Torah Parallels

Last year's D'var Torah on Vezos Haberachah, Succos, and Beraishis NEW THIS YEAR! Also, check out and follow our new Thoughts on Parsha Google+ Page where archives will be posted each week

Yom Kippur And Vezos Haberachah Note: Vezos Haberachah is not read this Shabbos Callous Confessions By: Daniel Listhaus יְחִי רְאוּבֵן וְאַל יָמֹת וִיהִי מְתָיו מִסְפָּר : וְזֹאת לִיהוּדָה וַיֹּאמַר שְׁמַע ה ' קוֹל יְהוּדָה וְאֶל עַמּוֹ תְּבִיאֶנּוּ יָדָיו רָב לוֹ וְעֵזֶר מִצָּרָיו תִּהְיֶה “ May Reuvein live and not die, and may his men be in the count. And this to Yehuda, and he said: Listen Hashem, to the voice of Yehuda, and to his people shall You bring him; may his hands fight for him and may You be a Helper against his enemies.” - Vezos Haberachah 33:6-7 The mishna 1 describes the process that the Beis Din HaGadol (The Supreme Court) would go through with a woman who is a sotah . Before having her drink the mei hamarim (literally- bitter waters), the beis din would try to convince the suspected sotah to just admit that she indeed was with the man that her husband warned her not to be with. After all, the mei hamarim itself as well as its potential effect was no laughing mat