Podcasts about parashat

Parashat Noaḥ – Quand la pluie purifie, la foi sauve by Rav David Touitou

Parashat Bereshit – Le secret de la Création et de la Lumière by Rav David Touitou

La aguas del diluvio

Pastor Joshua reads and comments on the second Parashat in the book of Genesis chapters 6:9 - 11:32. It includes the stories of Noah's Arc and the Tower of Babel.

10 lessons from parashat Bereshit

Parashat Bereshit by Rabbi Benjamin Lavian

Bat Ain - Parashat Bereshit by Rabbi Benjamin Lavian

What was Adam thinking? Of course, eating the fruit from the forbidden tree was wrong, and he – along with all humankind – was punished as a result. But we would certainly expect that he had some rationale, some thgouht process that justified this action in his mind. What might have led him to eat fruit which G-d had explicitly commanded him not to eat? The Arizal explains the spiritual effects of Adam's sin, how it fundamentally transformed the human being. Before his sin, the Yeser Ha'ra (evil inclination) was external to the person, not part and parcel of his being. Adam was pure and pristine, with a natural inclination to act the right way and do the right thing. Although temptation existed, it could be avoided. A person could keep a distance from sources of temptation, and serve G-d easily, without any inner resistance or inner struggle. After the sin, however, everything became a struggle. As we all know, virtually every good deed we do requires some degree of effort, a "tug-of-war" between our desire to do the right thing and the desire to do the wrong thing. This ongoing struggle was introduced once Adam and Havah partook of the forbidden fruit. This explains Adam's rationale when he decided to eat the fruit that Havah brought him. Imagine a baseball team that shows up ready to play a game, but after the pregame workouts and batting practice, just before the first pitch, the other team decides to forfeit the game. The first team will of course be happy to be credited with a win, but it won't feel very proud of this victory. But if the game is played, and it goes into extra innings, with both teams playing hard, and the game is won in dramatic fashion in the 14 th inning – the team will go home feeling very gratified over its hard-fought win. Adam reasoned that he could draw closer to G-d by inviting the Yeser Ha'ra into his being, by accepting the challenge of perpetual spiritual struggle. Serving G-d without this inner conflict would be like winning via a forfeit, without a fight, whereas serving G-d by constantly resisting lures and temptations would be a hard-fought triumph each and every day of his life. This is what Adam wanted. He strove for greatness, and he understood that greatness is achieved only through hard work and struggle. He thus decided to subject himself to the difficult challenges of the Yeser Ha'ra so he would have to wage a lifelong battle against them. Nevertheless, Adam was wrong. This decision was sinful – so sinful, in fact, that it brought to the world numerous curses, including death itself. The reason why Adam was wrong is very simple – because Hashem told him not to eat the fruit. No human being can ever try to "outsmart" G-d, or think that he has a better idea than G-d had. And no human being can ever think that he can draw close to G-d by disobeying G-d's command. No matter how certain a person is that a certain action will propel him to great spiritual heights and enhance his relationship with Hashem – he must not commit that act if Hashem Himself proscribed it. It is impossible to serve G-d by disobeying G-d. The Gemara teaches that the "Zuhama" ("filth") of Adam's sin remained until the time of Matan Torah, when Beneh Yisrael stood at Mount Sinai and accepted the Torah. They proclaimed, "Na'aseh Ve'nishma" ("We will do and we will hear" – Shemot 24:7), committing themselves unconditionally to G-d's will. They declared their unbridled obedience, that they would observe every command without any hesitation and without rationalization. This corrected the ill that plagued mankind since the time of Adam's sin, the tendency to arrogantly subject G-d's commands to human logic and reasoning. Tragically, however, Beneh Yisrael fell once again just 40 days later, when they worshipped the golden calf. The Ramban and others explain that Beneh Yisrael did not worship they golden calf as a deity. They made a graven image not to replace the Almighty, but rather to replace Moshe, their leader and prophet through whom they served G-d – and whom they had assumed was never returning. Their intentions may have been noble – but they erred by directly disobeying the explicit command not to build an idol for religious worship. Religious observance cannot be diluted or altered to suit our own ideas, our own preferences, or our own perceptions of right and wrong. No matter how convinced we might be that a certain course action is "spiritual" or religiously beneficial, and serves to advance our relationship with G-d, it must not be followed if it violates Hashem's word, if it transgresses the Torah that He gave us. Adam's mistake reminds us that even the noblest intentions cannot justify disobedience. Real Abodat Hashem (service of Gd) begins when we humbly trust His wisdom more than our own.

Rabbi Adam Kligfeld and Rabbi Rebecca Schatz's Shabbat Sermons at Temple Beth Am, Los Angeles, October 4, 2025. (Youtube)

Escuchen cielos y hablare

Joshua reads Vayelech (Deuteronomy 31) the penultimate speech of Moses to the Israeli's before he reads the Second Poem of Moses (Ha'azinu) which will lay out all the curses God will inflict upon the Israelites if they don't obey him.

Shabbat Shouva – Parashat Vayelekh - Une leçon de vie éternelle by Rav David Touitou

The Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 11a) lists several events that occurred on the date of Rosh Hashanah, the first of Tishreh. These include Sara conceiving with a child at the age of 90, after decades of infertility and desperate longing for a child. For this reason, we read on the first day of Rosh Hashanah the story of the birth of Sara's son, Yishak Abinu. The Gemara also mentions that Rosh Hashanah was the day when Yosef was released from prison in Egypt. He had been imprisoned when Potifar's wife falsely charged that he assaulted her, and Yosef spent 12 years in the dungeon, until he was brought before Pharaoh to interpret the king's mysterious dreams. This led to his being named Pharaoh's vizier. It was on Rosh Hashanah, the Gemara teaches, that Yosef was brought out of prison and taken before Pharaoh. This event is alluded to in the 81 st chapter of Tehillim, which – for good reason – is the chapter we read as the "Shir Shel Yom" (daily Psalm) on Rosh Hashanah. We find in this chapter references to both the sounding of the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah ("Tik'u Ba'hodesh Shofar" – verse 4), and Yosef's emergence as the leader of Egypt ("Edut Bi'Yehosef Samo Be'seto Al Eretz Misrayim" – verse 6) – clearly indicating that Yosef left prison on Rosh Hashanah. The Maharsha (Rav Shmuel Eidels, 1555-1631), in his commentary to Masechet Rosh Hashanah, draws a curious connection between these two events – Sara's conception, and Yosef's rise to power in Egypt. In the aforementioned chapter in Tehillim, Yosef's name appears with an extra letter Heh, such that it is written "Yehosef" instead of "Yosef." The Maharsha writes that this extra letter came from Sara, whose name ended with a Heh. Additionally, the Maharsha adds, according to the wisdom of Kabbalah, the letter Heh at the end of G-d's Name (the Name of "Havaya") signifies the concept of Malchut, kingship, and it was thus added to Yosef's name when he ascended to a position of royalty in Egypt. The commentators explain further that Sara's name, as we know, was originally "Sarai," which ended with the letter Yod, and it was later changed to "Sara," which ends with Heh. The letter Yod in Gematria equals 10, and it was divided into two Hehs, as the letter Heh in Gematria equals 5. One was given to Sara, and the other was given to Yosef. The question then becomes, why did specifically these two figures receive the letter Heh? What is their particular connection to this letter, which expresses the theme of Malchut? The answer lies in the fact that both Sara and Yosef faced numerous hardships over the course of many years, and nevertheless maintained pristine faith in Hashem. Sara was childless for many years, was twice abducted by ruthless kings, and wandered from place to place for much of her life. Yosef was cruelly banished from his home, brought as a slave to Egypt, where he was tempted by his master's wife – and when he refused, she had him imprisoned. As mentioned, he remained in prison for 12 years. Neither Sara nor Yosef ever questioned or challenged G-d's judgment. They fully and wholeheartedly accepted His rule over the world without complaint. And this is the greatest expression of Malchut – unconditional and unreserved submission to, and acceptance of, Hashem's will as the ultimate good. This is why Sara and Yosef are associated with the letter Heh – which signifies Hashem's kingship – and why they are associated with Rosh Hashanah, the day we celebrate Hashem's kingship. This teaches us a crucial lesson about how we must approach Rosh Hashanah. Many people approach this day focused solely on what went wrong during the previous year, and on their hopes and aspirations for the coming year, everything they want to be better during the new year. But they forget about all that went right during the past year, all the wonderful blessings that Hashem had granted them. The Tiferet Shlomo (Rav Shlomo of Radomsk, Poland, 1801-1866) taught that if we want our prayers to be answered, we must first thank Hashem for all the good in our lives before proceeding to ask for what we want. We cannot enter Rosh Hashanah ungratefully, complaining about all that is wrong with our lives, without first acknowledging, appreciating and being thankful for all that is currently right with our lives. After all, Rosh Hashanah is the day when Hashem is crowned anew as king over the universe, an event to which only "VIP members" are invited – and we, Am Yisrael, are the "VIP members." Imagine someone receiving an invitation to attend the Presidential inauguration, and he shows up with a frown, angry and agitated. When he gets a turn to greet the President, he doesn't smile, because he's so upset about whatever it is that's bothering him. He would likely be thrown out of the party, and he certainly would not be invited the next time around... On Rosh Hashanah, we are the special guests at Hashem's "inauguration." And thus Ezra Ha'sofer told the people on Rosh Hashanah, "Hedvat Hashem Hi Ma'uzchem" – that their source of strength and success was their joy and festivity on this day (Nehemia 8:10). We must show up on Rosh Hashanah smiling, celebrating Hashem's kingship, grateful for all He had done for us. Each and every year throughout her years of infertility, Sara joyously celebrated Hashem's kingship on Rosh Hashanah – just as Yosef did each and every year he spent in the dungeon. Of course, they also prayed for what they needed – but not before they felt genuine gratitude for all that they had. Let us enter Rosh Hashanah not only with a "laundry list" of everything we want Hashem to give us, but also with sincere gratitude for all that He has already given us, and we will then be worthy of His continued grace, kindness and blessing, Amen.

