Rabbi Meir Spiegelman

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Sanctity and Service
Rabbi Meir Spiegelman
What is the significance of the differences between the garments worn by the regular Cohen and the clothing adorned by the High Priest? What exactly is the job of the regular priest? Is he permitted to work inside the Mishkan? The plain meaning of the text seems to indicate that the regular Cohen is prohibited from working inside the Mishkan; why then did they work there nonetheless?
The Third Tablets
Rabbi Meir Spiegelman
The four final parshiyot in Vayikra - Kedoshim, Emor, Behar and Behukotai - are a repetition of the Ten Commandments. Why does the Torah repeat the Ten Commandments a second time? Why is the wording different from the wording at the end of Yitro and Va'ethanan? This article raises the theory that these parshiyot were given between the first and second tablets.
The Three Signs and the Ten Plagues
Rabbi Meir Spiegelman
During the plagues of blood and boils there is a collaboration between Moshe and Aharon, and there is some repetition in the command and fulfillment. It seems like these two plagues are two of the signs that God gave to Moshe - the blood and the leprosy. Indeed, these two plagues introduce new groupings of plagues, allowing for the possibility that there were twelve plagues rather than ten.
The Seventy Bulls of Sukkot
Rabbi Meir Spiegelman
Why Were We Commanded Twice?
Rabbi Meir Spiegelman
Remembering the Exodus from Egypt
Rabbi Meir Spiegelman
The Torah commands us to celebrate, for all generations, the day of our exodus from Egypt. When are we to celebrate this festival? It turns out that the answer to this question differs from parasha to parasha, depending on where it appears. In some places the "festival of Pesach" is attached to the date upon which it fell (14th or 15th of Nissan), while in others the date is noted according to the season (in the "month of spring"). What is the nature of the dual dating of the Pesach festival?

Through an examination of the text we notice that the two dates of Pesach correspond to the two perspectives regarding the sanctity of time – that of Bnei Yisrael and that of God.
The Stealthy Exodus
Rabbi Meir Spiegelman
Why did God tell Moshe to lie to Pharaoh? The very first time that God was revealed to Moshe, at the burning bush, He commanded him to tell Pharaoh that Bnei Yisrael wanted to undertake a three-day journey in the desert and to sacrifice to God. Throughout the negotiations, Moshe consistently asks Pharaoh to free them from Egypt only for three days; he makes no mention of the fact that Bnei Yisrael will never return. Additionally, why did God strike Pharaoh with ten plagues, when the same end-result could clearly have been achieved through a much smaller number? Through an examination of the parallel between Yaakov's flight from Lavan and Bnei Yisrael's exodus from Egypt, we can understand that God required Pharaoh to release Bnei Yisrael completely, out of his own free will rather than out of coercion. Thus God ensured that no one would ever be able to claim that Bnei Yisrael were still his slaves, and Bnei Yisrael would be free to worship their only true master- God.
Why Was Moshe's Leadership Necessary?
Rabbi Meir Spiegelman
What was the purpose of the Revelation at Sinai? Through a close analysis of the text we can understand the purpose of the Revelation - to confirm the truth of Moshe's prophecy before the eyes of Bnei Yisrael, when they would watch him actually meeting with God, and also to see whether the nation really wanted God to dwell amongst them.
The Structure of the Mishkan
Rabbi Meir Spiegelman
What is the goal of the Mishkan? An analysis of the text suggests that the Mishkan’s purpose is twofold: the Mishkan represents a permanent continuation of the Revelation at Sinai, as well as a meeting place between God and Israel.
God's People or Moshe's?
Rabbi Meir Spiegelman
The episode of the golden calf was one of the gravest sins committed by Am Yisrael. This is the only sin where God promises Moshe that the punishment will be felt for all generations. As a result of this sin the Tablets of the Covenant are shattered, and they are lost – in that original format – forever. However, this sin carries with it another serious ramification- a rupture between Am Yisrael and God, and their transition from “God’s nation” to “Moshe’s nation”.
The Man Who Cursed
Rabbi Meir Spiegelman
Why does the Torah intermix the subjects of the blasphemer and the laws of damages? In fact, why does the Torah mention this subject here at all? It appears to have no connection to either the preceding discussion ("lehem ha-panim" – the showbread) or to the following one (shemitta).

Through an examination of the chiastic structure of the parasha as well as the parallel between the episode of the man who cursed and the beginning of Moshe's mission, we can understand the placement of this story in its context.
Day and Night
Rabbi Meir Spiegelman
In our day-to-day halakhic life, we are accustomed to the fact that "the day begins at night": However, there are areas of Halakha in which the day actually begins in the morning. In the context of the Mikdash, it is clear that the day precedes the night; "a day" begins in the morning and continues until the next morning. How is this possible? Can it be that a day in Halakha sometimes consists of a night followed by a day, and at other times of a day followed by a night? This article examines the practical ramifications of this contradiction, especially pertaining to the commemoration of Pesach and sacrifices.