Daniel Pinner

Shabbat Hagadol: Redemption then, redemption now

It is a fundamental component of Pesach that the redemption from Egypt – our first national redemption – is the paradigm for the final redemption,

The first day of Nissan - in Egypt

It is the first of Nissan in the year 2448 (1312 B.C.E.). Nine of the Ten Plagues have struck Egypt, and only the tenth, the Slaying of the Firstborn, the most devastating Plague of them all, is yet to come.

Parshat Shmini and Parshat Hachodesh - stages of Redemption

An analysis of the non kosher animals mentioned in the parasha is connected to the four questions - and Redemption. This will be the final exile, after which we will never again be defeated or exiled from our Land.

Purim: Why do they hate us?

Every nation, every culture which ever felt threatened by the knowledge of G-d was determined to exterminate, to kill, and to destroy all the Jews, from young to old, babies and women.

Shabbat Zachor: Perverted compassion

Refusing to kill Amalek, keeping Amalek alive, isn’t a surfeit of compassion. It’s the opposite: it is a perversion of compassion. Exterminating evil is the truest compassion.

Parshat Shekalim: One nation with one destiny

Jews the world over, estranged for decades if not generations, have been forced to return to the Jewish body, to recognise that their destiny is Jewish destiny.

Natural miracles

The IDF freed two hostages in Gaza in the middle of the night. A miracle? No question about it, but one that occurred by natural means, the cooperation of Intelligence and fighting forces.

Yitro: The greatest Heritages

The word מוֹרָשָׁה, morashah, meaning “heritage”, appears only twice in the Torah, referring to the two heritages of Israel. One cannot do without the other.

Beshalach: In time of war...

What, then, was uniquely harsh about the Plague of Hail?

Parashat Vayechi: Judah lies down like a lion

When G-d arises, when those who hate Him are blown away as smoke is, then Israel – Judah – can lie down peacefully, like a lion at rest.

The 10th of Tevet and Vayigash: The beginning and end of Exile

The 10th of Tevet marked the beginning of the end of the First Jewish Commonwealth.

First night of Hanukkah: One candle or eight?

Hillel sees the world as it is; Shammai sees the world as it should be. In our imperfect world, we follow Hillel’s rulings, but one day....

Parashat Vayishlach: Israel’s first war

Read the Maharal on Shimon and Levi: They understoodl that if this outrage was unpunished, then no Hebrew would ever be safe again

Chaye Sarah: Towards the downfall of the savage

G-d will hear the nation of Israel]'s cries because of what Ishmael’s descendants do to them in the Land of Israel at the end of days..

Gaza: Rectifying the original evil

Why has Gaza remained disputed? Why has it never become part of Israel? Here is the story. Op-ed.

Ending the month of beginnings

And since Tishrei is the month of beginnings, it is especially apposite that we conclude the annual Torah-reading and then begin it again.

Be an etrog!

You have the choice to be any one of the Four Species.

Who will become impoverished, who will become wealthy

Four men, the Zohar tells us (Volume 1, Bereishit 27a), entered the Orchard, the פַּרְדֵּס (Pardess)....

Who by fire, who by water…

"And repentance and prayer and charity reverse the evil of the decree”.

Parashat Shoftim: On Jewish Justice

Learn how the Torah guarantees that justice is administered - and a comparison to Israel's court system.

Re’eh: Return to Eden

The 7 Haftarot of Consolation from Isaiah are his magnificent prophecies of the halcyon days to come, in our return en masse to the Land.

The Ninth of Av:: A magnificent tragedy

It took the entire might of the Roman Empire seven years to defeat the Jews. An inspiring episode, indeed!

Devarim: From Moshe to Joshua to Ruth to Rashi and beyond

We invariably begin to read the final Book of the Torah, Deuteronomy, on the Shabbat which immediately precedes the fast of the ninth of Av.

Mattot-Mas’ei: 42 stations

Why does the Torah list all 42 of these stations? What does this list add to our knowledge or understanding?

Balak: Welcome back, Diaspora shul-goers

The double parashah which communities in exile will read this week, Chukkat-Balak, can happen only in exile, never in Israel.

Conversation in the desert

The twelve men chosen to reconnoitre the Promised Land in a heart to heart (imagined) conversation.

Op-ed:

Another ceasefire…and another…and another…

We can but live the best we can and look forward to the next round unless we decide to take back Gaza. Op-ed.

Parashat Emor: Between independence and liberating Jerusalem

The Haftarah for Emor gives us hope for the future, the future which has already begun in the last two generations.

Yom Ha'atzmaut: Where in the Redemption are we?

We no longer stand on the edge of Redemption: we have already taken our first hesitant, faltering, uncertain steps into Redemption..