Parashat Netzavim and Rosh Hashana by Rabbi Benjamin Lavian

Parashat Ki-Tabo begins with the Misva of Bikkkurim – the obligation upon a farmer to bring the first fruits that ripen to the Bet Ha'mikdash and present them to a Kohen. The farmer then makes a special declaration praising and expressing gratitude to Hashem for bringing our nation out of Egypt into the Land of Israel, where he was able to till the land and produce delicious, nourishing fruit. The unique significance and importance of this Misva is expressed in the special fanfare that characterized the process of bringing Bikkurim. The farmers would assemble and march with song and festivity through the roads, and the shopkeepers in Jerusalem would close their stores and come out to welcome and celebrate the visitors who were bringing their fruits to the Bet Ha'mikdash. The importance of Bikkurim is also articulated by the Midrash, which teaches that this Misva is mentioned in the very first word of the Torah: "Bereshit." The Midrash interprets this word to mean that the world was created for the sake of Bikkurim, which is called "Reshit" ("Reshit Bikkureh Admatecha" – "the first of the fruits of your land that ripen" – Shemot 23:19). Remarkably, the Midrash is telling us that the entire world was created so we can fulfill the Misva of Bikkurim! The reason is that G-d created the world so that He could shower us with goodness which we would then appreciate and be grateful for. The most elementary of all Torah values is gratitude, acknowledging and appreciating what was done for us. Hence, the Misva of Bikkurim, which revolves around the concept of gratitude, thanking Hashem for providing us with food, can be seen as the purpose of all creation. Our Sages teach that gratitude toward Hashem begins with feeling and showing appreciation for other people. The Midrash states: "Whoever denies his fellow's goodness will ultimately deny the Almighty's goodness." The classic example demonstrating this principle is Pharaoh, who is said to have "not known Yosef" (Shemot 1:8). It is inconceivable, the Rabbis explain, that a king who ascended the throne soon after Yosef's lifetime had not heard of Yosef. He was the one who saved Egypt from the devastating famine that struck the rest of the region, and thereby enriched the kingdom, as all the surrounding peoples came to purchase grain which Yosef had stored in anticipation of the looming drought. Rather, this means that the new Pharaoh did not acknowledge Yosef's role in saving the kingdom and bringing it to great heights of wealth and prestige. Because Pharaoh denied all the good that Yosef brought to the kingdom, he ultimately denied G-d Himself, brazenly and outrageously telling Moshe many years later, "Lo Yadati Et Hashem" – "I do not know G-d!" (Shemot 5:2). Translating this message into practical terms – one cannot be considered "religious" if he recites Birkat Ha'mazon after every meal with intense concentration, thanking Hashem for his food, and says "Modim" in the Amida prayer three times a day with great emotion, expressing gratitude to Hashem for all He does – but he does not show gratitude to the people in his life. Gratitude begins at home, with the people who do the most for us – first and foremost our parents, who gave us life and exerted so much hard work and made so many sacrifices for us, and then our spouse, the one closest to us, with whom we build and run our families. If we are not grateful to them and to everyone who helps us and does things for us, we will ultimately feel ungrateful also toward G-d. And, yes, this applies also to those who are paid to do things for us. Many years ago, I was hired as a private tutor for a teenage boy in the community. While we were learning, he called the family's housekeeper on the intercom system, and told her to bring him soda and some snacks. I was startled by the way he spoke, not even using the word "please." She came a minute later with the soda and snacks, and he said, "Close the door on your way out." I turned to the boy and asked, "You don't say 'thank you'??" "Rabbi," the boy replied, "she works for us. We're paying her to do this." "Now you're making me very nervous," I said. "Why?" "Because I also work for you. Your parents pay me, too. Are you going to treat me that way because I'm getting paid?" Whether it's the secretary, the cashier, the uber driver, the coworker, the delivery guy – feeling and expressing gratitude is not just required, but it is the ABC's of the Torah, our most basic obligation as Jews and as human beings. The more we appreciate all the people in our lives and all that they do for us, the more we will appreciate all that Hashem does for us – and this will, in turn, make us worthy of even more of His unlimited blessings and goodness.

Pastor Joshua reads Deuteronomy (Devarim) 21:10 - 25:19 in which much is laid out about rules/commandments including a number of reasons for stoning people to death to rid the Israelites of evil.

In this world, there is so much more than meets the eye. Things may appear to be one way, when in fact they are completely the opposite. Nothing should be taken at face value. Hashem is very deep, the Torah is very deep, and we are charged to use all our wisdom to see through the surface and try to understand on deeper levels. In this week's parashah Ki Tetzeh , the Torah teaches us about the mitzvah of shiluach hakan — sending away the mother bird before taking the eggs. The Torah promises a reward: lema'an yitav lach veha'arachta yamim — "that it will be good for you and you will have long life." Yet the Gemara tells of a boy who listened to his father — a mitzvah that also promises long life — and went to perform shiluach hakan . Tragically, he fell off the ladder and died. Where was the long life that the Torah promised? Our rabbis teach that "long life" in these pesukim is not to be taken at face value. It refers to life in the World to Come. One day, Hashem will send the Mashiach to redeem us. At that time, techiyat hametim will begin. The righteous who passed away throughout the generations will come back to life to enjoy the world of Mashiach. This resurrection will take place over many years, and those who rise earlier will live longer lives in that future time. Beyond that, Hashem will create a new world — Olam Haba — where the pleasure will be eternal and unlimited. That is the true world that is kulo aruch — everlasting — and there the rewards for mitzvot will be paid in full. Every experience we encounter in this world can be viewed from different perspectives. We must train ourselves to view everything with an emunah perspective, trusting that Hashem is always doing the greatest kindness for us. A man from Bnei Brak told how his widowed aunt called him late one Friday afternoon. All her power had gone out. No lights, no hot plate, no air conditioning. She begged him to come quickly. After asking a few questions, he figured it was a blown fuse, but she had no idea where to find the fuse box. He told her he would be right over. He thanked Hashem that his family had the habit of being ready early for Shabbat. Since everything was prepared, he had time to leave and help. By then there were no taxis available, so he grabbed one of his children's bicycles and pedaled as fast as he could through the intense summer heat of Bnei Brak. He fixed the fuse, and all the electricity came back on. By the time he got home, there was no time to shower, though he was dripping in sweat. Shul was starting, so he went directly as he was. Entering Shabbat that way was unpleasant, but he accepted it as Hashem's will. Towards the end of that Shabbat, during seudah shelishit , the power in his own home suddenly went out. After Shabbat, he checked the panel and saw that water had seeped in and damaged the main fuse — the one controlling the oven, stove, fridge, and air conditioning. At that moment, he could have asked: "Where is the justice? I went out of my way to help a poor widow with her fuse box, and then my fuse box gets ruined?" But instead, he used his emunah perspective. He said: "Hashem, You are so kind. Really, this Shabbat we were meant to sit in the dark with no food and no air conditioning. But in Your mercy, You gave me the chance first to do a big chesed for someone else, and in that merit, You delayed our blackout until the very end of Shabbat." Everything that happens to us is chesed Hashem . It may not always seem that way, but with emunah , we can always view it that way. Shabbat Shalom.

