"רבת צררוני מנעורי יאמר נא ישראל רבת צררוני מנעורי גם לא יכלו לי" (א-ב). פעמיים חוזר הפסוק על המילים "רבת צררוני" ויש בכך רמז לשני אופני שיעבוד של ישראל בגלותם.

"כְּחִצִּים בְּיַד גִּבּוֹר כֵּן בְּנֵי הַנְּעוּרִים, אַשְׁרֵי הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר מִלֵּא אֶת אַשְׁפָּתוֹ מֵהֶם לֹא יֵבֹשׁוּ כִּי יְדַבְּרוּ אֶת אוֹיְבִים בַּשָּׁעַר" (תהילים קכ"ז, ד-ה)

מסכתות קטנות מסכת אבות דרבי נתן נוסחא א פרק כג ד"ה הוא היה 

"נַפְשֵׁנוּ כְּצִפּוֹר נִמְלְטָה מִפַּח יוֹקְשִׁים הַפַּח נִשְׁבָּר וַאֲנַחְנוּ נִמְלָטְנוּ" (תהילים קכ"ד, ז)

שמות רבה (וילנא) פרשת בשלח פרשה כ 

"נפשנו כצפור נמלטה מפח יוקשים" -

In the haftara for Parashat Bemidbar, the prophet Hoshea (2:18) predicts that in the future, Benei Yisrael will change the way they refer to the Almighty. Rather than calling God "ba'ali," "my husband," the nation will say instead, "ishi," yet another term for "my husband." What does the prophet mean?

We are to treat the Mikdash and its articles as a separate, distinct realm, which requires feeling a degree of uneasiness and tension in their presence. Viewing them in their exposed state, and especially as they are packed, makes them appear too ordinary, too familiar, such that the lines between our realm and the realm of the Mikdash are obscured.

The familiar chapter of Tehillim (126), "Shir Ha-ma'alot," traditionally sung prior to birkat ha-mazon on Shabbat and festivals, describes the emotion felt "when God restores the fortunes of Zion," the return of the Jewish people to Jerusalem. David writes that at that moment "hayinu ke-cholmim" - we were like dreamers. So surreal an event this is, Benei Yisrael's long-awaited return to its sacred city, that it can be compared only to the products of one's imagination.

Parashat Behar deals almost exclusively with the laws of shemitta and yovel, addressing first the agricultural aspects of these mitzvot and then proceeding to the effects of these institutions on business and employment. The final two verses of the parasha, however, appear to have nothing to do with this discussion (and indeed, the Christian editors who divided the Chumash into chapters began a new chapter with these two verses):

          Parashat Bechukotai begins by describing the blessings and rewards that God promises to bestow upon Benei Yisrael if they faithfully observe His commands.  Many commentators have noted a jarring sentence included among these magnificent promises: “ve-lo tig’al nafshi etkhem” – “I will not be repulsed by you” (26:11).  It seems peculiar, at first glance, that God would promise not to be “repulsed” by Benei Yisrael as He speaks of the great rewards they will receive for complying with His laws.  This promise becomes especially striking when we co