Torah Reading: VAYELECH: Deuteronomy 31:1-30. VEYELECH – THE TRANSMISSON OF THE TORAH With the Torah almost complete except for the concluding Song (HA’AZINU) and Moses’ Blessings (VE-ZOS HABRACHAH), it was necessary to ensure the transmission of authority from Moses to his divinely-appointed successor, Joshua and the transmission of the Torah to the nation as a…
Tag: Mitzvot
The Reasons Behind the Mitzvot
The Gemara (Sanhedrin 21b) states: “Rabbi Yitzchak said: Why were the reasons behind the Mitzvot not revealed? Because there were two Mitzvot whose reasons were revealed and one of the greatest of men, King Solomon, failed in them.” This refers to the following two Mitzvot: The Torah (Devarim 17) states regarding a king of Israel,…
Ramchal – Ch. 4: “Man’s Standing in This World
Ch. 4: “Mans Standing in This World, and The Specific Ways Available to Him” Paragraph 10 At bottom, though, our spiritual standing ultimately depends on G-d either shining His countenance upon us or withholding it from us 1. For, the more G-d shines His countenance upon us, the purer and more perfected we become, while…
Mashiv Ha’Ruach
The Laws of Mentioning “Mashiv Ha’Ruach” We Begin Reciting “Mashiv Ha’Ruach” “Mashiv Ha’Ruach U’Morid Ha’Geshem” is a praise we recite to Hashem during the winter months within the “Mechayeh Ha’Metim” blessing of the Amidah as is printed in all Siddurim. We begin reciting “Mashiv Ha’Ruach U’Morid Ha’Geshem” in the Mussaf prayer of Simchat Torah (outside…
Erev Yom Kippur
The Mitzvah to Eat on Erev Yom Kippur The Torah (Vayikra 23) states: “And you shall oppress yourselves on the ninth of the month at night,” meaning that the obligation to fast on Yom Kippur begins from the night of the tenth of Tishrei. Our Sages (Berachot 8a) inquired about the language of the verse,…
Daf Notes Chagigah Daf 10
Daf Notes is currently being dedicated to the neshamah of Tzvi Gershon Ben Yoel (Harvey Felsen) o”h May the studying of the Daf Notes be a zechus for his neshamah and may his soul find peace in Gan Eden and be bound up in the Bond of life. The Mishna states: The laws concerning…
Blowing the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah
It is a positive Torah commandment to hear the Shofar blasts on the day of Rosh Hashanah, as the verse states, “It shall be a day of [Shofar] blasts for you.” One may not speak between the various sets of Shofar blasts and certainly not during the blasts themselves. The Poskim disagree regarding whether or…
Yeshua Centered Judaism 