Yeshiva World News

Vertluch: Parshas Achrei-Mos/Kedoshim

‘You shall observe my Shabbos and revere my Sanctuary. I am Hashem.’ (19; 30) The juxtaposition of keeping Shabbos and fearing the Bais Hamikdash seem to be perplexing. Typically, when the pasuk speaks of two such mitzvos so close together, there is usually a similarity between the two. But here what can the connection be? Rashi seems to imply that it means the ‘construction of the Bais Hamikdashdoes not supersede the laws of Shabbos.’ However, this seems a bit difficult because our ...

B’Ohel Haneviyim: Parshas Shabbos Tazria-Metzora 5773

This week’s Haftorah is named “the Four Metzoraim”. It is obvious that this Haftorah was chosen to be read because it discusses Metzoraim, the topic of this week’s Sedros. At first glance, the Haftorah seems not to have a real lesson for us. In Melachim (II Kings) this anecdote has a clear lesson, but we read it as an abstract clip out of context. Yet even in its context there seems to be little to be learned from the fact that some of the main characters were Metzoraim. When we look ...

HaRav Zev Leff: Parshas Tazria-Metzora

Life and Death in the Hands of the Tongue Remember what Hashem, your God, did to Miriam on the way when you left Egypt (Devarim 24:9) Almost all of Tazria and most of Metzora are concerned with the intricate laws of tzora'as. Tzora'as afflicted people as a consequence of having spoken lashon hara. This is hinted to in Ki Seitzei, where the Torah warns us to be careful with respect to the laws of tzora'as and immediately thereafter to remember Miriam's punishment in the desert for speaking ...

Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Tazria-Metzora

Adam ki yih'yeh b'or besaro se'eis o sapachas o baheres v'haya b'or besaro l'negah tzara'as v'huva el Aharon HaKohen o el echad mi'banav ha'Kohanim (13:2) Parshas Tazria and Parshas Metzora primarily revolve around the subject of tzara'as - the different forms in which it can appear, the laws determining which afflictions are pure and which are impure, and the purification process for one who is stricken with tzara'as. The Gemora (Arachin 16a) teaches that one of the primary causes of ...

Vertluch: Parshas Tazria/Metzorah

This weeks parsha discusses the affliction of tzara’as that occurs on ones house; nigei batim. The pasuk says (14; 33) ‘When you come to the land of Cana’an, which I am giving you as a possession, and I place a lesion of tzara'as upon a house in the land of your possession.’ Rashi comments that it’s’ a ‘besura tova’, good news, because the Emorim who lived there for the forty years while klal Yisroel traveled in the midbar hid their gold and silver in the wall of their ...

B’Ohel Haneviyim: Parshas Shemini 5773

This week's Haftorah (Shmuel II, 6) contains many lessons. The Haftorah recounts the Aron HaKodesh's (Holy Ark’s) long journey back from the Plishtim. Dovid Hamelech first attempted to bring the Ark to Jerusalem with a festive parade on a brand new oxen-drawn cart. The Navi tells us that Dovid and the entire multitude that were accompanying the Aron HaKodesh played musical instruments in front of it. When the procession reached Goren Nachon, the Ark’s weight shifted so that it appeared in ...

Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Shemini

Vayomer Moshe el Aharon hu asher dibeir Hashem leimor bikrovai ekadeish v’al p’nei kol ha’am ekaveid vayidom Aharon (10:3) Parshas Tzav concludes by describing the service that Moshe performed for seven days to inaugurate the Mishkan. Parshas Shemini begins with the climax of this period, which was reached on the eighth day, at which time Aharon and his sons were consecrated to serve as Kohanim. Tragically, just at the peak of the joy of the inauguration ritual, Aharon’s two oldest ...

Vertluch: Parshas Shemini

‘Then Moshe said to Aaron, "This is what Hashem spoke, [when He said], 'I will be sanctified through those near to Me, and before all the people I will be glorified.' And Aaron was silent.” (10; 3) After the passing of his two sons, Moshe begins to console Aaron by repeating what Hashem had told him. A few pasukim later it states that Moshe relayed to Aaron, yet again: “And Moshe said to Aaron and to Elazar and to Isamar, his sons, ‘Do not leave your heads unkempt, and do not rend ...

