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Torah MiZion

News and updates about Torah MiZion

Servant of God: A title of emancipation

Personal drive, self-induced pressure and competition have become the Pharaohs of today, the master we serve.

Servant of God: A title of emancipation

Leading a nation

A leader's strength is in redirecting behavior, turning a snake into a staff.

Leading a nation

The Fast of the Tenth of Tevet - Asara beTevet

Why do we fast on Friday instead of pushing off or moving this seemingly minor fast on day back?

The Fast of the Tenth of Tevet - Asara beTevet

The Hanukkah candle of the Little Prince

We must ask ourselves what the light of Hanukkah means to us.

The Hanukkah candle of the Little Prince

Parashat Vayetzei: God of society

“The merit of Eretz Yisrael will protect me and my family, that no harm should befall us, and no harm should befall all of Israel…”

Parashat Vayetzei: God of society

Toldot: The material and spiritual missions and their blessings

Isaac had hoped that cooperation would be possible between his two sons. It was not to be.

Toldot: The material and spiritual missions and their blessings

Which commandments are more important?

Commandments between man and G-d or man and his fellow man - which are more important?

Which commandments are more important?

Aln agronomist on the pitom - and a thought for Simchat Torah

The etrog should be kept away from moisture. This is in order to preserve its beauty for the entire duration of Sukkot.

Aln agronomist on the pitom - and a thought for Simchat Torah

The big picture

In order to believe in G-d, one must be willing to accept that we don’t know the whole story.

The big picture

Dip your apple in the honey!

For a sweet year."Le- Shana Tova uMetuka" But is there more to this symbol than its sweet taste?

Dip your apple in the honey!

Growing joy

Joy appears from giving. The first fruits narrative shows it.

Growing joy

The laws of “Kilei Hakerem” (Crops Grown in a vineyard)

Why is the prohibition of Kilei hakerem so severe? What precisely is prohibited?

The laws of “Kilei Hakerem” (Crops Grown in a vineyard)

Eikev: Avoiding the mistakes of one's predecessors

The service in the Beit Hamikdash is the prototype of all the mitzvot.

Eikev: Avoiding the mistakes of one's predecessors

Chosen! The riddle of Jewish Destiny

What is the promise of Jewish history? Is it the salvation that we have repeatedly experienced, or is the suffering part of the promise?

Chosen!  The riddle of Jewish Destiny

Devarim: Empowered by the Nation

Moshe received the Torah at Sinai forty years prior to his speech.Why does he share his words only now?

Devarim: Empowered by the Nation

Chukat-Balak (Diaspora):Why not hit the rock?

What is the real sin of Moses and Aaron that keeps them from entering the land?

Chukat-Balak (Diaspora):Why not hit the rock?

Naso (Diaspora): The Golden Mean and the Nazirite

Is ascetisim what is requested from us?

Naso (Diaspora): The Golden Mean and the Nazirite

My Jerusalem

For Jerusalem Day. The paratroopers weeping at the Western Wall have become a symbol.(Note: An insight on the parsha is included at the end)

My Jerusalem

Living through tt

How do we live "through" the mitzvot?

Living through tt

Supporting a Jew in need

The Cohen went out towards the person in need of help, even if that person was hesitant. That is still our responsiblity to society.

Supporting a Jew in need

Coming back to Gan Eden

How the eighth day of the Mishkan is like the day after Creation.

Coming back to Gan Eden

Vayikra: Being on call

It is not by accident, obviously, that 'calling' is introduced in relation to the sacrifices.

Vayikra: Being on call

More Mishkan Parshiot?

Why all those meticulously written details when the Torah does not write anything superfluous?

More Mishkan Parshiot?

Partners with Hashem

If we do not observe the festivals, it is as if we worship idols? What is the connection?

Partners with Hashem

On Purim – How drunk should a person get?

Why would our Sages instruct us to get drunk, when the Torah and Prophets clearly object to the associated lack of control?

On Purim – How drunk should a person get?

The Cohen Gadol represents all of Am Israel

We, too, should always remember who and what we are representing as we try to bring G-d's Presence closer to us.

The Cohen Gadol represents all of Am Israel

Who has the right to give?

There is a contrast between the type of charitable giving in Parashat Terumah and Parashat Ki Tisa.

Who has the right to give?

The Revelation of divinity (Isaiah 6)

A spiritual revelation, a spiritual Torah, in the materialistic world. Man, even Isaiah, cannot comprehend. Moses asks to understand.

 The Revelation of divinity (Isaiah 6)

Two enemies, two strategies

There is a difference  between how we behave as individual Jews and when we are a nation that is fighting for its’ land.

Two enemies, two strategies

Freeing the mind

It is not so simple to go from bondage to freedom.

Freeing the mind

The lessons of exile

Why were the Jews exiled specifically to Egypt?

The lessons of exile

The Wars of Gad

There are five different ward of Gad. Which one did Yaakov refer to?.

