Yeshiva World News

Vertluch: Parshas Ki Savo

In this week's parsha, the Torah discusses the mitzvah of bikkurim, the bringing of the first-ripened fruits to the Beis Hamikdash. The essence of Mitzvas Bikkurim is hakaras hatov. From the very first moment that the fruit’s blooming is noticed, the owner immediately separates the fruit, puts it in a basket, takes it to the Beis Hamikdash and says a special tefillah. Rashi (26: 3) says ‘she-aincha kafuy tova’ - to show that you are not unappreciative. What do we see from this Rashi? ...

B'Ohel Haneviyim: Parshas Ki Seitzei 5773

This week's Haftorah is short but carries a succinct message. The Haftorah is read from Yishayohu (נד. י-יא) and it is the fifth Haftorah of the שבע דנחמת. The Haftorah starts with Hashem telling Yerushalayim to expand and become strong: Yerushalayim, states through the Navi, is going to grow in all directions. The Haftorah continues with Hashem making a double statement: 1) for a short moment I (Hashem) will leave you and with great mercy I will gather you (Am-Yisroel) back. 2) ...

HaRav Zev Leff: Parshas Ki Setzei

The Rebellious Son and the Fundamentals of Education When a man has a wayward, rebellious son, who does not obey his father and mother, they shall have him flogged. If he still does not listen to them...(The parents) must declare to the elders of his city, "Our son here is wayward and rebellious. He does not listen to us, and is an (exceptional) glutton and drunkard (Devarim 21:18 & 20). The Gemara (Sanhedrin 71a) says that there never was a rebellious son executed by beis din. The ...

Vertluch: Ki Seitzei

This weeks parsha begins by stating, ‘If you go out to war against your enemies, and Hashem, your God, will deliver him into your hands, and you take his captives.’(21:10) The Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh points out that this is a remez of man’s constant battle with the yetzer hara. One must realize that when we do battle with the yetzer hara, we need help from Hashem. Our job is to go out to do battle and pray that Hashem will help us in the battle with the yetzer hara. Rav Gifter zt’l ...

B'Ohel Haneviyim: Parshas Shoftim 5773

This week's Haftorah is read from Yishayohu and is the fourth of the שבע דנחמתא. The Haftorah starts with Hashem telling us that He is our Comforter. Hashem then continues by urging us over and over throughout the Haftorah to stand up and regain our strength. Hashem tells us to wake up from the sleep of Exile into the wakefulness of Geula. There is a very clear theme in the Haftorah: that the Geula is a reality to which we will one day awaken. In other words, the Geula isn't something ...

HaRav Zev Leff: Parshas Shoftim

The Rebellious Son and the Fundamentals of Education When you go out to war against your enemy and you see horses and chariots, an army greater than you, do not fear them, for Hashem your G-d, Who took you out of Egypt, is with you. (Devarim 20:1). How can we possibly expect to achieve such a high level that we do not fear when we go into battle? Even Moshe fled in terror when his rod was transformed into a snake. Yet if the Torah commands us not to fear the impending battle, it must be ...

Vertluch: Parshas -Shoftim

The end of this week’s parsha discusses the mitzvah of egla arufa where a corpse was found between two cities and it is unknown in which city the person was last seen in. The Torah tells us that the elders of these cities measure the distance to determine which municipality is closer to the corpse. Sifri says that the Kohanim began to say viduy; they said ‘kaper al amcha Yisroel asher padisa Hashem.” This teaches us that this kapara was even for the yidden that were yotzei Mitzrayim – ...

B'Ohel Haneviyim: Parshas Re'eh 5773

This week’s Haftorah is a short portion read from Yishayohu and it is the third Haftorah of Nechama. The first Passuk in the Haftorah addresses us as Lo Nuchama – the un-comforted one; the Passuk refers to us as a troubled nation (see Meforshim). The Haftorah then goes on to explain how our fortune will change for the best and we will end up at the top of the world in every way. While our Haftorah is exceptionally positive and uplifting, it only tells us that we will be on top, it ...