The Torah in Parashat Ki-Teseh introduces the subject of the Ben Sorer U'moreh – the "wayward son." This is a delinquent 13-year-old child, whose delinquency manifests itself parituclarly in addictive indulgence. He eats and drinks so compulsively that he steals his parents' money to buy wine and meat. The Torah states that this child should be put to death, and the Gemara explains that this is because this child is set along a path to violent crime. Once he has reached this point, where he steals his parents' money to satisfy his lust for food and wine, we are certain that he will eventually mug people to steal their money, and will end up murdering. He should therefore be killed so he never grows to be a violent criminal. The Gemara further states that there has never been a child that qualified as a Ben Sorer U'moreh, and there never will be such a case. There are so many conditions that must be met for this law to take effect that it can never actually apply as a practical matter. The Torah nevertheless taught us this theoretical Halacha so we can earn reward by studying this subject. The Gemara then cites Rabbi Yochanan as testifying, "I saw him, and I sat on his grave." At first glance, it appears that there are two views in the Gemara as to whether there was a case of a Ben Sorer U'moreh. The first opinion said that it never happened, whereas Rabbi Yochanan said that it did. However, this sounds peculiar. Could the Sages have really been arguing about a historical point? Normally, debates among the Rabbis involve different rationales and different ways of understanding Torah laws. We are not accustomed to Rabbis arguing over historical facts. Perhaps we can advance a novel reading of the Gemara's discussion. We mentioned earlier that the Torah commands executing a Ben Sorer Ve'moreh because it is certain that he will grow to become a violent criminal. We must ask, why are we so certain? Do we not all know of juvenile delinquents who grew to become wonderful adults? Has there never been a child who caused a great deal of trouble as a young teenager but then put his life together and excelled? I know many outstanding Rabbis who were once troubled youths. Why are we so sure that this "wayward son" will turn out to be a criminal? The answer is that we aren't – and this is precisely why the Gemara tells us that there never was and never will be a case of a Ben Sorer U'moreh. The Torah speaks of a theoretical situation of a child who must be put to death because he will otherwise for certain become a violent killer as an adult – and the Sages tell us that this will always remain a theoretical possibility, because in actuality, every single person has the capacity to change, and to change drastically. No matter where a person is, no matter how low he has fallen, he always has the potential to achieve greatness. There are no exceptions. Rabbi Yochanan says that he saw a Ben Sorer U'moreh and went to his grave. Why do people visit graves? Mostly, people visit the graves of righteous Sadikim to pray to Hashem at the site. And this might have been what Rabbi Yohanan was doing at this grave – he was praying, because this wayward child, whom he saw in his state of rebelliousness and unbridled sinfulness, ended up becoming an outstanding Sadik, a pious and holy Jew at whose gravesite people should want to pray. Rabbi Yohanan is proving the point made earlier, that there never was and never will be a child determined to be a Ben Sorer U'moreh who must be put to death – because in reality, every child, no matter where he is currently, has the ability to turn his life around and rise to great spiritual heights. We must never give up on any Jew, because we are all the descendants of Abraham, Yishak and Yaakob, we all contain within our souls a divine spark, and we all have the potential for greatness. And just as we must never give up on another Jew, we must also never give up on ourselves. What we've done in the past does not determine who we are in the present, or who we will be in the future. We need to trust in our ability to change and in our potential to not only improve, but to achieve greatness and be worthy members of Hashem's special nation.

Zohar Hakadosh on Parashat Ki Tetze by Rabbi Benjamin Lavian

Parashat Reeh - Insights and stories on mitzvah of Tzedakah by Rabbi Benjamin Lavian

Four words. One question: Do you love Me? Tevye asked it to Golde in Fiddler on the Roof. It was asked on a Galilean beach after the resurrection. How will you respond?

Pastor Joshua reads Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17, Parashat re-eh (meaning "see").

Pezuña partida y rumiante

In this long section of the Torah, where Miriam and Aaron are disciplined by God for challenging Moses, where Moses tries yet again to resign his leadership, where the 70 Elders to help Moshe go ahead and prophesy, but strangely nothing seems to come from it, I am struck by how much the parashah speaks to our time, where the strangest of leaders are getting elected. We learn from Torah that leadership is not just about being prophetic or charismatic or elected, leadership is relational.

Parashat Reeh & Chodesh Elul - Time to reborn by Rabbi Benjamin Lavian

The Torah, also known as the Hebrew Scriptures, or the five books of Moses, is read annually in Jewish synagogues from cover to cover (or the equivalent of covers for a scroll). Pastor Joshua has decided to take this on, reading the Torah literally and interpreting it through his context as a culturally Jewish atheist Unitarian Universalist. A new parashat, or chapter, is read Ever Sabbath (Shabbat). The Torah portion for this week, August 16, 2025 is Parashat Eikav, which tells of Moses addressing the Israelites and emphasizing the importance of keeping God's commandments in preparation to enter the land of Israel. 

