Vertluch: Parshas Vayigash
Parshas Vayigash relates the climax to one of the most well known episodes in our illustrious history-the story of Yosef revealing himself to his...
HaRav Zev Leff: Parshas Miketz
Thanking Hashem for Misfortune and Deliverance
Rabbeinu Yonah writes in Shaarei Teshuvah When one receives Hashem's chastisement and as a consequence improves his ways, it...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Mikeitz
Vayehi mikeitz shenasayim yamim u'Paroh choleim v'hinei omeid al sfas haye'or (41:1)
By linking the end of the two years of Yosef's additional jail time...
Veryluch: Parsha Mikeitz / Shabbos Chanuka
The Chashmonaim are known to be one of the more illustrious families in our storied history. If not for them, Torah and mitzvos could...
Halachic Analysis: Latke Tasting Before Chanukah Lighting
Aside from on Thanksgivukah, by the time most people usually get home from work, the time to kindle the Chanukah lights has already arrived....
Hilchos Uminhagei Chanukah 5774 By Rabbi Y. Dov Krakowski
The following is meant as a convenient review of Halachos pertaining to Chanuka. The Piskei Din for the most part are based purely on...
Chanukah – An In Depth Overview
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Chanukah occurred during the time of the Second Beis HaMikdash approximately in the year 3596/165 B.C.E. The Seleucid Greeks (or Syrian Greeks) ruled...
HaRav Zev Leff: Parshas Vayeishev
Yosef and His Brothers: The Anatomy of a Sale
...and Joseph would bring evil reports about them to their father (Bereishis 37:2).
Just as the halachic...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Vayeishev
V'hinei ha'shemesh v'ha'yareiach v'achad asar kochavim mishtachavim li (37:9)
Yosef dreamed that the sun, the moon, and 11 stars - which represented his father, mother,...
Vertluch: Parshas Vayeshev
In this week’s parsha, Yosef was confronted with a nisayon from the wife of Potiphar. On a basic level, this was an incredible temptation...
HaRav Zev Leff: Parshas Vayishlach
Deracheha Darchei Noam Its Ways Are Ways of Pleasantness
And Yaakov was very frightened and distressed (Bereishis 32 7).
Rashi comments that Yaakov was frightened lest...
Vertluch: Parshas Vayishlach
When the Malachim returned to Yaakov, they gave him the grim report. Esav was advancing towards Yaakov with a frighteningly large army. He started...
HaRav Zev Leff: Parshas Vayeitzei
The Jewish Home
Not like Avraham who called it "mountain," and not like Yitzchak who called it "field," but rather like Yaukov who called...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Vayeitzei
Vayeitzei Yaakov miBe'er Shava vayeilech Charana (28:10)
The parsha begins by relating that Yaakov departed from Be'er Sheva and went to Charan. As the Torah...
Vertluch: Parshas Vayetzei
After all the hardships that Yaakov had endured with Lavan, they made amends and feasted over a korban together. When they were finished, the...
HaRav Zev Leff: Parshas Toldos
And the children clashed within her (Bereishis 25:22).
Whenever she passed the entrances to the House of Study of Ever, Yaakov struggled to exit, ...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Toldos
Va'yetar Yitzchok l'Hashem l'nochach ishto ki akara hee va'yei'aseir lo Hashem va'tahar Rivkah ishto (25:21)
After 20 childless years of marriage, Yitzchok and Rivkah petitioned...
Vertluch: Parshas Toldos
Parshas Toldos begins recounting the birth of Yaakov and Esav. When describing Esav the pasuk states that he came out of the womb ‘extremely...
HaRav Zev Leff: Parshas Chayei Sarah
Remembering the Day of Death
Sarah died in Kiriath Arba which is Hebron in the land of Canaun. And Abraham came to eulogize Sarah and...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Chayei Sorah
Vayakam Avrohom me'al p'nei meiso vay'dabeir el b'nei Cheis leimor ger v'toshav anochi imachem t'nu li achuzas kever imachem v'ekb'ra meisi mil'fanai (23:3-4)
The Gemora...
Vertluch: Parshas Chayei Sorah
After last week’s spellbinding account of the akeida, this week we start off by revealing the death of Sara Imeinu. The pasuk says (23:...
Rabbi Krakowski: Parshas Chayei Sarah
Avrohom Avinu sets off in search for a burial site for Sarah Imeinu, with his eyes set on buying Mearas Hamachpeila from Efron. Efron...
HaRav Zev Leff: Parshas Vayeira
The Value of a Friend's Advice
And God appeared to him in the plains of Mamre (Bereishis 18:1).
The Midrash relates that when Hashem commanded Avraham...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Vayeira
Yukach na me'at mayim ... v'ekcha pas lechem v'sa'adu lib'chem (18:4-5)
Avrohom excelled in the mitzvah of hosting guests. Three days after he had circumcised...
Vertluch: Parshas Vayeira
When Hashem was preparing to eradicate Sedom, He made a decision to inform Avraham of His plans. He told Avraham that they were an...
Rabbi Krakowski: Parshas Vayeira
This week’s Sedra contains one of the most perplexing portions of the Torah. Avraham Avinu, who preached against human sacrifice at a time when...
HaRav Zev Leff: Parshas Lech Lecha
Abram took Sarai his wife and his nephew Lot, and all their wealth that they had amassed, and the people they had acquired in...
Parsha Potpourri: Parshas Lech Lecha
Vayehi ka'asher hikriv la'vo Mitzraymah vayomer el Sarai ishto hinei na yadati ki isha yefas mareh at (12:11)
Due to a famine in the land...
Vertluch: Parshas Lech lecha
The end of this week’s parsha discusses that Hashem gave us the commandment of bris milah and how Avraham and Yishmael were both circumcised.
Dovid...
Rabbi Krakowski: Parshas Lech Lecha
Hashem announces to Avrohom that Sarah Imeinu will have a child he will be considered his only eternal child. Hashem explains that only this...
Vertluch: Parshas Noach
This weeks parsha begins with the well-known words of נֹחַ אִישׁ צַדִּיק תָּמִים הָיָה בְּדֹרֹתָיו, meaning Noach was righteous, and a tamim; he was...
Hilchos Chol Hamoed
The following is meant as a convenient review of Halachos pertaining to Chol-Hamoed. The Piskei Din for the most part are based purely on the...
Hilchos Eruv Tavshilin
The following is meant as a convenient review of Halachos pertaining to Eiruv Tavshilin. The Piskei Din for the most part are based purely...
Vertluch: Sukkos 5774
The mishna is Succah (28b) says that if it rains on Succos it is comparable to a slave that comes to pour a cup...
Vertluch: Yom Kippur 5774
Rambam in hilchos teshuva, (perek aleph) asks how one says viduy (where one accepts and confesses they have sinned). He answers, we say ‘Ana...