Weekly Parsha Thoughts

The Rama brings that we call the last day of Yom Tov, Simchas Torah because we rejoice and make a seudah, in honor of finishing the Torah.  The source is a midrash on Shir HaShirim: Hashem came to Shlomo in Giveon in... Read More

The passuk says איכה ירדף אחד אלף ושנים יניסו רבבה. Rashi explains this means 1 goy will chase 1,000 Yidden and 2 goyim will chase 10,000 Yidden. The Gemara says when Dovid went out to war he would throw one arrow and... Read More

The passuk says “and My anger shall become powerful… and great ra and tzaros will find him.., he will say, ‘because Hashem wasn’t with me’… and I shall hide My face…”  Why will there still be hester panim after he realized Hashem... Read More

The passuk says, “I am bringing to you witnesses, the heavens and the earth, life and death I put before you, the bracha and the klalah, and you shall choose life…” Rashi explains that the heavens and earth were the witnesses because... Read More

The beginning of this Parsha speaks about the mitzvah of bikurim.  The Mishna in Bikurim teaches that rich people would bring their bikurim in beautiful silver and gold baskets.  The poor people would bring their bikurim in baskets of arava (willow) wood,... Read More

The Midrash Tanchuma brings that in this parsha we learn about mitzvah goreres mitzvah and avaira goreres avaira.  The beginning of the parsha teaches us about avaira goreres avaira: if a person takes a yefas to’ar he will end up hating her. ... Read More