Yeshiva World News

B'Ohel Haneviyim: Parshas Korach

This week's Haftorah is read from Shmuel. Shmuel Hanavi rebuked Am-Yisroel for wanting to be like the other nations and have a king of flesh and blood. In the midst of his rebuke of Am-Yisroel, Shmuel Hanavi asks Klal-Yisroel a rhetorical question: “did I take anything from anyone of you?” Klal-Yisroel answers in total unison that Shmuel Hanavi had never taken anything from anyone. This proclamation of Shmuel that he never took anything from Am-Yisroel mirrors closely Moshe Rabeinu's ...

Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Korach

Rav lachem B'nei Levi (16:7) Parshas Korach begins with the tragic revolt led by Korach against Moshe and Aharon in which he questions their claims of being Divinely-chosen in an attempt to overthrow their leadership. Moshe attempted to quash their rebellion by explaining to them that serving Hashem as Levites was no small matter and they should be content with their roles instead of seeking to elevate themselves by serving as Kohanim Gedolim. The Gemora (Sotah 13b) teaches that Moshe was ...

HaRav Zev Leff: Parshas Korach

Shalom and Machlokes Any dispute that is for the sake of Heaven will have a constructive outcome; but one that is not for the sake of Heaven will not have a constructive outcome. What sort of dispute was for the sake of Heaven? The dispute between Hillel and Shammai. And which was not for the sake of Heaven? The dispute of Korach and his entire company (Pirkei Avos 5:20). The Mishnah describes Korach’s rebellion as the epitome of machlokes (strife) that is not for the sake of Heaven, ...

Vertluch: Parshas Korach

One of the respected associates of Korachs assemblage was Oin ben Peles who had sworn allegiance to Korach to wage war against Moshe Rabbeinu. However, in the end it was his wife who ultimately saved him. Gemara in Shanhedrin (109b) explains what she did. The Gemara says that the wife of Oin ben Peles saved him because she saw that he was getting involved in the rebellion of Korach. She told him, "What difference does it make to you? If Moshe is the leader, you will be his disciple and if ...

Vertluch: Parshas Shelach

In this week’s parsha we read about the highly anticipated return of the spies, who were sent to eretz Yisroel ahead of bnei Yisroel, to check out the Promised Land for them. The pasuk states (13; 28) that after the spies’ returned from eretz Yisroel they immediately began speaking of their disapproval of the land. Bnei Yisroel started crying and getting anxious about the Promised Land. The Zohar says that the Meraglim saw in nevuah that they would lose their jobs, as soon as they ...

B’Ohel Haneviyim: Parshas Shelach 5773

This week's Haftorah is from Yehoshua and recounts how Yehoshua sent scouts to check out Eretz Yisroel before Klal-Yisroel was to begin its conquest. The parallel between the Haftorah and the Sedra is clear. Our Sedra opens with Hashem instructing us to send scouts to check out the Land. Yehoshua was actually among those sent for the original scouting mission. That original mission, however, had ended badly as the Meraglim came back and talked despairingly about Eretz-Yisroel. In fact we are to ...

HaRav Zev Leff: Parshas Shelach

The Sin of the Spies - Who’s in Charge? Moses renamed Hoshea son of Nun “Joshua” (Bamidbar 13:16). Prior to the departure of the twelve spies, Moshe Rabbeinu changed the name of his disciple Hoshea to Yehoshua. That changed contained within it a prayer that Hashem save Yehoshua from the plot of the spies. It remains to be explained, however, why Moshe agreed to send the spies in the first place if he was aware of a plot to malign Eretz Yisrael. In addition, why did he pray for Yehoshua ...

Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Shelach

Vayishlach osam Moshe mi'midbar Paran al pi Hashem kulam anashim roshei B'nei Yisroel heimah (13:3) In relating that Moshe sent spies to scout out the land of Israel, the Torah refers to the spies using the expression anashim. Rashi notes that this is difficult to understand, as the term anashim is normally used to describe important men of stature. Why is this word used in conjunction with the spies, who incited the Jewish people to rebel against the Divine plan for them to enter and ...