Parashat Ekev - Secret of shivat minim by Rabbi Benjamin Lavian

Parashat Ekev - Taking care of one's body by Rabbi Benjamin Lavian

La mitzva de Mezuza

Parashat Ekev - The Desert & The Garden by Rabbi Avi Harari

Parashat Ekeb includes the second paragraph of our daily Shema recitation ("Ve'haya Im Shamo'a"), in which the Torah promises that G-d would reward our observance of the Misvot with material prosperity. Hashem says that if we observe His commands, "I will provide the rain of your land in its time" ("Ve'natati Metar Arsechem Be'ito" – 11:14). Rashi comments: "You did what is incumbent upon you, so I, too, will do what is incumbent upon Me." The question arises as to what prompted Rashi to make this remark, and how this enhances our understanding of the verse. Is it not obvious that Hashem here is promising adequate rainfall as a reward for our compliance with His commands? What does Rashi seek to clarify? A brilliant explanation of Rashi's comment was offered by the late Rebbe of Lubavitch. He suggested that Rashi was addressing a question that arises from a comparison between this verse and an earlier verse which similarly promises rainfall as a reward for Misva observance. In the beginning of Parashat Behukotai (Vayikra 26:4), G-d pronounces that if we obey His commands, "I shall grant your rainfall in its time" ("Ve'natati Gishmechem Be'ito"). There, Hashem promises to provide "Gishmechem" – "your rainfall," whereas here, in Parashat Ekeb, He promises "Metar Arsechem" – "the rain of your land." In other words, Parashat Behukotai speaks of "our rainfall," as though we are given some kind of special rain, while Parashat Ekeb speaks of the land's rain, the rain that the land naturally requires. The clue to understanding this discrepancy, the Rebbe explains, is found in Rashi's opening comments to Parashat Behukotai. There Rashi writes that the blessings described in that section are promised if "Tiheyu Amelim Ba'Torah" – the people "toil" and invest intensive efforts in Torah study. Here in Parashat Ekeb, by contrast, the Torah speaks of a time when Beneh Yisrael simply obey the Torah, but are not necessarily striving for more, applying themselves diligently to Torah learning. In Parashat Behukotai, then, the Torah refers to an exceptionally high spiritual level, in reward for which G-d promises not just rainfall, but "your rain" – a supernatural rain that is especially catered to our needs, that falls at precisely the right time and precisely the right manner that works the best for us. The rainfall promised in Parashat Ekeb, however, is a natural rainfall that will suffice to provide the food we need, but not beyond that. The Rebbe explained that this is Rashi's intent in making the comment, "You did what is incumbent upon you, so I, too, will do what is incumbent upon Me." Rashi anticipates the question of why this verse uses the expression "Metar Arsechem," as opposed to the verse in Parashat Behukotai, which uses the verse "Gishmechem." The answer, Rashi is telling us, is that the Torah speaks here of Beneh Yisrael doing "what is incumbent" upon them – without striving for more. In Parashat Behukotai, the Torah promises the special, supernatural rain that Beneh Yisrael deserve when they not only fulfill their basic obligations, but passionately pursue spiritual greatness by devoting their time and efforts to the intensive study of Torah. In Parashat Ekeb, Beneh Yisrael are described as merely satisfying their requirements, and so although they are of course worthy of significant rewards, they do not earn the special reward of "Gishmechem." In this brief remark, then, Rashi teaches us to always strive for more, to reach beyond the simple fulfillment of our religious obligations, and to pursue excellence in our service of Hashem.

Parashat V'Etchanan: La justicia sigue a la gracia demostrada por la obediencia - Solo en español. Las Escrituras describen un camino. Primero la gracia, luego la obediencia, la justicia, el Pacto y el llamado a vivir en libertad. Esta es una traducción de un podcast que se grabó originalmente el 9 de julio de 2025. Parashat V'Etchanan:  Righteousness Follows Grace Demonstrated By Obedience -  Spanish only.  The Scriptures describe a path. Grace first, then obedience, righteousness, Covenant and the call to live free.  This is a translation of a podcast that was originally recorded July 9, 2025.

Parashat V'Etchanan:  Righteousness Follows Grace Demonstrated By Obedience -  English only.  The Scriptures describe a path. Grace first, then obedience, righteousness, Covenant and the call to live free.  Recorded July 9, 2025.

Parashat Vaitchanan by Rabbi Benjamin Lavian

Insights into parashat VaEtchanan by Rabbi Benjamin Lavian

In this week's parasha, V'etchanan, we have, arguably, the most well-known pasuk in the entire Torah: "שמע ישראל ה' אלוקינו ה' אחד" This pasuk is the root of all of our emunah that Hashem is our G-d and He is the only One in control. The Gemara says in Masechet Sukkah (p. 42) that when a child is first able to speak, his father should teach him this line Shema Yisrael. With this, we are training our children and imbuing them with emunah from the earliest age. Something of such vital importance can't wait until the child is 5 or 6 years old, it must begin from the moment he/she can speak. We should not underestimate how much emunah our children can absorb. Emunah should be spoken about in the home and children should be trained from very young ages in it. I recently received an email which said, "Ever since I started listening to the Daily Emunah messages, it's as if I entered a whole new world. Growing up I was religious, but I never thought about Hashem too deeply or how He plays a role in our lives, but in the last two years, since I began listening, I became a whole new person. I'm so much happier and calmer and accepting and so grateful for the inspiring emunah lessons. I am a preschool teacher and one day, as my students walked into class, Hashem put a thought into my mind. I decided I was going to repeat a chizuk message in emunah to them in an age appropriate manner. I saw how they drank up every word with so much enthusiasm. I noticed how hungry their souls were for a connection to Hashem, even though they all came from religious backgrounds. From then on, every single day, I started repeating another chizuk lesson to them in a kid friendly way. It didn't take too long and I started noticing changes in my students' behavior. For example, little Esther told little Channah, 'I lost the snack that my mommy gave me this morning, but I am not upset because I know Hashem did it out of love and one day I'll find out why.' Channah replied, 'Did you make sure to thank Hashem for your lost snack?' This kind of talk has become the norm in my classroom, from just a little emunah message every day." I received a different email from a woman who says she speaks about emunah in her house all the time. It has changed the way her entire household thinks, and they are so much happier as a result. A few weeks ago, she was visiting her in-laws with her five year old son on Shabbat and, while he was playing outside, something banged into his eye very hard. There was no ice there so she took her son back to her house which was not too far away. While they were walking, she said out loud, "Baruch Hashem, I just remembered, I bought margarine right before Shabbat. That's the best thing to put on your eye." The little boy said in response, "Mommy, Hashem knew I was going to get a bump, so He told you to buy the margarine. He didn't tell you I was going to get the bump because then you wouldn't let it happen." The proud mother was so grateful for her little boy's response. His immediate thought that Hashem put it in her brain to buy the margarine just for him was so beautiful. He's only five. Emunah is for the very, very young as well. As a note of advice, if a very young child gets a bump and we tell him it was from Hashem for his best, he might not take it the right way, he might even come to resent Hashem because, at that time, the child is in pain. The key is to teach the child the lessons beforehand so that the child, on his own, will say it's from Hashem for his best. And when the child does that, we should make him feel so special and tell him how proud Hashem is of him for having that emunah. Shabbat Shalom.

