Torah Thoughts, Stories, and Inspiration on the weekly Parsha
In this week’s Parsha (14:2), Parshas Metzorah, we learn about the purification process for the person who was stricken with Tzaraas. According to the Mishnah (Negaim 2:2), The Kohen must make every effort to not place the person in a compromising position. Any element that may cause the affliction to look brighter is discouraged. The…
This week’s Parsha is the very first time the Torah speaks about someone contracting Tzaraas , which is a lesion on the skin that appears due to different types of sins. The Torah refers to the person as Adam. The pasuk says Adam ki yieyeh… A person who contracts tzaraas should be brought to Aharon…
In this week’s Parsha (9:7), Aharon the Kohen Gadol was supposed to perform the inaugural service at the Mizbeach (altar), but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Moshe had to tell Aharon to go close to the Mizbeach. Why? Why did Moshe have to tell Aharon to go to the Mizbeach? What was going…
In this week’s Parsha, the pasuk says, u’fashat es begadav, the Kohen, the priest, divests himself of his holy priestly clothing, velavash begadim acherim, he puts on ordinary simple clothing, vehotzi es hadeshin, in order to remove the ashes, to dispose of the ashes. The question is why necessitate, why require the holy Kohen to…
In this week’s Parsha (1:2), the pasuk says, “Adam ki yakriv mikem karbon lashem” – when a person from you offers a sacrifice to Hashem. There is a question here: The Torah could have simply said Adam ki yakriv karbon lashem – when a person brings a sacrifice to Hashem. Why the extra word mikem…
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“You shall not give him your money with interest…” (Vayikra 25:37) The prohibition against charging interest is juxtaposed with the laws of Shemittah (Sabbatical Year). What is the connection between the two? The Shemittah year is designed to remind all Jews that the land they till every day is a gift from Hashem. The prohibition…
Read More “Parshas Behar – Bechukosai: Money For Kindness” »
“Speak to the Kohanim…” (Vayikra 21:1) On this Pasuk, Rashi says that the Kohanim were charged, “Lehazir Gedolim Al HaKetanim” to make sure that the adults admonish the children and warn them how to behave. However, the Sefer Be’eres Mayim says that “Lehazir” comes from the word Zohar and means to cause to radiate or…
“You should love your fellow Jew as yourself …” (Vayikra 19:18) In this week’s Parsha, the Torah bids us: “You should love your fellow Jew as yourself”. This is a very challenging and difficult task. How are we supposed to accomplish something so lofty? Hashem gave us role models of two brothers, Moshe Rabbeinu, and…
“To follow them…” (Vayikra 18:4) The Ksav Sofer commented on the words: “To follow them” that a person needs to walk from one level to the next level. That is, a person should constantly keep on growing and elevating himself. It is not enough to keep on the same level that you were on the…
“This shall be the law…” (Vayikra 14:2) The Gemara (Arachin 16a) lists several reasons why one would contract the disease of tzaraas (often translated as leprosy). The list almost exclusively mentions Mitzvos affecting other people rather than those which deal only with Hashem, and they each share one common denominator – causing harm to a fellow Jew. One may…
