Category Archives: Torah Portion

“Now you shall command the Children of Israel that they shall take for you pure olive oil, pressed for illumination, to kindle a lamp continually.” (Chapter 27, Verse 20) Our parsha begins by talking about the Menorah, the special seven branched candelabrum which was made to burn an eternal light in the Mishkan (Tabernacle) andContinue reading “Tetzaveh 5779”

Our Parsha speaks about the preparations for building the Mishkan, the Tabernacle.  “Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying: Speak to the Children of Israel and let them take for Me a portion, from every man whose heart motivates him you shall take My portion.  This is the portion that you shall take from them: gold, silver,Continue reading “Terumah 5779”

The first mitzvah we encounter in this week’s Parsha is that of a Jewish slave.  “If you buy a Jewish bondsman, he shall work for six years; and in the seventh he shall go free, for no charge.  If he shall arrive by himself, he shall leave by himself; if he is the husband ofContinue reading “Mishpatim 5779”

In this week’s parsha the Jewish people receive the Torah at Mount Sinai.  “In the third month from the Exodus of the Children of Israel from Egypt, on this day, they arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai.” (Chapter 19, Verse 1)  Rebbe Noson explains that the main revelation of the Torah was by way ofContinue reading “Yitro 5779”

The beginning of our Parsha tells of the Jewish people’s journey as they leave the slavery in Egypt and journey towards Eretz Yisrael.  “So G-d turned the people toward the way of the Wilderness to the Sea of Reeds…They journeyed from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, at the edge of the Wilderness.” (Chapter 13, VersesContinue reading “Beshalach 5779”

In our Parsha the Jewish people receive the first mitzvah which they were given as a nation, Rosh Chodesh, sanctifying the New Moon.  “Hashem said to Moshe and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, ‘This month shall be for you the beginning of the months, it shall be for you the first of theContinue reading “Bo 5779”

“G-d spoke to Moshe and said to him, ‘I am Hashem.  I appeared to Avraham, to Yitzhak, and to Yaakov as El Shaddai, but with My Name Hashem I did not make Myself known to them.” (Chapter 6, verses 2-3)  Rashi explains that when the verse says G-d spoke it means that He rebuked MosheContinue reading “Va’Eira 5779”

We have now entered a completely new phase in the story of the Jewish people: the slavery in Egypt.  Before sending Moshe to Egypt to begin the redemption from the long, hard slavery, the Torah says: “During those many days, it happened that the king of Egypt died, and the Children of Israel groaned becauseContinue reading “Shemot 5779”

“Yaakov lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; and the days of Yaakov- the years of his life- were one hundred and forty-seven years.” (Chapter 47, Verse 28)  The Sages teach in the Midrash Raba, as well as in the Holy Zohar, that the final seventeen years of Yaakov’s life were the main yearsContinue reading “Parshat Vayechi 5779”

Stories told by the Chassidic masters and stories about their deeds and their lives have great importance in the Chassidic tradition.  In this week’s parsha we learn the story of Yosef and his brothers, and his sale into slavery in Egypt because of the brothers’ hatred.  “Yosef dreamt a dream which he told to hisContinue reading “Parshat VaYeshev 5779”