Adv Parashat Sh’lach

The date כג סיון is an important date mentioned in תנ”ך, in the Purim story, when the נהפוך הוא began. This is the date that the second letters went out, allowing the yidden to defend themselves. The Rokeach says that this is the largest pasuk in תנ”ך, being that the pasuk is a positive one…

ADV Parashat Beha’alotcha

בהעלותך בס”ד The first four pesukim of the Parsha is the theme of the Parsha, the instructions to Aharon of the lighting the Menorah in the Mishkan. Rashi says that when Aharon saw the נשיאים bringing their sacrifices for the חנוכת המשכן, he had a חלישת הדעת in that he nor his שבט contributed. Hashem…

ADV Parsha Behar/Bechukosa

The מזל of the month of Iyar is שור, whereas the מזל of סיון is תאומים, twins -Gemini, which represents the שתי הלוחות or the תורה שבעל פה ותורה שבכתב, and the שתי הלחם. Behar is the 32nd Parsha, where בחוקתי is the 33rd . Parsha usually falling in the Shabbos after לג בעומר. There…

ADV Parashat Emor

1 בס”ד אמור בס”ד The fifth week of sefira is Hod, of which the Zohar says- תערין פתיחין, which means that the gates are open. This is the away it will be in the future- – יתקע בשופר גדול ובא האובדים=1288=תערין פתיחין. טהרין פתיחין. On the first day of the fifth week, or חסד שבהוד…

ADV Parshas Acharei Mos Kedoshim

1 אחרי מות קדושים ים בס”ד During the ימי הספירה, the weather is warmer and the יצה”ר is in full bloom, and so we temper the יצה”ר by learning פרקי אבות. This learning also prepares us for מתן תורה by giving us tools to perfect our characters. PParshas אתרי מות is a continuation of מצורה…

ADV Parashat Tazria-Metzora

Parshas תזריע begins with a woman who gave birth. This is read in the appropriate time, since כלל ישראל was born as a nation on Pesach. If the woman gave birth to a son, there is a seven day טומאה period, similar to a Nida. Then the son has a Mila, her טומאה ends, and…

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…

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…

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…

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…

ADV Parasha Vayakhel/Pekudei

The שבת of ויקהל פקודי usually connectsאדר toניסן , Purim to Pesach- נסמך גאולה לגאולה. Nisan is the month that the yidden were redeemed and will be redeemed. In ויקהל, Moshe gathered all the yidden and began teaching them the לט מלאכות. Shabbos was taught before this, but not the מלאכות. The Midrash says that…

ADV Parashat Ki Tisa

בס”ד כי תשא Parshas כי תשא has many hints to the י”ט of Purim. In פסוק ל:כג, one of the main spices of the שמן המשחה is mentioned- בשמים ראש מר דרור, where Unkeles translates as מירה דכיא, which more or less make up the name מרדכי. In pasuk כט, describing this שמן המשחה, Rashi…