Summary : What suffering did the tribe of Levi suffer? And how could Moshe, as a Kohen, remarry Tzippora? Rav Chaim Kanievsky asks, and answers. I also try my hand at it. Post : Towards the start of parashas Yisro, we read the following pasuk and Rashi : 2. Read More »

Audio Shiurim on Yitro Rabbi Elchanan Adler: The Pursuit of Truth Rabbi Hanan Balk: Torah as Partnership Between God and Man Rabbi Eli Belizon: Would Yisro’s Geirus be Accepted Today Mrs. Read More »

by aliyah rishon (18: 1) sheni (18: 13) shelishi (18: 24) revii (19: 1) chamishi (19: 7) shishi (19: 20) aseres hadibros , taam tachton (20: 2), taam elyon shevii (20: 15) maftir (20: 19) haftara (Yeshaya 6: 1 – 7: 6; 9: 5-6) — with Malbim, Ibn Ezra Read More »

Summary : Such is the remez suggested by Birkas Avraham. Thus, “11. The trup symbol of psik alludes to the day that Moshe added at his own initiative.” Post : “11. The trup symbol of psik alludes to the day that Moshe added at his own initiative. Read More »

2011 Yitro sources — further improved and expanded. For example, many more meforshei Rashi .. Why does Rashi omit the word milchemet ? The first time, Rashi refers to milchemet Amalek . The second time, just Amalek. Why the difference? . Ibn Ezra on the Aseres HaDibros, and differences between the account in Yisro and in Vaeschanan. Read More »

There were some rather good comments to a post on parashat Bo two weeks ago (perhaps read that post first), which I would like to bring to the fore and present and discuss in a post. Read More »

Audio Shiurim on Beshalach Rabbi Elchanan Adler: Lessons in Derech Eretz Rabbi Hanan Balk: Righteous Women, Miriam, and the Redemption from Egypt Rabbi Asher Brander: Israel’s tests and Amalek Rabbi Chaim Brovender: Not By Bread Alone – The Manna Read More »

Summary : דְּיִשְׁתַּמַּד in Onkelos and ישראל משומד in Rashi were perceived as offensive to Christians, and so some texts cross them out or replace them with more innocuous alternatives. Read More »

1) At Hirhurim , sourcing a strange practice of slapping the witnesses under the chuppa.2) At Notrikon , a running scribal error in Masoret HaMasoret by R’ Eliyahu Bachur. (Post is in Hebrew.)3) At Yated , the Seichel deficit, about vaccinations, daat Torah, and seeking rabbinic guidance… properly. Read More »

Summary : Thus, Psik after the word מצרים, that they saw the sar [heavenly prince] of Egypt traveling from heaven to aid them ; and The trup symbol of psik hints to words which are not written, to elucidate what was standing before you ‘there’. Read More »

It has been a while since these roundups, and so some of these links are slightly aged. Not too much, though.1) Haveil Havolim has started up again. It is a nice roundup, and you get to check out interesting posts on blogs you don’t usually follow. They also now have a FaceBook group . Here is #343 , #344 , and #345 . Read More »

by aliyah rishon (Shemot 13: 17) sheni (14: 9) shelishi (14: 15) revii (14: 26) chamishi (15: 27) shishi (16: 11) shevii (17: 1) maftir (17: 14) haftara (Devorah and Shirat Devorah, sefer Shofetim 4: 4 – 5: 31) with Malbim and Ralbag by perek perek Read More »

2012 Darshening psiks in parashat Bo – Birkas Avraham interprets three of them. I present them, with minimal comment. One of them is based on Targum Yonasan in Beshalach, that Dasan And Aviram did not leave Egypt with the Bnei Yisrael. (And here I thought it was only Nachum .). Read More »

Summary : Shadal suggests it is a decree, but everyone agrees what the  peshat  and actual meaning of the pasuk is. Then, a lengthy presentation from Shadal in Kerem Chemed as to the nature of Bet Hillel and Bet Shammai. Why were they called that, if Hillel and Shamai almost always agreed. Read More »

2012 Bo sources , new edition.. Darshening psiks in parashat Bo – Birkas Avraham interprets three of them. I present them, with minimal comment. . YUTorah on parashat Bo . Why the plural לֵילֵי in Targum Onkelos regarding לֵיל שִׁמֻּרִים ? Grammatically, it functions fine as a singular. But some  remez  based on a plural interpretation. . Read More »

Summary : It is not evidence that Rashi had a different girsa in the pasuk. I think it is just bringing in a related derasha, where it is apprpriate in context. What various meforshim suggest. Post : Consider the following pasuk  and Rashi from parashat Bo , in 11: 5: 5. Read More »

Summary : Grammatically, it functions fine as a singular. But some remez  based on a plural interpretation. Post :  Consider the following pasuk and Onkelos : יב,מב   לֵיל שִׁמֻּרִים הוּא לַה’, לְהוֹצִיאָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם:   הוּא-הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה לַה’, שִׁמֻּרִים לְכָל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְדֹרֹתָם. Read More »

Audio Shiurim on Bo Rabbi Elchanan Adler:  The Status of Mitzvos Before Matan Torah  Rabbi Hanan Balk:  Showing Respect for Paro  Rabbi Eli Belizon:  How We Celebrate and How They Celebrate  Rabbi Yedidya Berzon:  Let’s Do It!  Rabbi Reuven Brand: Read More »

Summary : Birkas Avraham interprets three of them. I present them, with minimal comment. Post :  I saw the following interpretations of psik  in Birkas Avraham on parashas Bo.#1 : “1. Psik after the word ואכל, to allude to that beside the eating, the locusts also ruined and destroyed. In the verse (Shemos 10: 5): 5. Read More »

by aliyah rishon  (Shemot 10: 1) sheni  (10: 12) shlishi  (10: 24) revii  (11: 4) chamishi  (12: 21) shishi  (12: 29) shevii  (13: 1) maftir  (13: 14) haftarah  (Yirmeyahu 46: 13 – 46: 28, meaning the end of the perek), with Malbim, Abarbanel, Mahari Read More »