Vertluch: Parshas Re'eh

‘You are children of the Lord, your God. You shall neither cut yourselves nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.’ (14; 1) Rashi on this pasuk comments, ‘You shall neither cut yourselves: Do not make cuts and incisions in your flesh [to mourn] for the dead, in the manner that the Amorites do, because you are the children of Hashem and it is appropriate for you to be handsome and not to be cut or have your hair torn out.’ The gemara in Sanhedrin (68a) says, ‘when ...

B'Ohel Haneviyim: Parshas Eikev 5773

This week’s Haftorah is extremely inspiring. It is a Nevuah from Yishayohu and it starts off amidst a dialogue between Tzion and Hashem. Tzion tells Hashem that He has forgotten her (i.e. us) and Hashem answers that He hasn’t. Hashem explains that any abandonment of His was temporary and a thing of the past. Hashem explains that He could never abandon us; that it would be impossible for Him to do so. Hashem follows this initial statement by saying that He is ushering us all back to ...

HaRav Zev Leff: Parshas Eikev

Loving the Ger ...and He loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing . You must also show love toward the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt (Devarim 10:18-19) . The Torah informs us of Hashem's great love for the ger (convert). Since we are required to emulate Hashem, it follows that we must also love the ger. Why, then, is it necessary to add, "for you were gerim in Egypt?" Rambam (Responsa No. 369) points out that the Torah commands us to respect and honor ...

Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Eikev

V'achalta v'savata u'veirachta es Hashem Elokecha al ha'aretz ha'tovah asher nasan lach (8:10) Parshas Eikev contains the mitzvah of reciting Birkas HaMazon (Grace after Meals), in which we thank Hashem after we have eaten a meal containing bread. Many commentators discuss the tremendous value in saying this blessing with intense concentration and the numerous benefits and blessings that a person can receive for doing so. Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein recounts an inspiring story which ...

Vertluch: Parshas Eivek

Parshas Eikev starts off by stating that if we heed to the mitzvos of Hashem then we will be watched over and showed kindness by Him (7; 12). Rashi notes that this pasuk is referring to the smaller yet simple mitzvos that we do ordinarily-frequented by our daily routines; that which may not seem so important to us. Most often, people will make sure never to miss the ‘big mitzvos’ such as shofar, succah or matza. Yet, some of us may become a bit too familiar with the everyday mitzvos and ...

Vertluch: Parshas Va'eschanan - Nachamu

שמור את יום השבת לקדשו כאשר צוך ה’ אלוקיך (ה, כ) (קודם מתן תורה) במרה (רש”י) As we have previously mentioned, sefer devarim repeats most of what had already happened to klal Yisroel through Moshe’s writings. You will notice that in the first “set” of the aseres hadibros, in parshas Yisro, there is no loshon of ‘k’asher tzivcha’ like the above pasuk is written. In parshas V’eschanan, it only says these words when talking ...

Tisha B'av 5773 Reflections

After a long morning of Kinos there are all sorts of thoughts that go through one's mind—a sort of mingling of past, present, and future. One of the sections we read in the Kinos was the section referred to as the Tzion (Zionistic) Kinos. These are a collection of poems that were written in terms of yearning for Eretz Yisroel. They show Eretz Yisroel in a romantic way as being the perfect land .Eretz-Yisroel is indeed a perfect land the best and choicest land. The Torah tells us that Israel ...

Hilchos Tisha B'av 5773 - Rabbi Krakowski

The following is meant as a convenient review of Halachos pertaining to Tisha BeAv. 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 ...

HaRav Zev Leff: Parshas Devarim

Shabbos Chazon - G-d's Answer to a Perplexing Question Who is the wise man that may understand this and who is he to whom the mouth of the L-rd has spoken that he may declare it? Why has the land perished, burnt up like a wilderness that none pass through? And the L-rd said, “Because they have forsaken my Torah, which I set before them, and have not obeyed My Voice, nor walked therein” (Yirmiyahu 9:11-12). The question of why the Beis Hamikdash was destroyed and the Land left desolate ...