Parsha Potpourri

Four presidential campaigns. Eight congressional elections. The longest war in U.S. history. The Sept. 11 attacks have shaped U.S. politics, sometimes over the objections of...

Vaya'as Aharon u'banav es kol ha'devarim asher tziva Hashem b'yad Moshe (8:36) After discussing more of the laws governing the various offerings, Parshas Tzav turns...

Adam ki yakriv mikem Korban l'Hashem (1:2) In the times of the Beis HaMikdash, a person who sinned at least had the comfort of knowing...

Vayavey es ha'Aron el ha'Mishkan vayasem eis Paroches hamasach vayasech al Aron ha'Eidus ka'asher tzivah Hashem es Moshe (40:21) In his commentary on our verse,...

Ki sisa es rosh B'nei Yisroel lif'kudeihem (30:12)Hashem commanded Moshe regarding the proper manner in which to take a census of the Jewish people,...

V'asu li Mikdash v'shachanti b'socham (25:8) In Shir HaShirim (3:11), Shlomo HaMelech refers to an event which occurred b'yom chasunaso ub'yom simchas libo - on...

V'ki yigach shor … v'im shor nagach hu mit'mol shil'shom v'huad biv'alav (21:28-29)A common criticism of yeshiva students is that they spend their days...

Vayishma Yisro (18:1) The Imrei Emes was once present at a Rabbinical conference in Warsaw that was called to discuss the burning issues of the...

V'chamushim alu B'nei Yisroel me'eretz Mitzrayim (13:18) The Torah relates that the Jewish people left Egypt chamushim. A number of explanations are given for the...

Vay'dabeir Hashem el Moshe v'el Aharon vay'tzaveim el B'nei Yisroel (6:13) The Torah tells us that Hashem commanded Moshe and Aharon regarding the Jewish people,...

Vayomer Melech Mitzrayim lam'yaldos ha'Ivriyos asher shem ha'achas Shifra v'shem ha'sheinis Puah (1:15) As part of his vicious plan to enslave and oppress the Jewish...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Hanistaros L'Hashem Elokeinu v'haniglos lanu ul'vaneinu ad olam la'asos es kol Divrei haTorah hazos (29:28) One afternoon in Jerusalem, Rabbi Yakov Vann was on his...

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),...

Vayakam Bilam ba'boker vayachavosh es asono Vayeilech im sarei Moav (22:21) After finally receiving permission from Hashem to go with Balak's agents, Bilaam awoke early...

V'dibartem el ha'sela l'eineihem v'nasan meimav v'hotzeisa lahem mayim min ha'sela v'hishkisa es ha'eida v'es be'iram (20:8) Although Parshas Chukas begins by describing events which...

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...

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...

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...

Ish al diglo b’osos l’beis avosam yachanu B’nei Yisroel mineged saviv l’ohel moed yachanu (2:2) Our Sages teach that everything written in the Torah is...

Im bechukosai teileichu (26:3) Parshas Bechukosai begins by promising tremendous blessings for those who obey its commandments (26:3-12). What must one do to warrant these...

Ba'chodesh ha'shevi'i b'echad la'chodesh yih'yeh lachem Shabbason Zichron Teruah Mikra Kodesh (23:24) The Gemora in Rosh Hashana (29b) points out that in Parshas Pinchas (Bamidbar...

V'chai bahem (18:5) In Parshas Acharei Mos, we are commanded to guard Hashem's decrees and laws and live through them. From the Torah's emphasis on...

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...

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...

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...

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...

V’ham’lacha haysa dayam l’kol ham’lacha la’asos osah v’hosar (36:7) There seems to be an internal inconsistency in our verse with which a number of commentators...

V’atah kach lecha besamim rosh mar deror chamesh me’os (30:23) When the Megillah first introduces us to Mordechai, it tells us not only his name,...