Parashat VaEthanan - Perspective by Rabbi Avi Harari

The Torah in Parashat Vaet'hanan (4:2) introduces the prohibitions known as "Bal Tosif" and "Bal Tigra" – adding onto the Torah's laws, and detracting from the Torah's laws. Rashi explains that this refers to adding onto or detracting from a particular Misva. He gives the examples of wearing Tefillin with parchment containing more or fewer Parashiyot (sections of text) than the Torah requires. There are four Parashiyot which are to be inserted in the Tefillin, and if a person adds a fifth Parasha, then he transgresses the prohibition of "Bal Tosif," and if he includes only three Parashiyot, then he violates "Bal Tigra." Another example given by Rashi is waving more than four species on Sukkot, or fewer than four. The Ramban comments that the prohibition of "Bal Tosif" includes also introducing a new Misva to the Torah. If a person comes along and makes up a new law, claiming that this should be part of the Torah, he violates the prohibition of "Bal Tosif." Conversely, one who decides that a certain Biblical command is no longer part of the Torah transgresses "Bal Tigra." The Ramban clarifies that this applies only to one who introduces a new law and claims that it is obligatory as a Biblical imperative. The Sages enacted numerous obligations and prohibitions, but they made it very clear that these are not included in Torah, but are rather provisions that they saw fit to legislate to meet a particular need. And, they stipulated that the laws they enacted are treated differently than the laws of the Torah, with greater leniency. Thus, they do not violate the prohibition of "Bal Tosif." The Gaon of Vilna (1720-1797) brilliantly noted that both interpretations are correct, and rooted in the text of the Torah. The prohibition of "Bal Tosif" appears not only here, in Parashat Vaet'hanan, but also later, in Parashat Re'eh (13:1). However, the contexts of these verses reveals that they address two different commands. Here in Parashat Vaet'hanan, the command of "Bal Tosif" appears after Moshe tells the people, "Listen to the statutes and laws which I am teaching you to observe" (4:1). Moshe is telling Beneh Yisrael that he was going to present to them the Misvot, and he then warns them not to add more laws or to reject any of the laws that he was teaching them. In Parashat Re'eh, however, Moshe says, "Each thing that I am commanding you – you shall ensure to observe; do not add onto it, and do not detract from it." It seems clear that in this verse, Moshe speaks of each particular Misva, urging the people to observe every Misva precisely as he commands, without adding onto the Misva or taking anything away from it. The Ha'ketab Ve'ha'kabbala (Rav Yaakov Tzvi Mecklenberg, 1785-1865) follows this general approach of the Vilna Gaon, but he notes a different distinction between the two verses. The command here in Parashat Vaet'hanan is formulated in the plural form – "Lo Tosifu…Ve'lo Tigre'u" – whereas the command in Parashat Re'ei appears in the singular form – "Lo Tosef…Ve'lo Tigra." The Ha'ketab Ve'ha'kabbala thus suggests that here in Parashat Vaet'hanan, the Torah is addressing not an individual, but rather the Sanhedrin, the highest rabbinic body, which represents the entire nation. These scholars, the leading Sages of Israel, are the ones who need the warning not to change the Torah by introducing new laws or doing away with existing laws. In Parashat Re'eh, by contrast, the Torah is addressing the individual, who has no authority and would thus never think to introduce a new Misva, or eliminate a Misva. He needs the warning not to add onto or detract from specific Misvot, such as by adding an additional Parasha to the Tefillin or removing a Parasha. This command reminds us of the timelessness of the Torah, that at no point does it become "outdated" or in need of modification. Already from the outset, when the Torah was given, we are told that it and all its commands are eternal and eternally binding. Today's world is, of course, very different from the world at the time of Matan Torah, and the changing circumstances may affect the practical application of certain Misvot, based on the details of each Misva's requirements as determined by our oral halachic tradition. But never can we say that a Misva is no longer binding simply by virtue of the fact that many centuries have passed since the Torah was given. Each and every Misva is eternally relevant, and we are bound to all the Misvot no less now than our ancestors were millennia ago.

