Yom Kippur 5772: Kannoi’yim, Unity, Yom Kippur and the Galbanum of Ketores

by Moshe Burt

With thoughts focused toward Yom Kippur, our tefillot and our process of teshuvah, there is d’var Torah by the Shem Mishmuel (Sefer Shem Mishmuel, Rabbi Shmuel Bornstein, translated to English by Rabbi Zvi Belovski, pages 440-441). The thoughts expressed by the Shem Mishmuel seem particularly pertinent this Yom Kippur, with emphasis locally, as well as throughout the Jewish world.

In this d’var, Shem Mishmuel cites Moshe Rabbeinu’s final address to the B’nei Yisrael (Devarim, Perek 29, posukim 9-10): read more

Uncategorized

Bibi: Who’s Truth is “Our Truth”???

Saw this headline in today’s Jerusalem Post:

Netanyahu: It’s important that we tell ‘our truth’ at UN

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke at a pre-holiday gathering for Likud members on Tuesday evening, before his scheduled trip to New York to speak at the United Nations General Assembly.

“I am going tonight to New York to speak at the UN and meet with [US President Barack] Obama,” he said.

“It’s important to go there and tell our truth as a people who want peace and have been attacked so many times,” Netanyahu continued. read more

Uncategorized

Parsha Ha’azinu 5772: Heaven and Earth — Witnesses, Guarantors of Hashem’s Covenant with Israel — Then and Now?

by Moshe Burt

Shem Mishmuel describes Ha’azinu as;

A poem which Moshe Rabbeinu recited to Klal Yisrael… It discusses the uniqueness of Klal Yisrael, their future, how they should conduct themselves, how they will stray, and how Hashem will treat them mercifully. (Shem Mishmuel, Rabbi Shmuel Bornstein, Parsha Ha’azinu, pge 433)

He further indicates that there has been connection, since the Mabul — “the great Flood” — between the original 70 souls of B’nai Yisrael and the 70 primary nations which emerged after the Mabul to where the B’nai Yisrael, were each to achieve their individual spiritual potential and righteousness, it would impact the rectification of the nations to which each were connected. read more

Uncategorized

Rosh Hashana 5772: R’Amnon, Unesaneh Tokef and How We Stack Up vs Anti-Torah Governance?

by Moshe Burt

Each Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, we daven the Unesaneh Tokef as part of the Mussaf tefillah and, for a number of years, this author reiterates the background behind the Chief Rabbi of Mainz R’ Amnon and his composition of the Unesaneh Tokef.

The story behind the Unesaneh Tokef tefillah (expressing the seriousness of the day) relates to the Gezeira Rah (evil decree) of forced conversion to Christianity which was faced by R’ Amnon of Mainz and his Kehilla roughly 1,000 years ago, as related in both the Artscroll Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur Machzorim (Artscroll Rosh Hashana Machzor, pages 476-478). read more

Uncategorized

Blog Now Offering Offering Sponsorship(s) for Weekly Parsha

Shalom and L’Shana Tova Friends and Subscribers;

I am writing to announce that a Sponsorship program has been established regarding my (weekly) Parshiyot HaShevua and to encourage your participation as sponsors of the weekly Parshat HaShevua email.

Now you can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring (or as the case may be, co-sponsoring) a Parshat HaShevua. read more

Uncategorized

Parshiyot Nitzavim/Vayeilech 5771: Asserting and Taking Mutual Responsibility — Key to The Ge’ula?

by Moshe Burt

Our Parsha Nitzavim sets the tone for this doubleheader parshiyot by opening with Moshe Rabbeinu addressing the B’nai Yisrael on the final day of his life:

“Atem Nitzavim HaYom… You are standing today, all of you, before Hashem, your G’d…. for you to pass into the convenant of Hashem, …that Hashem… seals with you today in order to establish you as a people to Him and that He be a G’d to you as He spoke to you and as He swore to your forefathers, to Avraham, to Yitzchak and to Yaakov.” (Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash, Sefer Devarim Perek 29, posukim 9-13) read more

Uncategorized

Parsha Ki Tavo 5771 — Deep Meaning Behind Bikkurim and The Impact Of Intent in Mitzvot

by Moshe Burt

Ki Tavo opens by detailing the Halachot of Bikkurim — the first fruits which were brought to the Kohen as a thanksgiving as well as both remembrance of Pharaoh’s cruelty and Hashem’s deliverance of B’nai Yisrael from Mitzrayim to a land flowing with milk and honey.

The Stone Chumash on Parsha Ki Tavo (Sefer Devarim ,Perek 26, posukim 3, 5-10, page 1069) renders the posukim addressing the Halachot of Bikkurim:

When presenting Terumot to the Kohen: you shall come to whomever will be the Kohen in those days, and you shall say to him “I declare to Hashem, Your G’d, that I have come to the land that Hashem swore to our forefathers to give us.” ….Then you shall call out and say before Hashem: “An Aramean tried to destroy my forefather. He descended to Mitzriyim and sojourned there, few in number, and there he became a nation — great, strong and numerous. The Mitzrayim mistreated us and afflicted us, and placed hard work upon us. Then we cried out to Hashem, G’d of our forefathers, and Hashem heard our voice and saw our affliction, our travail and opression. Hashem took us out of Mitzriyim with a strong hand and outstretched arm, with great awesomeness, and with signs and wonders. He brought us to this place, and gave us a land flowing with milk and honey. And now, behold! I have brought the first fruit of the ground that you have given me, to Hashem!” read more

Uncategorized