Torah Parallels

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~ Parshas Terumah Halfway There, Outside In, and Everywhere You Go By: Daniel Listhaus וְעָשׂוּ אֲרוֹן עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים אַמָּתַיִם וָחֵצִי אָרְכּוֹ וְאַמָּה וָחֵצִי רָחְבּוֹ וְאַמָּה וָחֵצִי קֹמָתוֹ :  וְצִפִּיתָ אֹתוֹ זָהָב טָהוֹר מִבַּיִת וּמִחוּץ תְּצַפֶּנּוּ וְעָשִׂיתָ עָלָיו זֵר זָהָב סָבִיב :   וְיָצַקְתָּ לּוֹ אַרְבַּע טַבְּעֹת זָהָב וְנָתַתָּה עַל אַרְבַּע פַּעֲמֹתָיו וּשְׁתֵּי טַבָּעֹת עַל צַלְעוֹ הָאֶחָת וּשְׁתֵּי טַבָּעֹת עַל צַלְעוֹ הַשֵּׁנִית : וְעָשִׂיתָ בַדֵּי עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וְצִפִּיתָ אֹתָם זָהָב :  וְהֵבֵאתָ אֶת הַבַּדִּים בַּטַּבָּעֹת עַל צַלְעֹת הָאָרֹן לָשֵׂאת אֶת הָאָרֹן בָּהֶם : בְּטַבְּעֹת הָאָרֹן יִהְיוּ הַבַּדִּים לֹא יָסֻרוּ מִמֶּנּוּ “They shall make an  Aron of  shittim  wood, two and a half  amos  its length; an  amah  and a half its width; and an  amah  and a half its height. You shall cover it with pure gold, from inside and from outside you shall cover it, and you shall make on it a golden diadem all around. And

Parshas Mishpatim Peaceful Judgment By: Daniel Listhaus וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם “ And these are the judgments that you shall place before them.” - Mishpatim  21:1 Rashi 1 comments that this  parsha  opens with the word “ v'eileh ” (literally: and these) in order to demonstrate that just as the  Aseres Ha'Dibros  (Ten Commandments)   in last week's  parsha were from  Har Sinai , so too all of the laws regarding how to rule in cases of monetary dispute and all the other  mitzvos  listed in this week's  parsha  and the Torah. The next  Rashi 2 continues to point out that Hashem told Moshe that the judgments in this week's  parsha  should be “placed before them [ K'lal Yisroel ] . Meaning, that Moshe should not merely teach them these  halachos  (laws) for them to memorize, but that he should teach it for everyone to understand the reasons behind the  halachos . Indeed, financial disputes and claims of damage ar

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~ Parshas Yisro The Ten Commandments: A Pangrammatic Lipogram By: Daniel Listhaus “Hashem spoke all these words, to say: 'I am Hashem, your G-d who took you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slaves. There shall not be unto you the gods of others before Me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image or any picture of that which is in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the water beneath the earth. You shall not prostrate yourself to them nor worship them, for I am Hashem, your G-d – a zealous G-d, Who visits the sin of fathers upon their children, upon the third and upon the fourth [generations], for thousands for those who hate Me; but Who does kindness for thousands [of generations], for those who love Me and observe My commandments. You shall not take the Name of Hashem, your G-d, in vain, for Hashem will not absolve anyone who takes His Name in vain. Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it. Six days shall you work

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~ Parshas Beshalach True Tests and Calculated Conclusions By: Daniel Listhaus וַיְהִי בְּשַׁלַּח פַּרְעֹה אֶת הָעָם וְלֹא נָחָם אֱלֹהִים דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים כִּי קָרוֹב הוּא כִּי אָמַר  אֱלֹקים  פֶּן יִנָּחֵם הָעָם בִּרְאֹתָם מִלְחָמָה וְשָׁבוּ מִצְרָיְמָה :  וַיַּסֵּב  אֱלֹקים   אֶת הָעָם דֶּרֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּר יַם סוּף וַחֲמֻשִׁים עָלוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם :  וַיִּקַּח משֶׁה אֶת עַצְמוֹת יוֹסֵף עִמּוֹ כִּי הַשְׁבֵּעַ הִשְׁבִּיעַ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד  אֱלֹקים  אֶתְכֶם וְהַעֲלִיתֶם אֶת עַצְמֹתַי מִזֶּה אִתְּכֶם “It happened when Pharoah sent the people [from Egypt] that Hashem did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, because it was near, for Hashem said, 'Perhaps the people will reconsider when they see a war and they will return to Egypt.' And Hashem took the people around toward the way of the Wilderness to the Sea of Reeds. And the Children of Israel were armed when they w