Parashat Vaitchanan ویتخنان by Rabbi Benjamin Lavian

Parashat Devarim - Followers vs. Leaders by Rabbi Avi Harari

Parashat Pinchas by Rabbi Benjamin Lavian

داستانی از راشی هقادوش זיעא

Questions on Parashat Mattot - Masie by Rabbi Benjamin Lavian

Parashat Devarim by Rabbi Benjamin Lavian

Bringing Am Yisrael Together We read in Parashat Matot of the request made by the tribes of Reuven and Gad to permanently settle in the region east of the Jordan River. Beneh Yisrael had captured this territory from the kingdoms of Sihon and Og, and Reuven and Gad – who owned lots of livestock – saw that this land had vast amounts of pasture which was well-suited for their herds. They thus approached Moshe and asked permission to make this area their permanent home instead of crossing into the Eretz Yisrael. Moshe granted their request after receiving their promise that they would participate in the battles waged by the other tribes to conquer the Land of Israel. Surprisingly, the Torah tells that when Moshe distributed this territory, he apportioned shares not only to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, but also to part of the tribe of Menashe. This tribe is not mentioned at all previously in this story. From what we can tell, the people of Menashe did not come with Reuben and Gad to Moshe to ask for this land. Why, then, did part of the tribe of Menashe receive a portion in Eber Ha'Yarden (the region to the east of the Jordan River) together with Reuben and Gad? One answer can be suggested based on a mysterious comment by the Midrash, teaching us about the background to the division of the tribe of Menashe. Back in the Book of Bereshit, we read of how Yosef's brothers sold him as a slave to merchants who brought him to Egypt, where he ultimately rose to the position of vizier. When famine struck the Land of Israel, Yosef's brothers came to purchase grain from Yosef – not realizing that this was his brother. Before they made their way back to Eretz Yisrael, Yosef ordered his advisor – whom the Midrash identifies as his son, Menashe – to plant his goblet in the bag of the youngest brother, Binyamin, to frame him as a thief. Later, after the brothers left Egypt, Yosef told Menashe to run after them and charge them with theft. When the goblet was discovered in Binyamin's bag, the brothers tore their garments, as tragedy had now befallen the family. The Midrash comments that since Menashe had caused the brothers to tear their garments into two halves, the tribe that descended from him would similarly be "torn" into two pieces, with part of the tribe residing in Eretz Yisrael, and the other part residing east of the Jordan River. At first glance, the Midrash seems to be saying that Menashe was punished for causing his uncles anguish. But if we probe deeper, we will see that to the contrary, Menashe was actually given a great privilege to split into two halves. A number of commentators explain that Yosef's intention in framing Binyamin was to determine whether his brothers had fully repented for their sin of selling him as a slave – by putting them in a situation where another younger brother would be in trouble. Yosef framed Binyamin to see if the brothers would do everything they could to save him and bring him home – just the opposite of how they treated him, driving him out of the family. As we know, Yehuda stepped forward to offer himself as a slave in Binyamin's stead, showing that the brothers had indeed fully repented and changed. At that point, Yosef revealed himself to his brothers, and the family was reunited. Menashe made the brothers rend their garments – but in so doing, he brought the family back together. This process, unfortunately, entailed the pain of "tearing," but it had the effect of mending the rupture that had plagued the family for many years. With this in mind, we can return to the story of Reuben and Gad. Moshe feared that Reuben and Gad's settlement across the river would cause a rupture in the nation. The Jordan River was a natural border that could have divided the nation into two, resulting in Reuben and Gad's dissociation from the rest of the nation. Moshe therefore devised a plan – he would have half of one of the other tribes live together with Reuben and Gad across the river. Having half of a tribe on one side, and the second half on the other side, would help ensure that the river would not become a border separating between the two regions, that there would be ongoing contact and communication between the tribes in Eretz Yisrael and the tribes in Eber Ha'Yarden. For this crucial purpose, Moshe selected the tribe of Menashe – the tribe whose ancestor is credited with bringing the family together. Menashe had bequeathed this quality to his descendants, and so they were the best choice to ensure that Am Yisrael remains united despite the geographic separation between them. Just as Menashe had united the family by planting the goblet in Binyamin's bag, so would his descendants assure the unity of the Jewish Nation by living on both sides of the Jordan River and connecting all the tribes with each other.

In the beginning of this week's parasha , Pinchas, we read about the great rewards Pinchas received for doing the will of Hashem under very difficult circumstances. The Midrash at the end of parashat Balak asks how could it be that Moshe Rabbenu forgot the halacha of what was supposed to be done with Zimri and Kozbi? Thr Midrash answered, it was מן השמים, in order to give Pinchas the ability to get what Hashem wanted to give him. Although when we read the pesukim it seems like everything happened in the natural course of events, in actuality, it was Hashem pulling the strings. Now was Pinchas's time and if, in order for that to happen, the greatest Rabbi in history needed to forget a halacha , then that's what was going to happen. But it goes even further. Every person's tests and opportunities for growth have already been mapped out for them way before they were even born. Hashem knows what each person needs to fulfill his mission and He sets each person up with the tests that they need to accomplish that mission. The Vilna Gaon writes, Bilaam was being tested by Hashem to see if he would go to curse the Jews against His will. Hashem sent him many obstacles to give him help with that test and he failed each time. That story, as well, seemed very natural. The nation of Moav became afraid of the Jews after they conquered Sichon and Og, and so they hired someone who seemed capable of cursing them to remove the threat. Chazal tell us, one of the things Hashem created on the sixth day of Creation during bein hashemashot was the פי האתון – the mouth of the donkey who tried to dissuade Bilaam from continuing on. This means, already from the beginning of time, Hashem was preparing the tests that Bilaam needed to go through. Korach was tested when he didn't receive the position he wanted. His job was to say, "It's מן השמים ," and accept it. But instead, he made a revolt against Moshe and Aharon. There as well, everything seemed very natural, but Chazal tell us, the spot of the earth which swallowed up the eida of Korach was created already on bein hashemashot during the six days of Creation. At that time, when Hashem was creating the world, He was already preparing the necessary components for the test he was going to give Korach thousands of years later. Avraham Avinu's tenth test of Akedat Yitzchak , which we are still benefiting from today, did not just happen at that time. That ram that he slaughtered instead of Yitzchak was created during the six days of Creation. Already from then, Hashem was planning out every single nisayon that Avraham would need to go through. And the same is true of every single individual. Sometimes we find ourselves in situations we don't want to be in and we start trying to figure out how we got there. Our job is not to backtrack and see how we could have avoided it. Our job is to do what Hashem wants us to do in that very situation. Every circumstance we find ourselves in had been carefully planned out for us to achieve our purpose here. What may seem to be a bunch of natural happenings is nothing other than the yad Hashem. In life, we need to pass each test as it comes. We don't know how much is riding on each one of them. The next test could be what we need that will make us zocheh to the beracha that we have been seeking. Every one is necessary for us to pass and b'ezrat Hashem, if we do, then we will be fulfilling the purpose of our creation. Shabbat Shalom.

