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Matot-Masei: The Significance of the Kohen Gadol’s Mother
Towards the end of the parsha, Hashem commands Bnei Yisrael to build arei miklat, cities of refuge for accidental murderers. The murderers would live in the cities of refuge until the Kohen Gadol of the time passed away and they could then go free. One key character in this scenario is the mother of the…
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Pinchas: Dreams in the Genes
The Ponovezher Rav, Rav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman, was a great visionary. He survived the devastation of the Holocaust, having lost his family and watching the yeshiva world crumble with the loss of its students. He spoke of grand plans to build a beautiful yeshiva in Israel, full of students. People thought he was insane, that…
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Balak: A Woman’s Dream
Streamer, gardener, learner, cedar… It is every Jewish woman’s dream. It is our desire to build true homes of Torah, to lead lives of Torah and to raise the next generation of Torah stars. As we pray by the candles each Friday at sundown, ‘May they illuminate the world with Torah and good deeds…’ But…
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Chukat: Holy Cow!
This week’s parsha contains the quintessential chok (lit. statute) of the Torah, a commandment that is completely beyond the realm of human understanding. We are referring to the Para Aduma, the red cow, whose ashes bring about purity and holiness for the Jewish nation. King Shlomo, the wisest of all men, said about this mitzva,…
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Korach: Feeling Out of this World!
Many would say Avraham, Yitzchak or Yaakov. Others might say Sara, Rivka, Rachel or Leah. Some might say Moshe or Aharon, Yocheved or Miriam. But never before had I heard this answer. It was after the Shabbat meal on one of our trips away in seminary and groups of girls were chatting, singing and eating.…
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Shelach Lecha: Desiring What Is Forbidden
“Kids, we’re going to visit Grandma and Grandpa, let’s get ready!” You shout up the stairs. “I’m not coming!” Your ten-year-old fights back. “Don’t be silly, we’re all getting in the car now!” “But I hate Grandma and Grandpa’s house. It’s so boring and there’s nothing to do, and they’re so old…!” “Right,” you say,…
