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...

Parshas Emor – Vol. 5, Issue 29 Compiled by Oizer Alport  לא יקרחה קרחה בראשם ופאת זקנם לא יגלחו ובבשרם לא ישרטו שרט -21:5 The Torah prohibits...

ואמרת לפני ד' אלקיך בערתי הקדש מן הבית וגם נתתיו ללוי ולגר ליתום ולאלמנה ככל מצותך אשר צויתני לא עברתי ממצותיך ולא שכחתי (26:13) There is...

Havah nis'chakmah lo (1:10) In the early days of the state of Israel, one of the most painful episodes for religious Jewry was known as...

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...

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,...

Vayeitzei Yaakov miBe’er Shava vayeilech Charana (28:10) Those who pay careful attention to the parsha while reviewing it or during its public reading on Shabbos...

  V’hayah ki yiru osach haMitzrim v’amru ishto zos v’hargu osi v’osach y’chayu imri na achosi at l’maan yitav li ba’avureich v’chaysa nafshi biglaleich (12:12-13) Due...

V’anisa v’amarta (26:5) A farmer is required to bring bikkurim, the first ripened fruits of the seven species for which the land of Israel is...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

Hashem Elokei avoseichem yosef Aleichem kachem elef pe’amim (1:11) In the middle of his rebuke of the Jewish nation, Moshe blessed them that Hashem should...

V’sheretz haye’or tzefardim v’alu u’ba’u b’veisecha … uv’chadarecha uv’misharosecha (7:28) The Gemora in Pesachim (53b) relates that the righteous Chananya, Mishael, and Azaryah allowed themselves...

V’hikrisem lachem arim arei miklat tih’yena lachem v’nas shama rotzeach makeh nefesh bishgaga (35:11) A man once traveled from Israel to Europe to collect money...

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

Vayihyu chayei Sorah meah shana v'esrim shana v'sheva shanim sh'nei chayei Sorah (23:1) The Medrash relates (Esther Rabbah 1:8) that Rebbi Akiva was once in...

Vayishlach osam Moshe mimidbar Paran al pi Hashem kulam anashim roshei B’nei Yisroel heima (13:3) In relating that Moshe sent spies to scout out the...

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’yikchu li terumah me’eis kol ish asher yidvenu libo tikchu es terumasi (25:2) In the 1920s, the yeshivos of Poland were so strapped for cash...

V’haya al Aharon l’shares v’nishma kolo b’vo’o el HaKodesh lifnei Hashem uv’tzeiso v’lo yamus (28:35)             The Gemora in Pesachim (112a) records that Rabbi Akiva...

V’amarta lifnei Hashem Elokecha biarti hakodesh min ha’bayis v’gam n’sativ l’levi ul’ger l’yasom ul’almana k’chol mitzvas’cha asher tzivisani lo avarti mi’mitzvosecha v’lo shachachti (26:13)            ...

Im ra’ah b’einei adoneha asher lo y’adah ... v’im liv’no yiadenah k’mishpat ha’banos ya’aseh lah (21:8-9) The Mishnah in Avos (3:17) teaches that without Torah...

Vayiven arei misk’nos l’Paroh es Pisom v’es Ra’amses (1:11) The Gemora in Sotah (11a) explains that the names of the cities Pisom and Raamses allude...

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

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...

Ki y’sis’cha … leimor neil’cha v’naavda elohim acheirim … lo so’veh lo v’lo sish’ma eilav v’lo ta’chos ein’cha alav v’lo sach’mol v’lo t’chaseh alav...

Hachodesh hazeh lachem Rosh Chodoshim (12:2) Our verse contains the first mitzvah which was given to the Jewish people as a collective nation. When read...

Vayomer Yosef el echav ani Yosef ha’od avi chai v’lo yachlu achiv la’anos oso ki nivhalu mipanav (45:3) When Yosef’s brothers came to Egypt to...

V’asu li Mikdash v’shachanti b’socham (25:8) One of the blessings commonly given to a newly-engaged couple is “Der zivug zohl oleh yafeh zein.” While it...

 Vayomer Yosef el echav ani Yosef ha’od avi chai v’lo yachlu achiv la’anos oso ki nivhalu mipanav (45:3) When Yosef’s brothers came to Egypt to...

Eileh pekudei haMishkan Mishkan ha’eidus (38:21) Rashi explains that the repetition of the word “Mishkan” alludes to the fact that the Temple was taken from...

Parshas Chukas - Vol. 5, Issue 37 Compiled by Oizer Alport   Zos chukas HaTorah (19:2)             The Magen Avrohom writes (Orach Chaim 580:9) that it is the...

Adam ki yihyeh 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 mibanav (13:2) Parshas...