Yeshua Centered Judaism

D’var Torah

Parshas Shoftim What Makes Us Holy By Rabbi Label Lam If a matter eludes you in judgment, between blood and blood, between judgment and judgment, or between lesion and lesion, words of dispute in your cities, then you shall rise and go up to the place HASHEM your G-d chooses. And you shall come to…

Maharal

Chapter 3: Mishna 5: Part 2 What about walking on the road alone? G-d created man to live in places which are populated. One who lives in areas which are uninhabited has deviated from this natural order. We are taught this principle in Brachoth (31a). Rav Yossi bar Chanina said: “…in a land through which…

Shulchan Aruch

Chapter 26 – OTHER ACTIVITIES ON THE SABBATH A person should not run or take long steps, but walks are permitted, and a person may run to fulfill a Commandment or to do something enjoyable (301:1-3). It is forbidden to swim in a non-enclosed pool (339:2), or to float objects on the water (339:6), but…

Becoming a Fruit-Bearing Tree

Synopsis of SHOFTIM SEVENTH READING Deuteronomy 20:10 – 21:9 Moses to instructs the Jewish people regarding how they were to conduct their conquest of the Land of Israel. Becoming a Fruit-Bearing Tree Moses told the Jewish people, “If you besiege a city…you must not destroy its [fruit] trees.” Our emotions are the measure of our maturity….

Parsha Summary – Parshas Shoftim

Parshas Shoftim 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 and 2nd Aliyot: Moshe details the most important characteristics of a Judge: the ability to remain…

Haftorah – Parshas Shoftim

Parshas Shoftim Yeshaya 51:12 This week’s haftorah reveals to us another impressive dimension of our final redemption. The haftorah begins with the words of Hashem to the Jewish people, “I Myself am the one consoling you.” (51:12) The people were informed that Hashem would personally comfort them and return them from exile. Hashem continues and…

Sfas Emes – Parshas Shoftim

Parshas Shoftim By Nosson Chayim Leff Shoftim 5631/5635 This parsha begins: “Shoftim ve’shotrim ti’tein le’cha be’chol she’areetcha asher HaShem Elo’kehcha no’sein le’cha …” (ArtScroll: “Judges and officers shall you appoint in all your cities [literally, gates] which HaShem, your God gives you …”). The Sfas Emes tells us that his grandfather had his own way…

Maimonides on Life

Playing with Fire Chapter 3, Law 2 “A person must direct all his actions towards ‘knowing G-d’ alone. His sitting, standing, and speech should all be directed to this. How? When he is involved in business or working for a salary, his intention should not be the amassing of wealth alone. Rather, he should do…

Kiddushin 40b

One Should Constantly View Himself as Half Innocent and Half Guilty Our Sages (Kiddushin 40b) teach us that one should always view himself as half innocent and half guilty. If one performs one Mitzvah, he is praiseworthy, for he has tipped the scale to the innocent side. If one transgresses one prohibition, woe unto him,…

Parshas Shoftim Fifth Reading

Shoftim 18:14 Fifth Reading The nations that you are driving out listen to astrologers and stick diviners, but what God has given you is totally different. Ki hagoyim ha’eleh asher atah yoresh otam el-me’onenim ve’el-kosmim yishma’u ve’atah lo chen natan lecha Adonay Eloheycha. 18:15 In your midst, God will set up for you a prophet like…

The Month of Elul

Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l writes that Hashem bestowed a great kindness upon his Jewish nation by revealing to them that the Day of Judgment is on the First of Tishrei (for in truth, the other nations of the world are also judged on this day, but since they do not know about this,…

Daf Yomi Digest

Moed Katan 17, 18 and 19 for Thurs, Fri, Shabbos Aug 28, 29, 30 Moed Katan 17 Moed Katan 18 Moed Katan 19 Daf Yomi Digest is compiled by members of the Ruben Shas Kollel, edited by Rabbi Ben-Zion Rand. Halachah Highlights is not intended to be relied upon for halacha l’maase. It is intended for interest and information. For actual psak consult your local rav.