Articles in Parsha Insights
Vayakhel Pekudei: Playing Host to G-d
A Wise Host
The host of the party was worried that there were too many people and not enough refreshments. He was sure that not everyone had been invited, but he had to identify the crashers. So, he called for silence and asked, “Will those from the bride’s side of the …
Tetzveh: Good to the Last Drop
Are you a first drop or a last drop kind of person? When you squeeze an olive, the first drop is the purest, the last drop is extracted from the dregs. A first drop kind of person, is a perfectionist; one who strives for purity and the best in all …
Terumah: Marriage Tips
The Cherubs
Perched atop the Holy Ark that Moses built, were two golden cherubs that faced each other with their wings extended forward to meet at the center of the ark.[1] When King Solomon built the Temple, he made the Holy of holies twenty cubits in breadth. He then fashioned two …
Mishpatim: Sift and Sort
The Torah portion that follows the awe-inspiring story of Mount Sinai, presents formulaic monetary laws and laws of personal injury. Why should the resolution of petty squabbles be the first subject to follow the Sinai event, which surely placed our ancestors on a higher plane? Many answers have been offered, …
Yitro: The Truth Lover
Nothing, But the Truth
Have you ever noticed that there is an entire portion in the Torah named after a proselyte? And not just any portion, but the portion that describes the Ten Commandments. Why was this portion named after Jethro, a proselyte?
Our sages explained that this was a tribute to …
Beshalach: Why, From A Distance?
Distance makes the heart grow fonder. Or at least that is what people say. Distance is also a nuisance in a relationship. While couples who live together, stay together, couples who live apart come apart. So, there is a benefit to each. When you see one another every day, you …
Bo: Enter the Exodus Mindset
Names are instructive, they tell us a lot about the things that they describe. When Jewish custom and history settles on a name for a Torah portion, the name bears a connection to the general theme of the portion. The name of this portion is Bo, which means to enter. …
Vaeira: Doing Our Best
Children And Adults
The roaring twenties were not so roaring for the Jewish community of Poland. The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s trusted disciple, Rabbi Yechezkel (Chatshe) Fegin administered the Chabad network of Jewish schools in the region, but there was always a lack of funding. One day, Rabbi Fegin informed the Rebbe that …