Torah Parallels

~Thoughts on the Parsha     ~ Parshas Nitzavim All in Good Standing By: Daniel Listhaus אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים הַיּוֹם כֻּלְּכֶם לִפְנֵי ה ' אֱלֹקיכֶם רָאשֵׁיכֶם שִׁבְטֵיכֶם זִקְנֵיכֶם וְשֹׁטְרֵיכֶם כֹּל אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל : “ You are all standing this day before Hashem, your God the leaders of your tribes, your elders and your officers, every man of Israel…” - Nitzavim 29:9 Rabbeinu Bechayei [1] writes that K’lal Yisroel stood to join in a new bris (treaty) with Hashem as they had done originally at Har Sinai by  mattan Torah . The original bris  had to be forfeited and a new one created because the members of the original bris had participated in the  eigel ha’zahav (golden calf)   which clearly broke the  bris . Moshe rabbeinu therefore notified them that this time they were joining in a bris with a curse and a promise as an incentive for B’nei Yisroel to “think twice” before veering from the derech. Obviously the Torah and mitzvos did no...

~ Something to Think About ~ פרשת נצבים Parsha Stumpers By: Daniel Listhaus (29:13-14) The passukim   say, “Not with you alone do I forge this bris  and this oath, but with whoever is here, standing with us today before Hashem, our G-d, and with whoever is not here with us today…” How could a bris be made with people who are not present? (29:15) The passuk says,   כִּי אַתֶּם יְדַעְתֶּם אֵת אֲשֶׁר יָשַׁבְנוּ בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר עָבַרְנוּ בְּקֶרֶב הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר עֲבַרְתֶּם Why switch from “that which we passed ” to “that which you passed ” (29:28)There are nekudos (dots) above certain letters/words in the passuk . Why is this and why over those particular ones? (30:12) The Rosh and Da’as Zekainim mention that there is a remez in the passuk that in the zechus of bris millah , Moshe was able to enter shamayim . Which zechus millah is being referred to? And why this particular zechus ? (30:19) Rashi writes ...

~ Something to Think About ~ פרשת כי תצא Parsha Stumpers By: Daniel Listhaus (21:11) How could we understand the concept of eishes y'fas to’ar ? (21:18) How could we understand the concept of ben sorer u'moreh ? How could we punish him based on his future? Doesn't he have bechira? (22:7) The mishna in Berachos states that if one who declares, “Hashem's rachamim extends to the bird's nest” we quiet him. a. Where do we see in this week's parsha that Hashem's rachamim reaches the bird's nest? b. What is wrong with saying such a statement that we quiet one who says it? (22:12) This week's parsha contains the basis for the minhag to start wearing a talis when one gets married. Where is it? (23:8) In this week's parsha is an unbelievable example of the extent we must show hakaras hatov . What is it? Why? (23:14) In this week's Parsha there is a mitzva , which many people do not know, pertaining to ...

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~ Parshas Ki Seitzei Hangman, Shovels, and Fingers in Your Ears Kavod Ha'adom vs. Kavod Hashem: Same Difference By: Daniel Listhaus וְכִי יִהְיֶה בְאִישׁ חֵטְא מִשְׁפַּט מָוֶת וְהוּמָת וְתָלִיתָ אֹתוֹ עַל עֵץ : לֹא תָלִין נִבְלָתוֹ עַל הָעֵץ כִּי קָבוֹר תִּקְבְּרֶנּוּ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כִּי קִלְלַת אֱ־לֹ ק ים תָּלוּי וְלֹא תְטַמֵּא אֶת אַדְמָתְךָ אֲשֶׁר ה ' אֱ - לֹ ק יךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ נַחֲלָה “If a man will have committed a sin whose judgment is death and he shall be put to death, and you shall hang him on a wooden beam. His body shall not remain for the night on the wooden beam, rather you shall surely bury him on that day, for a hanging person is an insult of Hashem...” -Ki Seitzei 21:22-23             Rashi [1] comments that we do not leave the body hanging because man is made in the image of Hashem, and the Jews are His sons. Therefore, to leave a body hanging would be deemed a degradation of the King. Rash...

~ Something to Think About ~       שופטים    פרשת Parsha Stumpers By: Daniel Listhau s (16:21) The Medrash Rabbah says that Shlomo HaMelech's throne had 6 steps leading up to it. On each step was one of six consecutive לא תעשה found in this week's parsha. What are they and what is the connection between them? ( see Kli Yakar) (17:18) There are three important dinim pertaining to a melech. What are they and where is there a remez to them in the word כסא – as if to say that a king who keeps these three things will merit to stay on the כסא ? (see Kli Yakar) (16:22) Rashi explains that Hashem despises things which goyim use for avoda zarah. If this is so, why are we allowed to have a mizbe'ach? Why are we allowed to pray? Where do the liens get drawn? (17:6) Rashi writes that if three witnesses come to testify, they do not become eidim zomemin until all three of them become zomemin. Why should this be ...