The Problem with WOKE

Woke (/ ˈwoʊk / WOHK) is a political term originating in the United States referring to a perceived awareness of issues concerning social justice and racial justice. It derives from the African-American Vernacular English expression ” stay woke “, whose grammatical aspect refers to a continuing awareness of these issues. Many believers are waking to the fact that…

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ADV Parashat Tetzaveh / פרשת תצוה

תצוה    פרשת זכור   בס”ד     The Zohar says there are 53- גן Parshios in Chumash, but there are really fifty four. There are many opinions that זאת הברכה is not counted as a Parsha, since in חו”ל this Parsha is never read on שבת. There are other opinions that נצבים and וילך are considered one, and…

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The Gospel of Peter

The Gospel of Peter – Patristic References The following is transcribed from M.R. James in The Apocryphal New Testament (Oxford: Clarendon Press 1924). Here I place the notices of it that are found in the Church wrtiers. There are but three. Origen on Matthew, x. 17. (They of Nazareth thought that Jesus) was the son of Joseph and…

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Megillah Reading- Corona virus

Every member of the Jewish nation is obligated to read the Megillah on the day of Purim. One must read it during the night and once again the next day, as the verse states, “My G-d, I call out to you during the day and you do not answer; during the night I have no…

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Parashat Tetzaveh / פרשת תצוה

Torah Portion: Exodus 27:20 – 30:10 1st Aliyah: Exodus 27:20-28:12 (14 verses) 2nd Aliyah: Exodus 28:13-30 (18 verses) 3rd Aliyah: Exodus 28:31-43 (13 verses) 4th Aliyah: Exodus 29:1-18 (18 verses) 5th Aliyah: Exodus 29:19-37 (19 verses) 6th Aliyah: Exodus 29:38-46 (9 verses) 7th Aliyah: Exodus 30:1-10 (10 verses) Maftir: Exodus 30:8-10 (3 verses) Special Maftir Shabbat Zachor: Deuteronomy 25:17-19 (3 verses) Reading from the Nevi’im (Prophets): Ezekiel 43:10 – 43:27 When Parashat Tetzaveh coincides with a special…

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DIVREY YA’AKOV Lesson 14

CHAPTER F OURTEENPRAYERPart one: Awakening to the importance of prayerand it’s details. In the gemarah in Brachot (6b) it says, “One of the Rabbissaid to R’ Bayvo Bar Abaye, and some say that it was R’ Bayvo toR’ Nachman Bar Yitzchok, ‘What thing is very elevated and yetdegraded by people?’ [Meaning that it says this…

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Parashat Terumah / Moshe and Betzalel

The Difference Between Moshe and Betzalel [Understanding Why Betzalel Was Able to Make the Menorah, Whilst Moshe Couldn’t] 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) This Shabbat we shall read in the weekly Parashah the donations the…

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The Laws of Hearing Parashat Zachor- Coronavirus

Halacha Yomit The Halacha Yomit is distributed to 26,940 active daily recipientsThe Laws of Hearing Parashat Zachor- Coronavirus “Remember What Amalek Has Done to You”On the Shabbat preceding Purim, which is this coming Shabbat, after the opening of the Ark immediately following Shacharit prayers, two Sifrei Torah are removed; in the first one, we read…

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DIVREY YA’AKOV Lesson 13

CHAPTER THIRTEENSACRIFICE FOR TORAH STUDY AND SURRENDER OFTHINGS WHICH PREVENTS VIGILANCE IN TORAHSTUDY The gemarah in massechet Brachot (71b) says, “Once thewicked ruling kingdom decreed that Yisrael may not involvethemselves with Torah. Rebi Akiva came, gathered groups ofpeople and publicly taught them Torah… it was but a few dayslater that they caught Rebi Akiva and…

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ADV Parashat Terumah

Between שקלים שבתand זכור פרשת there is a הפסקה, so that Moshe could internalize what he already received. The main theme of the Parsha is ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם Hashem created this lowly world in order to have a דירה בתחתונים. This is Hashem’s desire, his רצון, which is above דעת. We have to make ourselves into a receptacle for the שכינה to dwell, and thus…

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Shabbat Zachor / שבת זכור

Shabbat Zachor (“Sabbath [of] remembrance שבת זכור) is the Shabbat immediately preceding Purim. Deuteronomy 25:17-19, describing the attack by Amalek, is recounted. There is a tradition from the Talmud that Haman, the antagonist of the Purim story, was descended from Amalek. The portion that is read includes a commandment to remember the attack by Amalek,…

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Parashat Terumah / פרשת תרומה

God spoke to Moses… Some say that this was said to Moses during the 40 days on the mountain (Tanna DeBei Eliahu Rabbah 17; Lekach Tov on Exodus 35:1; Ibn Ezra; Baaley Tosafoth; Zohar 2:194a, 224a). According to others, it was said after the Golden Calf, when Moses went up for the second set of…

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