Danny Ginsbourg

Parashat Shoftim:

Wholeheartedness is the key

Hashem adjures us to ‘cleave to Him’ - and as Hashem is upright and righteous, one who wants to cleave to Him, has to also be ‘upright and righteous’.

Parashat Re'eh:

Today and every day

We need to make the choice between blessing and curse, and by our ethical conduct, we decide for ourselves which way our faces incline.

The gift of the land is only in the merit of the Avot

Why is it important to stress that we were given the land because of our forefathers' merits? Famous commentators give their explanations below.

Parashat Va'etchanan:

'This is your wisdom in the eyes of the nations'

Abarbanel: The nations, on seeing that the ordnances are just and wise, will deem that so too are the decrees, though the reason for them may have been ‘lost’ to them.’ Commentaries weigh in on Jewish 'wisdom.'

Moses explained the Torah in 70 languages

Why the need to explain it in seventy languages, as Rashi writes, specifically at this time, as they were about to enter the Land? - what is the meaning of: ’he explained it in seventy languages’?

Parashat Matot-Masei:

The death of the High Priest conundrum

Why did the Torah tie the stay of the murderer in the city of refuge, to the death of the Kohen Gadol?

Parashat Pinchas:

What happened to the sons of Korach?

When thoughts of repentance arose in the hearts of the sons of Korach, they were moved to atone for their dishonor, by an offering of praise found in the Book of Psalms.

Parashat Balak (Israel):

How did Balaam merit prophecy?

‘To what can the matter be likened? To that of the king’s cook, who knows the amount of the outlays of the king, for his table.’

Parashat Chukat (Israel):

"Because you did not believe in me..."

Moses is told in this parasha that he wiil not bring the Israelites into the Land. How do commentators explain that?

Parashat Korach:

’Not one donkey did I take from them'

We learn from this Parasha, read in Israel this past Shabbat and next week in the Diaspora, the required lofty level of the leader of our people to guard himself against any suggestion of benefitting personally from his office.

Shlach (Israel):

'How much longer will these people provoke me?'

First "provoke" followed by the next phrase asking 'How much longer will they not believe in me?' A survey of commentators explaining and contrasting the two dramatic verses.

For Israel: Behaalotcha

Purifying the Levites

What is the method of purifying the Levites and why is it written after the offerings at the Tabernacle dedication? Commentators weigh in on the meanings below the surface.

Receiving the Torah:

The pedigree of the People of Israel

Because Yaakov chose Hashem to be his G-d, Hashem chose Israel - Yaakov’s nation - to be His special lot.

The Sefirat Ha'Omer conundrum

Why does Hashem’s decree to punish transgressors, the pupils of Rabbi Akiva, cause us to adopt some of the ways of mourners until Lag Ba'Omer?

Parashat Emor:

'Say to the kohanim, the sons of Aaron'

The entire verse uses a double expression :’say’, but why?

Two he-goats, two atoements

Various commentators are brought to bear on the reasons for the two fates for the two he-goats of Yom Kippur.

Four more questions

Jews always have more questions. Here are four.

Parashat Tsav:

Consecration

When, chronologically, did our Parashah's first verses occur?

Parashat Vayikra:

The wondrous korbanot

The korbanot in the Bet Mikdash - assuredly they were to unite worlds.

Parashat Vayakhel-Pikudei:

'May our Will be the Will of Hashem'

It wasn't just the work itself that was done as Hashem commanded, it was also the way it was done.

Parashat Tetzave:

"Kindle the lamp in the Tent of Meeting"

Hashem has no need for illumination, the mitzvah is solely for the honor and needs of Israel - and it also contains symbolism for daily life.

Parashat Teruma:

Why did the Sanctuary need a Table?

What purpose did the Table serve and what need was there in the Sanctuary and in the Temple, that required a Table?

G-d's ordinances

‘If you accept the ordinances, there will be peace amongst you, and you will then merit to acquire the Torah.’

Receiving the Torah:

In the Wilderness of Sinai

Why does it say ‘they journeyed from Rephidim and arrived in the desert’? After all, we know they were iin Rephidim beforehand from previous verses.

Parashat Beshalach:

The miracle of the waters of Marah

Why did Hashem cause the Israelites to worry about lack of water, and - further - bring them to a place of bitter waters?

Parashat Shavua:

Hashem made a mockery of Egypt

Rabbi Nebenzahl: Hashem made a mockery of Pharoah and the Egyptians, to obviate any possibility of a mistaken impression that there was that there was a battle between two forces.

The four words of Redemption

Commentators interpret the meaning of the words used to foretell the Exodus and the Israelites' becoming G-d's chosen nation.

Shemot:

The bush was not consumed

Commentators analyze the symbolism of the burning bush.

Parashat Vayechi:

"Do not bury me in Egypt"

Why did Jacob ask to be buried in Israel? See what the commentators have to say.

First things first: Establishing a yeshiva in Egypt

Why did Yaakov send Yehuda to Egypt before he descended there to see his son Yosef at last?

Parashat Mikeitz:

Circumcision in Egypt

We already know that everything that was created with man, was worthy of existing - except for the foreskin, as the Torah commanded us to remove it.

Parashat Vayeshev:

'Your brothers are pasturing in Shechem-I will send you to them'

Why did Joseph go to the brothers he knew hated him - and why did Jacob send him, knowing the same?

Parashat Vayishlach:

"Do not grab a dog by its ears!"

Couldn't Yaakov simply avoided his brother?

Parashat Vayetze:

'Beware lest you speak with Yaakov good or bad'

In the end, they parted, by making a covenant - at Laban’s behest - between them, but what did Laban really want?

Parashat Toldot:

"Rivkah went to inquire of Hashem"

The wondrous outcome of Rivkah's pregnancy, is that all that the nations create in this world, in the end result, is for the benefit of Bnei Israel, in their service of Hashem.

Parashat Chayei Sarah:

The two lives of our Matriarch Sarah

Sarah recognized Hashem - with Abraham - when she was thirty-eight, the thirty-eighth year being reckoned with the earlier period, of not knowing Hashem.

Parashat Vayera:

Why did Sarah laugh?

Commentators weigh in on the unexpected laughter of Matriarch Sarah at the news that she would bear a son.

The Patriarch Abraham:

The chasid who did chessed with his Master

The Chatam Sofer reconciles the seemingly irreconciliable views of Rashi and of Ramban, and lauds Abraham's ability to instill faith in his descendants.

Parashat Noach:

Noach, man of the earth, planted a vineyard and debased himself

Why does Rashi comment: ’’Noach debased himself’ - he should have first engaged in planting something other than a vineyard."

Parashat Bereishit:

'Because there was no man to work the soil'

A seemingly contradicttory account of the creation of vegetation and trees teaches a deep message about our relationship to G-d.