Hilchos Yom-Tov (Pesach 5773)

The following is meant as a convenient review of Halachos pertaining to Yom Tov. The Piskei Din for the most part are based purely on the Sugyos, Shulchan Aruch and Ramah, and the Mishna Berura, unless stated otherwise. They are based on my understanding of the aforementioned texts through the teachings of my Rebeim. As individual circumstances are often important in determining the psak in specific cases, and as there may be different approaches to some of the issues, one should always check ...

Vertluch: Pesach 5773

One of the most essential fundamentals of the night of the seder is to encourage our children to ask questions and provide them with proper answers. We purposely execute out of the ordinary practices to evoke their curiosity with hope they will ask. To the extent that the ba’al hagada breaks down and categorizes four different types of children who ask four different kinds of questions, and then gives four different styled answers. It is interesting to note that the question of the rasha ...

Vertluch: Parshas Tzav

אם על תודה יקריבנו (ז, יב) כל הקרבנות בטלין לעתיד לבוא חוץ מתודה (ויקרא רבה) ‘All korbanos will be annulled with the coming of Moshiach, except for the korban todah.’ The korbanos Chatas and Asham, which were brought for one who sinned, will be nonexistent when Moshiach arrives because at that time man will not sin anymore; there won’t be that same yetzer hara as we have now. However, the same Chazal notes that we will still ...

HaRav Zev Leff: Parshas Tzav

Four Aspects of Thanksgiving If he shall offer it for a thanksgiving offering, with the feast thanksgiving-offering shall he offer unleavened loaves mixed with oil, unleavened wafers smeared with oil, and loaves of scalded fine flour mixed with oil. Vayikra 7:12 The Korban Todah, Thanksgiving Offering, is basically a Shelamim, a peace offering But unlike any other Shelamim it is brought with four different types of flour offerings, ten of each type. Three are types of matzah, and the ...

Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Tzav

Aish tamud tukad al hamizbeiach lo sich’beh (6:6) The Shelah HaKadosh writes in the name of Rav Moshe Cordovero that a person who is being troubled by sinful thoughts should repeat this verse, which will help him remove the forbidden ideas from his mind. The Shelah adds that it is clear that to him this advice was revealed to Rav Cordovero by Eliyahu HaNavi himself, but in his great humility, he chose not to disclose the source of his knowledge. Rav Shimshon Pinkus suggests that while ...

HaRav Zev Leff: Parshas Vayikra

The Gates of Prayer And God called to Moses...(Vayikra 1:1) Rosh in his commentary to the Torah explains that the aleph in the word vayikra, with which the third book of Torah begins, is reduced in size to reflect the humility of Moshe Rabbeinu. Remaining to be understood is why this hint to Moshe's humility is placed specifically at the beginning of Sefer Vayikra. Vayikra opens with the numerous and complex laws concerning the Temple sacrifices. With the destruction of the Bais ...

B’Ohel Haneviyim: Parshas Vayikra 5773

This week's Haftorah is from Yishayahu. It is particularly curious because instead of mirroring the Sedra it stands out in stark contrast to it. The Sedra discusses the bringing of Korbanos to Hashem as a virtuous activity, whereas the Haftorah relates how Hashem didn't want our Korbanos because we were worshipping Avoda Zara. Why was such a Haftorah picked instead of one relating our Avoda in the Beis Hamikdash? Why was such a negative Haftorah chosen? The contrast between the two suggests ...

Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Vayikra

Vayikra el Moshe vayedaber Hashem eilav me'Ohel Moed leimor (1:1) Parshas Vayikra teaches the laws governing several of the offerings that were brought in the Beis HaMikdash. However, in addition to introducing us to this new topic, this week's parsha is unique in that there is an ancient custom for children who are beginning to learn Chumash for the first time to start with the study of Parshas Vayikra, which is difficult to understand. Instead of the esoteric subject of sacrifices, ...

Vertluch: Parshas Vayikra

The parsha begins with the pasuk describing how Hashem called Moshe into the inner chambers to speak with him. When reading this one ponders, how exactly can I understand what took place? Why was Hashem calling Moshe into his ‘home’ and what is the importance in specifying this? Medrash points out that in last weeks parsha, at the conclusion of constructing each vessel, the pasuk stated ‘ka’asher tziva Hashem es Moshe’; roughly 18 times. Why the need for the repetition? Medrash ...