Torah Parallels

~ Something to Think About ~ פרשת ויקרא Parsha Stumpers By: Daniel Listhaus (1:1) The Baal Haturim writes that the small aleph in “ Vayikra ” was a compromise between Moshe and Hashem. Moshe only wanted the Torah to say “ Vayakar ” to express that Hashem only happened to appear to Moshe as the Torah expresses when Hashem went to Billam. So, the compromise was to have the aleph but in smaller font. The question is though: Granted Moshe was the humblest man who ever lived, however, humility does not mean sinking to a low-life level of Billam. The middah of anavah sometimes requires one to utilize his full self esteem and specifically do things to show that he represents the will of Hashem. So, how could Moshe suggest that The Torah recall his encounters with Hashem in the same way it does for Billam? Besides for in this week's parsha by Hashem talking to Moshe by the Ohel Moed , there are two other times in the Torah whe...

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~ Parshas Vayikra Proper Prayer By: Daniel Listhaus דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב מִכֶּם קָרְבָּן לַה' מִן הַבְּהֵמָה מִן הַבָּקָר וּמִן הַצֹּאן תַּקְרִיבוּ אֶת קָרְבַּנְכֶם “Speak to the B'nei Yisroel and say to them: When a person from among you will bring an offering to Hashem: from the animals – from the cattle and from the flocks you shall bring your offering.” - Vayikra 1:2             After getting used to the continuing story of the Torah starting from the beginning of time and going through the generations of Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, and the shevatim in Sefer Beraishis , followed by the relaying of the Jews as slaves in Mitzrayim , their miraculous redemption, the receiving of the Torah, and the beginnings of their story of their travels through the midbar (desert) in Sefer Shemos , we leave the realm of being used to the weekly “story” portion and enter...

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~ Parshas Pikudei Life’s but a Journey By: Daniel Listhaus כִּי עֲנַן ה' עַל הַמִּשְׁכָּן יוֹמָם וְאֵשׁ תִּהְיֶה לַיְלָה בּוֹ לְעֵינֵי כָל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל מַסְעֵיהֶם “For the cloud of Hashem would be on the Mishkan by day, and fire would be on it at night, before the eyes of all the House of Yisroel in all their journeys.”  - Shemos 40:38             Throughout the B’nei Yisroel’s travels through the midbar (desert), we as a nation were far from alone. Hashem protected us through the wilderness and provided us with miraculous accommodations. One of the most comforting gifts that Hashem gave us at that time was the clearly visible constant protection of the cloud guiding and guarding the mishkan during the day and the pillar of fire filling that role at night. The passukim (verses) [1] describe that whenever Hashem wanted B’nei Yisroel to travel, the cloud would go up and start moving. When i...

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~ Parshas Vayakhel There's a Reason to Give... Even if They Don't Give a Reason By: Daniel Listhaus וְהַנְּשִׂאִם הֵבִיאוּ אֵת אַבְנֵי הַשֹּׁהַם וְאֵת אַבְנֵי הַמִּלֻּאִים לָאֵפוֹד וְלַחשֶׁן “The princes brought the shoham stones and the filling stones for the Eiphod and for the Choshen .” - Vayakhel 35:27             Rashi [1] quotes Rebbe Nassan who points out that when it came to the dedication of the mizbeach (alter), [2] the Torah relates that the Nesi'im (“princes”) were the first to volunteer whatever they could to ensure that the grand opening of the mizbeach would be a tremendous event with plenty of ( karbanos ) offerings. However, earlier, when the Mishkan (Tabernacle) was being constructed in this week's parsha , the Nesi'im appear to have been very lazy in their offering to help. By the time the Nesi'im came around to ask how they could help in the building of the Mishkan , everything had alr...