesis-Deuteronomy), Understanding the Bible Text , by Israel Drazin and Stanley M. Wagner, published by Gefen Publishing House,Jerusalem/New York, 2006 – …