Divrei Torah Archive

There is a line in a passuk in this week’s parsha—Parshat Acharei Mot-Kedoshim—in which a strange commandment is given. In Vayikra 19:14, the passuk says, “ …וְלִפְנֵ֣י עִוֵּ֔ר לֹ֥א תִתֵּ֖ן מִכְשֹׁ֑ל…” “and before the blind, don’t give a stumbling block.” The confusion...

This week’s parsha begins with the words, "ויהי ביום השמיני", "It was on the eighth day" (Vayikra 9:1). As the eighth graders studied earlier this year, Rashi tells us this passage refers to the eighth day of the inauguration of the Mishkan, which fell on the first day of Nissan. For the seven previous days, Moshe...

As we are now up to Parshat Tzav, a parsha that primarily discusses offerings—a topic that can seem to be totally unrelated to our lives—it can be easy to just overlook the parsha in favor of addressing the elephant in the room, Pesach, which begins this motza'ei shabbos, but...

This week we will read Parshat Vayikra, the beginning of the book of the Torah dedicated to the korbanot, or sacrifices, offered to Hashem in ancient times. The idea of offering sacrifices might seem hard for us to relate to, as it is so different from the way that we worship today. But it is important to remember what the real...

In this week’s parasha, after the Jewish people did everything they were supposed to do regarding the Mishkan, Moshe Rabbeinu gave them a "Thank you." Rabbi Frand quotes the Reishe Rav, who questions why Bnei Yisrael were deserving of any compliments. After all, what they did was not a voluntary...

This week's parsha, Parshat Ki Tisa, is an absolute goldmine of important take-home ideas that, when given proper attention, can change a person's life. I heard an incredible idea from my rebbe, Rav Elie Marcus, 12 years ago, and I still teach it to my eighth graders when we learn about the sin of the golden calf. The story of the golden calf...

The discussion of the mishkan begins with the command to build the essential vessels. After starting with commanding the aron, followed by the menorah, shulchan, and copper mizbeach (altar), Hashem then instructs Moshe to build the outer structure and coverings of the mishkan itself. Yet, when the mishkan is actually constructed at the end of Sefer Shmot, the outer structure is assembled first, while the vessels are made later. The Gemara...

There is something in this week's parsha, Parshat Bo, that would be fascinating on its own merit, but which takes on an even greater meaning when we look at its application to our very own current events. Two hundred years of slavery inflicted by the Egyptians, followed by a year of plagues and negotiations...

In Parashat Vayechi, before Yaakov blessed his children, he called his sons together and said: "He’asfu—Gather together and I will tell you what will happen at the end of days" (Bereishit 49:1). Then, Yaakov went on to bless his sons. Chazal teach that Yaakov wished to reveal...

Parshat Vayeishev describes the journey of Yosef HaTzadik as he is sold into slavery and brought to the house of Potifar in Egypt. After years of loyal service to Potifar’s household, the Torah describes one of the most difficult tests that a person faces in the Torah—the episode of Yosef and Eishet Potifar. The Torah highlights...