Parashat Pinehas - Personal Growth by Rabbi Avi Harari

Parashat Pinhas tells the story of Benot Selofhad – the five daughters of a man named Selofhad, who died in the wilderness leaving behind only these five daughters, without any sons. As Beneh Yisrael were preparing to enter the Land of Israel, these women approached Moshe and asked that they inherit the portion in the land that had been earmarked for Selofhad. Moshe consulted with Hashem, who informed him that indeed, when there are no sons, a person's daughters inherit his estate. The Torah introduces this story by identifying Selofhad as "Selofhad, the son of Hefer, the son of Gilad, the son of Machir, the son of Menashe, from among the families of Menashe, the son of Yosef" (27:1). Rashi raises the question of why the Torah found it necessary to mention Yosef in this context. We are, quite obviously, already well-aware of the fact that Menashe was one of the two sons of Yosef. Why are we reminded about Yosef in the introduction to the story of Benot Selofhad? Rashi answers that the Torah wanted to draw an association between these five women and their righteous ancestor, Yosef, whose legacy their carried through their love for the Land of Israel. Yosef made his brothers promise before his passing that they would bring his remains to Eretz Yisrael for burial, out of his deep love for Eretz Yisrael. And his descendants – Benot Selofhad – similarly displayed their commitment to Eretz Yisrael by approaching Moshe and imploring him to give them their father's portion of the land. Later commentators questioned how Rashi saw in Benot Selofhad's request an expression of love for the Land of Israel. Seemingly, they just wanted property; they give no indication that they longed specifically for a portion of Eretz Yisrael. Imagine a youngster is participating in a program and the people running the program are serving pizza and nothing else. If the youngster comes forward and asks for a slice of pizza, does this necessarily show his love for pizza? Of course not. He's hungry and wants food, and pizza is the food that's being served. By the same token, it seems, Benot Selofhad simply wanted property. How did Rashi know that Selofhad's daughters felt special love for Eretz Yisrael? One answer given is that Rashi inferred this from the timing of the request. Selofhad died many years earlier, yet his daughters came forward to claim their inheritance rights only now, as the nation prepared to cross into the Land of Israel. They did not ask for any of Selofhad's possessions throughout all the years after his passing. He undoubtedly had valuable assets, but this did not concern them. The fact that they approached Moshe only now, on the cusp of Beneh Yisrael's arrival in the land, shows that they felt a special connection to Eretz Yisrael, following the legacy of their illustrious ancestor, Yosef. The Netziv (Rav Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin of Volozhin, 1816-1893) offers a different explanation. As mentioned earlier, Selofhad was a grandson of Gilad, the son of Machir. Later (Bamidbar 32:40), we read that the family of Machir was given a portion in Eber Ha'Yarden – the territory east of the Jordan River – as their permanent area of residence. Selofhad, as a member of this family, should thus have had rights to a piece of land in this region, and not in Eretz Yisrael. His daughters, however, asked that they be given a share not in Eber Ha'Yarden, but in the Land of Israel. They would not have been satisfied with territory in the region settled by the Machir family. Due to their great love for the Land of Israel, they insisted on receiving land in Eretz Yisrael instead of the region settled by their father's family – and Rashi thus understood that they, as loyal heirs of Yosef, shared his special love and commitment to the sacred land that Hashem has given us.

Tammuz and Av are, according to the Zohar, days of judgment. The Creator of the world "provides a cure before the plague" and sends us the secrets of the sweetening of the judgments. How do you turn judgment into mercy, failure into success, death into life, destruction into growth? This is the secret of human correction and this is the secret of true healing. The secrets of medicine and its symbolism in Parashat Ḥukat. Meditation for expanding the consciousness of light & pleasure, a few lines below: Support our efforts to provide you with more materials, donate to Live Kabbalah: https://livekabbalah.org/donations Guided Meditation of the Tetragrammaton: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8AzyLFM2AY Read and learn more about this Parashah: https://livekabbalah.org/hukat Join our course program: https://livekabbalah.org/live-kabbalah-courses Join our Zoom Program: https://livekabbalah.org/weekly-zohar-tree-of-life-study-live

The pasuk in this week's Parashat Shelach tells us that the Meraglim (spies) came to a place called נחל אשכול , the Valley of the Cluster, and there they removed a massive cluster of grapes. This enormous cluster was later used to frighten the Jewish people, as the spies described the giants who inhabited the land and implied that Bnei Yisrael had no chance of conquering it. Then the pasuk says the place was named אשכול —"Cluster"—because of the cluster they took. But the Sefer Minchat Ani asks an important question: it seems the place was already called נחל אשכול before the cluster was taken, as the Torah says they arrived at the Valley of Eshkol before picking the grapes. The Midrash resolves this by explaining that the place was already called Eshkol, all the way back to the time of Avraham Avinu. The Midrash quotes the pasuk " מגיד מראשית אחרית "—Hashem reveals the end from the beginning—and teaches us that Hashem sees the past, present, and future all at once. One of Avraham's close companions was named Eshkol, and Hashem placed that name in the minds of Eshkol's parents because of the future cluster that would be taken by the Meraglim in that very location. But this raises an obvious question: why? Why would Hashem cause a man to be named "Eshkol" because of an event that would occur hundreds of years later? The Minchat Ani brings another Midrash that sheds light on this. When Avraham was commanded to perform a brit milah , he consulted his three friends. Aner told him not to do it—he was too old to harm himself. Eshkol warned that if he did it, he would be weakened and vulnerable to attack. But the third friend, Mamre, encouraged him, saying: "The same Hashem who saved you from the fiery furnace, from the four kings, from famine—He is now commanding you. He will protect you." This powerful moment became a lesson passed down through generations. Every Jewish child would grow up learning how Avraham courageously performed the brit milah , how Mamre showed emunah , and how Aner and Eshkol doubted. And now, centuries later, that same test returned. The Meraglim echoed the voices of Aner and Eshkol, casting doubt on Hashem's power to bring them safely into Eretz Yisrael. They cut the Eshkol—the very cluster that symbolized the mistake of the man Eshkol from generations before. And just like Mamre, Caleb stood up and proclaimed his emunah , telling the people that Hashem, who had always protected them, would continue to do so. Hashem arranged it all—placing the Meraglim at the same site as Eshkol's legacy, giving them a chance to correct the mistake of the past. This wasn't random. Their test had been developing for centuries. Nothing in this world happens by chance. Every test a person faces is custom-designed by Hashem, planned with precision before that person even enters the world. We have no idea how much our actions matter, how intentional each situation is, and how carefully Hashem prepares our challenges. In the case of the Meraglim , Hashem gave them every opportunity to succeed. He placed them at Nachal Eshkol , at the exact site where history had already taught the lesson they needed to learn. But they failed. Still, the message for us remains: Tests are given to make us great. Hashem not only gives us challenges, but also provides us with the strength, wisdom, and circumstances to overcome them. Every test we face is hand-tailored to help us grow, elevate ourselves, and earn eternal reward. If we internalize this, we'll face our own tests with clarity and strength. And with Hashem's help, we'll overcome them—and fulfill our unique mission in this world. Shabbat Shalom.