The special designation of the Land of Israel as the site of the Divine Presence, and the privilege of residing there, result in higher risks.

 Why did Moshe abstain from eating and drinking throughout his forty-day stay atop Mount Sinai? 

We cannot work to acquire Torah before we work to acquire derekh eretz, basic manners and decency.   This is why the Yalkut Shimoni extracts such a basic, “pedestrian” message – “If you come to a city, follow its rules of etiquette” – from Moshe’s superhuman conditions atop Mount Sinai.  The greatness of Moshe during this period lay in not only his remarkable self-denial, but also his basic  manners and etiquette  Chazal thus teach that one cannot try to be great before making sure he is good.

אמונת משיח בן דוד חקוקה בתודעתנו, אבל נדודי עם ישראל ותלאותיו נמשכים אלפי שנים, ומה אנו יכולים לראות בעינינו?

האדם השקוע בתהום הייאוש, בדכדוך עמוק ובאכזבה עצמית מכישלונותיו, פונה לאל ואומר "מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ" (א). אני מרגיש אבוד, שוקע במעמקים, במצולות הים, אנא הושט לי יד ועזור לי להתרומם. הדרך היחידה להיחלץ ולעלות מהמעמקים היא דרך הסליחה.

הסדרה האחרונה בשירי המעלות חוזרת אל הראשונות, ובמיוחד לראשונה, כשתיאור הצוררים מקביל ומתקשר בפירוש לתיאור הצרות.

הקמתה של מדינת ישראל, ו-70 שנה של התחזקות והתבססות בכל התחומים, מוכיחים, שה' רוצה בה, וידו החזקה היא השומרת על 'הבית השלישי'

 The plain reading of the text indicates that Moshe foresees Benei Yisrael's instinctive rush of joy and outburst of praise for the Almighty.  The derash reading, however, recognizes the fact that enjoying the blessings of the world is not always followed by an instinctive desire to give praise to God. 

 The haftara for Parashat Eikev, which is taken from Sefer Yeshayahu (chapter 49), begins with Benei Yisrael’s lament that God has eternally forsaken them, and then proceeds to deliver God’s response to their mournful cries.  In this prophecy God declares, “Chomotayikh negdi tamid” – which literally means, “Your walls are opposite Me at all times.”  In its narrowest sense, this phrase means that the ruins of Jerusalem are constantly on God’s mind, so-to-speak.  Whereas the people feared that God has forsaken and forgotten them, in truth, He is forever mi

Just as God stepped in to defend Benei Yisrael when they were oppressed foreigners in Egypt, He will also intervene to protect the helpless foreigner from those who torment and abuse him.

The Ir Nidachat - the Condemned City - is a fascinating topic. We delve into some fundamental debates surrounding the topic, and as we do - we ponder the topic of communities at risk, and the inherent value of cities on the periphery.