Podcasts about yitzchak

Parashat Acharei Mot begins by telling us that Hashem spoke to Moshe after the tragic deaths of Nadav and Avihu, who died while attempting to draw closer to Hashem. Though their death was a colossal tragedy, the Torah teaches us how to view it—and more broadly, how to understand when tragedy befalls righteous individuals especially when they are engaged in holy pursuits. At that time, the Jewish people were yearning for the Shechina to dwell in the Mishkan they had built. After the sin of the Egel , they were unsure whether Hashem would rest His presence among them. On the day of the inauguration, Aharon offered multiple korbanot as instructed, but still, the Shechina did not descend. Only after Moshe and Aharon entered the Ohel Mo'ed to pray did a heavenly fire come down and consume the offerings. The people rejoiced—Hashem had forgiven them and chosen to dwell among them. In their deep yearning and love for Hashem, Nadav and Avihu brought the Ketoret on their own initiative. Then, the unimaginable happened: another fire came down and consumed them. Everyone was in shock. Was this a sign of Hashem's anger? Did it mean the forgiveness was rescinded? Moshe then told Aharon that Hashem had previously said He would be sanctified through the deaths of great people—and Nadav and Avihu were those chosen Tzaddikim. The Torah testifies that when Aharon heard this, " וידם אהרן "—he remained silent , accepting Hashem's will without protest. As a reward for his profound emunah and submission, Hashem then spoke directly to him. What appeared to be divine punishment was, in fact, a great Kiddush Hashem . The Or HaChayim explains that Nadav and Avihu became so spiritually elevated that their souls desired only closeness to Hashem and no longer wished to remain in the physical world. Today, we lack prophets to explain tragedies, but we have the Torah—eternal and unchanging—to guide us in how to view them. Our greatest strength lies in trusting Hashem and using pain as a catalyst for growth. We are reminded that this world is temporary, and every moment here is an opportunity to serve and connect with our Creator. The Rashbam writes that the greatest Kiddush Hashem on that day was not the death of the tzadikim , but Aharon's silent acceptance. Seeing his beloved sons die before him, he continued to serve Hashem with unwavering devotion. That act sanctified the Mishkan more than any offering brought that day. When a person accepts Hashem's judgment with love, he elevates not only himself but also the space around him. Such acceptance carries a powerful spiritual energy, capable of invoking blessing and even salvation. The sanctity of Har HaBayit , where the Beit HaMikdash would one day stand, was similarly established through Avraham Avinu's loving acceptance of Hashem's will. When commanded to offer Yitzchak as a korban, despite the contradiction to Hashem's earlier promise that his future offspring would come through Yitzchak, Avraham did not question. The Targum Yonatan on the passuk יראה ויקרא שם המקום ה ' explains that Avraham prayed not to harbor any complaints, fully submitting himself to Hashem's will. His wholehearted obedience imbued the mountain with eternal holiness. Just as the Mishkan was sanctified through Aharon's faith, and the Beit HaMikdash through Avraham's, so too can we infuse holiness into our lives and surroundings by accepting Hashem's decrees with love and trust. Whenever a person accepts the will of Hashem with love, although it's difficult, he elevates himself and the place around him. Our job is to trust Hashem and always continue growing in our Avodah no matter what happens.