HaRav Zev Leff: Parshas Behaalosecha

Consistency and Faithfulness When the Ark would travel, Moses would say, "Arise Hashem, and let Your foes be scattered, let those who hate You flee from before You." And when it rested, he would say, "Return, Hashem, to the myriad thousands of Israel." (Bamidbar 10:35-36). According to one opinion in the Gemara (Shabbos 116a), these two verses are set off by inverted nuns to constitute a break between three episodes in which Klal Yisrael sinned. The first of the three episodes, according to ...

Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Beha'aloscha

Vayaratz ha'naar vayageid l'Moshe vayomer Eldad u'Meidad misnab'im ba'machaneh va'ya'an Yehoshua bin Nun meshareis Moshe mi'bechurav vayomer Adoni Moshe kela'eim (11:27-28) During their travels in the wilderness, a group of complainers began to protest the Manna that they were forced to eat day after day. They wailed that they missed the succulent tastes of the meat, fish, and vegetables that they ate in Egypt, and now they had nothing to look forward to except Manna. When Moshe heard them ...

B’Ohel Haneviyim: Parshas Beha'aloscha 5773

This week's Haftorah is a Nevuah from Zechariah. It takes us back to the beginning of Bayis Sheni. Zechariah prophesizes about Yehoshua the Cohen Gadol at the beginning of Bayis Sheni. The actual words of the Nevuah are vague. This vagueness creates a certain complexity in the Nevuah. Zechariah sees Yehoshua the Cohen Gadol standing and next to him there is the Satan and an Angel of Hashem. The Angel tells Yehoshua to take off his soiled clothing; he tells Yehoshua that if he does so he will ...

Vertluch: Parshas Beha'aloscha

At the end of this weeks parsha we find that Aharon and Miriam say something derogatory about Moshe. ‘Miriam and Aharon spoke against Moses regarding the Cushite woman he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman.’ (12; 1) The pasukim aren’t clear as to what exactly was said but Rashi quotes a chazal that says they made a comment about the fact that after kabalos haTorah Moshe had separated himself from wife because of his frequent encounters with Hashem. They also spoke to ...

B’Ohel Haneviyim: Parshas Naso 5773

This week's Haftorah tells the story of Shimshon. One of the important subjects in our Sedra is that of Nezirus. Becoming a Nazir entails taking on strict additional obligations beyond those incumbent upon every Jew in order to distance oneself from sin. The individual wishing to become a Nazir undertakes to stay away from certain impurities and acts that might in some way cause him to sin. It is for that reason that a Nazir does not drink wine. It is also for that reason that he is not allowed ...

Hilchos Uminhagei Shavuos 5773

Rabbi Yissachar Dov Krakowski is the Supervisor of OU Kashrus in Israel.Rabbi Krakowski served as Rov Kehillas Torah Vechesed in Nachlaot and now serves as a Rabbinic and Halachic consultant to various shuls in Yerushalayim. He has been mishamesh many Rabbanim and Poskim both In America and in Eretz-Yisroel. Rabbi Krakowski started his Yeshiva years in Beis Hamedrash and Mesivta of Baltimore. He Then continued in Yeshivas Shaar HaTorah Grodna (Queens NY), South Fallsburg, Brisk (Yerushalayim), ...

A Message from the Kalever Rebbe - Shavuos 2013

Do We Lose Out by Keeping Shabbos? The holiday of Shavuos celebrates the day Hashem gave us, the Jewish people, the gift of His holy Torah. The Torah is the Divine handbook that teaches us how to live our lives to the highest potential by following the will of Hashem and performing His precious Mitzvos. There is no denying that the Torah places certain restrictions on what we may and may not do in the course of our daily affairs. Indeed, every week we are instructed to observe a day of ...

Hilchos Yom-Tov (Shavuos 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 ...

Parsha Potpourri: Shavuos/Parshas Nasso

Vayis'u lahem nashim Mo'aviyos sheim ha'achas Orpah v'sheim ha'sheinis Rus (Rus 1:4) Due to a famine in the land of Israel, Elimelech traveled with his family to the land of Moab. After his death, his sons Machlon and Kilyon married Rus and Orpah, two local Moabite women. Did Rus and Orpah convert prior to marrying them? It would be difficult to say that they did not convert, as the Gemora (Bava Basra 91a) refers to Machlon and Kilyon as gedolei ha'dor - among the greatest men in their ...