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...

Lo sa’ason kein l’Hashem Elokeichem (12:4) After instructing the Jewish people to break and smash the idolatrous temples and pillars which they will find in...

Eileh ha’devorim asher dibeir Moshe (1:1)             There are 5 books in the written Torah, and 6 sections of the Mishnah – the Oral Torah....

Hanistaros L’Hashem Elokeinu v’haniglos lanu ul’vaneinu ad olam la’asos es kol Divrei haTorah hazos (29:28)             In our verse, the Torah writes the words “lanu...

L'shana HaBa'ah B'Yerushalayim (Haggadah Shel Pesach) The Pesach Seder begins with a prayer: this year we are here, next year we should be in the...

Parsha Potpourri Parshas Behar - Bechukosai – Vol. 5, Issue 30 Compiled by Oizer Alport כי תבאו אל הארץ אשר אני נתן לכם ושבתה הארץ שבת לד'...

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),...

Vayomer Elokim zos os habris … es kashti nasati b’anan v’haysah l’os bris beini u’bein ha’aretz (9:12-13) Hashem told Noach that the rainbow will be...

V’chol hanashim asher nasah liban osana b’chochma tavu es ha’izim (35:26)             Rashi writes that the women displayed special skills and wisdom in spinning the...

V’atah Tetzaveh (27:20) The Baal HaTurim points out that from the birth of Moshe in Parshas Shemos until his death in Parshas V’Zos HaBeracha, this...

Ish ki yidor neder l’Hashem (30:3) Parshas Mattos begins with the laws governing oaths and vows. The concept of taking a vow to Hashem is...

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...

בראשית ברא אלקים את השמים ואת הארץ (1:1) On Simchas Torah, we complete the annual cycle of the public reading of the Torah by finishing Parshas...

 Dabeir el B’nei Yisroel v’yikchu aleicha parah adumah temimah (19:2) The Gemora in Kiddushin (31a) relates the tremendous dedication of a non-Jew named Dama ben...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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,...

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...

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...

V’haya ha’dam lachem l’os al ha’batim (12:13) The Tosefos Yom Tov writes (Demai 7:3) that some people ask a powerful question based on the verse...

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...

Katonti mikol ha'chasadim (32:11) Hashem promised to protect Yaakov and return him safely to the land of Canaan. Nevertheless, as he prepared to face his...

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...

V’ragl’cha lo batzeika zeh arba’im shana (8:4) In mentioning that the shoes of the Jewish people miraculously didn’t wear out during their sojourn in the...

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)            ...

Ki ha’aretz asher atah ba shamah l’rishtah lo k’eretz Mitzrayim hu asher y’tzasem misham asher tizra es zarecha v’hishkisa b’raglecha k’gan hayarek v’ha’aretz asher...

Vateitzei aish milifnei Hashem vatochal osam vayamusu lifnei Hashem (10:2) The Gemora in Sanhedrin (52a) teaches that while Moshe and Aharon were leading the way...

V'asisa bigdei Kodesh l'Aharon achicha l'kavod ul'tifares (28:2) Rav Yitzchok Hutner once related that while studying in the Slabodka yeshiva in Europe, he often heard...

Parshas Yisro begins by relating that Yisro heard about all of the miracles that Hashem performed for the Jewish people. This motivated him to...

וראית בשביה אשת יפת תאר וחשקת בה ולקחת לך לאשה (21:11) Parshas Ki Seitzei begins by discussing the y’fas toar – woman of beautiful form. The Torah...

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...

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...