Thoughts during the sounding of the siren

Yom Hazikaron, Memorial Day for IDF Fallen and Victims of Terror 5783 (2023) begins with a siren on Monday 8pm and then at 11am Tuesday.

Memorializing the Holocaust: The world versus Israel

Israel and Jewish communities commemorate the Holocaust as a time when Jews were murdered, but also as a time when Jews fought back.

Parashat Tzav and Shabbat HaGadol: chametz and matza

The Todah (the last sacrifice we read before Pesach) and the Korban Pesach both convey the same idea: The Jew must thank G-d, but not alone.

Vayikra and Nissan: A new era in our relationship with G-d

The Mishkan, the start of the month of Nissan and the beginning of the Book of Leviticus, mark a new phase in Jewish history.

Shabbat Hachodesh: Nation of Royalty

It is significant that our first national mitzvah was to take control of our time starting with the new year of kings.

Ki Tisa and Shabbat Parah: Taking off the mask

Our Sages enacted that on the Shabbat (occasionally the final Shabbat) before Nissan, every Shul would read this decree of the Red Cow:

Shushan Purim: The sweetest victory

Can you hear us celebrating, Haman? Hark from whatever dismal depths you are in now, and hear our sweet children singing in our own country.

Parashat Truma and the month of Adar-a contra to Av

it is appropriate that the Torah-readings for Adar, when we increase in joy, prepare us for building the Mishkan. Numerology attests to it.

Mishpatim, the legislative parasha

Is this a random selection of mitzvot, or is there a connecting theme?

“We few, we happy few, we band of brothers…”

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers, will yet defeat our enemies in the Land of Israel.

The Tenth of Tevet: Why do we fast?

The final sentence could have been delayed, or even averted altogether, if only the nation had repented.

Vayigash:The only mistaken thing Jacob ever said

What was the reason for Jacob's fear about going to Egypt?

The essence of Light: Miketz, Hanukkah, and Rosh Chodesh Tevet:

This year 5783, as occurs about one-third of the time, Shabbat Parashat Miketz falls on Rosh Chodesh Tevet which is on Hanukkah..And...

Why didn't we light 8 candles the first night of Hanukkah?

Should we see the world as it is, or as it should be? We pray for the day the potential is going to be the same as the actual. Speedily!

A robe too far

Why was it this luxurious robe, rather than anything else, that so aroused Joseph's brothers’ ire?

Vayishlach: Ask an American Rabbi

Jacob could have saved himself a lot of trouble had he stayed put in Laban's house.

How to get angelic protection

When a Jew leaves Israel: there is an interim when he has no Divine protection. When he comes, he is escorted by the angels of the land.

Chayei Sarah: Towards the downfall of the savage

Yishmael - A man suited to the desert, unable to coexist with his fellow-men, accept human laws or to live with civilized human society..

Vayeira: Unexpected source of Redemption

The incestuous union of Lot and his daughter, began the dynasty that would culminate in the Mashiach.

Lech Lecha: The conversation that never was

Had the words of G-d been said to Abraham today, what would the outcome be?

Noah – The flawed tzaddik

Rabbi Yochanan perceived that something was wrong and it is not just that Noah did not try to save his generation, as is usually said..

Shmini Atzeret/Simchat Torah, the last Festival in Tishrei

Ending the month of beginnings.

Yom Kippur: Genesis of Repentance

As G-d’s world was launched, He already provided the capacity for atonement on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, repentance, forgiveness.

Parashat Vayeilech: Going into the future

G-d had given Israel 611 mitzvot via Moshe, only two more remain. And these two final mitzvot ensure Jewish continuity after Moshe is gone

Moses' words in Nitzavim: Prelude to Rosh Hashanah

Since Moshe said “all of you” why did he add "your heads, your Tribes, your elders and your officers, every man of Israel; your infants..."?

Ki Tavo: The ultimate punishment

Comparing the first set of admonitions (tochacha) with those in this week's parasha.

Ki Teitze: Coincidence?

There are mitzvas which, by their nature, no one can plan to do. Perhaps God sends these opportunities to those who look for mitzvot to do.

Time to build the Holy Temple

The Prophet Haggai’s words about the Beit Hamikdash speak to us even as they did to the Jews in Israel of his generation:

Another ceasefire…and another…and another…

The Arabs in Gaza will start firing again the moment they decide it’s in their interests to do so. We have no deterrence. Op-ed.

Irgun document, 75 years on

75 years ago this week, the Irgun published the English broadsheet below, directed at rank-and-file soldiers of the British Army.Op-ed..

After the 9th of Av comes Tu B'Av

When Moshe began to speak his own words to his beloved people for the first time, how did he begin?