The Wars of Gad

The dangerous power of lies

The brothers lied to Jacob about Joseph's death, and later, even when they spoke the truth to him, he did not believe them.

The dangerous power of lies

I have a dream?

Joseph interprets dreams in this week's parasha, but he also had his own dreams, and so did the Maccabees. How do we deal with our own?

I have a dream?

Vayishlach: Brothers in arms

Were Shimon and Levi really outraged idealists? Or were they just hotheaded vigilantes?

Vayishlach: Brothers in arms

Toldot: Redigging the wells

Though Abraham’s wells lasted the duration of his lifetime, the Philistines filled them with sand when he died. Isaac redug them. A lesson.

Toldot:  Redigging the wells

Bein Adam L’Chavero or Bein Adam L’Makom?

Commandements between God and man or between man and his fellow man? Which get priority when they clash?

Bein Adam L’Chavero or Bein Adam L’Makom?

Be like Terach

Terach, certainly in Yiddish, is used in a negative sense. But there is one major decision he made that we should all emulate.

Be like Terach

Creation: The goal comes first

The story of Creation brings us closer to Hashem

Creation:  The goal comes first

The King extends His hand to you – Won't you take it?

Why does the Rambam change the language of the Gemara when it comes to changing one's status during the Ten Days of Repentance?

The King extends His hand to you – Won't you take it?

Why would anyone use a contract to solve the Agunah Problem?

Halakha has dynamic contract doctrines with deep systemic ambiguities or loopholes– even in areas that impact ritual or family law.

Why would anyone use a contract to solve the Agunah Problem?

What are we waking up from?

Wake up from your work week, hard as it may be. It takes just one step, that step from everyday life into shul.

What are we waking up from?

Coming to the place chosen by Hashem

When you rejoice before Hashem, you must rejoice with those who are needy and dependent.

Coming to the place chosen by Hashem

Kriyat Shema – An invitation to new understanding

Everything about Kriyat Shema seems wildly inconsistent and unrelated, so what is the theme that strings it all together?

Kriyat Shema – An invitation to new understanding

Mattot-Masei: On keeping your promises

Kurt Rothschild was a man of his word. As were the tribes who wished to expand Israel to include land on the eastern bank of the Jordan,

Mattot-Masei: On keeping your promises

Chukat/Balak: The well and the tent

The symbolism of the well in Chukat and the tent of Bilaam's prophecy complement one another in Jewish life.

Chukat/Balak: The well and the tent

Shlach: Blue and White

Science, philosophy, nationbuilding, and commandment orientation are all packed into Shlach Lecha’s mitzva of tzitzit, copied for our flag.

Shlach: Blue and White

Naso: The holiness of the Mishkan

We need to remember that the most consistent dwelling that Hashem has on earth is the camp of Bnei Yisrael, and we must keep it holy.

Naso: The holiness of the Mishkan

Behar-Bechukotai: The Covenant of the Written Law

The last two parshas teach the Written Law and Rabbi Shlomo haKohen, Rebbe of Radomsk, teaches his hassidim a lesson in faith..

Behar-Bechukotai: The Covenant of the Written Law

Emor + Lag BaOmer

Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai will not give up on anything and it is impossible for him to compromise and wait for things to unfold.

Emor + Lag BaOmer

Kedoshim: Honest competition

The Torah clearly indicates that the ends do not justify the means and that ethical dealings are more important than profits.

Kedoshim: Honest competition

Chametz as a symbol of arrogance

Turning our attention to the deeper and spiritual meaning of removing Chametz. It is not just ridding our homes of Cheerios and breadcrumbs.

Chametz as a symbol of arrogance

Sensitivity of Language and Land

To speak poorly about the Land of Israel is to lose sight of an essential part of what make us special. That, too, is lashon hara.

Sensitivity of Language and Land

Vayikra: The traits of a Shaliach

The attributes of a dedicated Shaliach mirror the message behind one of the offerings in the Temple.

Vayikra: The traits of a Shaliach

VAYAKHEL 5782

Let's get together

Strange that a parasha about the details of building the Tabenacle and the need for keeping Shabbat is called "and he gathered."

Let's get together

Word, letter and stone

Why do we need to enforce the Oral Torah and rely on the validity of the Written Torah? Why isn't it the other way around?

Word, letter and stone

Clothes DO make the man

Do the High Priest's robes have holiness of their own or are they enablers for his holiness?

Clothes DO make the man

Recreating oneself

Strangely, the order of work in building the mishkan is reversed in Vayakhel-Pekudei when compared to Trumah-Tetzave.

Recreating oneself

Raising Cain

A Kabbalistic analysis on the laws of the Cities of Refuge, in which Moshe is the reincarnation of Hevel.

Raising Cain

'When Pharaoh had let the people go” – or did he?

There seems to be a mixed message coming from Pharaoh and the Egyptians about letting the Israelites go.

'When Pharaoh had let the people go” – or did he?