THE DESIRE OF KINGS This week’s parashah enumerates the blessings that Moshe Rabbeinu gave the Children of Israel before he died. Many of these blessings contain clear references to the special qualities – both spiritual and physical – of Eretz Yisrael. The last verse in Yosef’s blessing states, בכור שורו הדר לו וקרני ראם קרניו…
THE FINAL STAGE OF HISTORY Shirat Ha’azinu is basically a synopsis of Jewish history, starting with HaShem’s choice of Am Yisrael and culminating in the final redemption, for which we so sorely yearn. It therefore behooves us – the generation living so close to the End of Days – to study this Song and learn…
THE INGATHERING OF THE EXILES The Lord your God will return (ve’shav) your captivity and have mercy on you, and He will return (ve’shav) and gather you from all the nations where the Lord your God has scattered you. If your dispersed will be at the ends of the heavens, from there the Lord your…
TRUE HAPPINESS A recurring theme in this week’s parashah is simcha – happiness. In the opening section, which deals with bikurim (first fruits), the Torah states, – You shall rejoice in all the good that the Lord, your God, has given you and your household (26:11). In the next section, dealing with Vidui Ma’asrot (Confession…
THE LEAP OF FAITH One of the many mitzvot enumerated in this week’s parashah is the prohibition of causing a fellow Jew to take interest (ribit) – i.e., borrowing money on interest. (The prohibition of lending on interest is stated in Shemot 22:24 and VaYikra 25:35-38.) However, the Torah explicitly permits a Jew to give…