One of the reasons that people may lose energy and excitement in their avodat Hashem is that they misunderstand the way Hashem deals with them. It makes logical sense that when a person is doing what Hashem wants, he should feel a certain spiritual elevation and receive some type of reciprocation which shows that Hashem is appreciating what he is doing. And so, when those things don't happen, people may begin to lose the enthusiasm that they once had. If they only knew how much Hashem appreciates what they are doing, and how much they are gaining every second of it, they would happily increase their enthusiasm. Let us analyze the way that Hashem dealt with Avraham Avinu. Hashem promised him a baby boy when he was 70 years old, but he did not see the fulfillment of that promise for another 30 years. Then, when Yitzchak was 37, Hashem commanded Avraham to offer him up as a korban . One would think, being that this was arguably the greatest mitzvah ever performed, that Avraham should have felt a connection to Hashem like no other on his way to do the Akeda . He should have felt an incredible spiritual feeling beyond imagination. Yet, it says וירא את המקום מרחוק – and he saw the place from afar. Chazal tell us that means he saw the מקומו של עולם - HaKadosh Baruch Hu – very distant from him. He did not feel any spiritual elevation, nor did he feel any connection to Hashem. It was actually just the opposite, a feeling of being distanced from Hashem. And one would think, after Avraham passed this monumental nisayon , Hashem should have showered him with blessing and showed him how great he became as a result. Yet that is not what happened. Rather, Avraham discovered that his wife had passed away, and he had to go deal with finding her a burial plot. This is precisely what made Avraham's deed as great as it was. The entire Jewish Nation is still benefiting from that one deed until today. Avraham knew that what he was doing was what Hashem wanted and that's all he needed to know. Going there without the spiritual feelings made the avodah even more precious. Not seeing Hashem patting him on the back, kavayachol , afterward made the avodah even more valuable. This world is the world of work. We need to toil in our avodat Hashem and the rewards come later. If someone has been praying for something for years without seeing results, he may feel that Hashem is not listening to him. Yet our Chazal teach us otherwise. Our Imahot prayed for years without seeing any results and that is precisely what made them as great as they became, continuing to push themselves without seeing the reciprocation. We know what Hashem wants from us. He told us in the Torah. And we know He appreciates every little move we make. When we continue growing and serving Him to the best of our ability, without the spiritual feelings and without the immediate rewards, it makes our service infinitely greater. If someone starts learning more or going to shul more, his natural expectations are that he will see more open blessing in his life from it. That may happen and it may not, depending on what Hashem knows is good for him. But if it doesn't happen and he continues learning and continues going to shul more, it makes those efforts so much more valuable and it raises him to such a higher level. He will most probably not feel any more spiritual from what he is doing, but that will just add to the potential levels he could reach. Akedat Yitzchak was done without any special feeling and without any immediate reciprocation. And we know that Hashem appreciated that act more than we could imagine. It made Avraham so great and the rewards of it are still being paid until today. This should be a model for us to understand that the greatness of our avodah does not depend on how spiritual we feel or how quickly Hashem gives us what we want afterwards. It's actually just the opposite. The more we persevere without the feeling and without the reciprocation, the greater the avodah becomes.

Welcome to Daily Bitachon . We are now taking Bitachon lessons from the Pesukim that we read at Bikurim, that are the foundation of Magid in the Haggadah . We're telling the story of Yaakov going down to Mitzrayim and the next two words that we're going to discuss are ויגר שם Vayagor Sham / And they sojourned there. The Baal Haggadah explains that Yaakov Avinu's intention was not to become entrenched in the land, just to be there temporarily. He proves it from a Pasuk in Bereshit where the brothers tell Paroah, "Lagur ba'aretz banu/We came just to be sojourners ." (The Haggadah quotes from Parashat Ki Tavo in Devarim , which is a short synopsis of the events that occurred in Bereshit, which we refer back to) Ki ein mir'eh la'tzon asher la'avadecha/ We have no grazing area for our sheep. We're shepherds. We have no grazing area. And we're here temporarily. There's a very important lesson hiding in this little story about them not having a grazing area for their sheep. We know that the Egyptians worshipped sheep, and they did not like the shepherds who, so to say, did not necessarily treat sheep with the same respect that they did. Their sheep were not sheared or used as a commodity the way the Jewish people did. Yaakov and his family, going back to his time in Lavan's house, benefitted from and used sheep for their own purses. This was not the way the Egyptians worshipped them. So in truth, they were coming down to Egypt with a profession that would cause them to be distanced from the Egyptians. So we can see two areas where Hashem was preparing the road for them, decades in advance. Avraham was a shepherd, Yitzchak was a shepherd, Yaakov was a shepherd. They were all shepherds. The great Tzadikim are all called shepherds. David was a shepherd... Rabbeinu Bachya on this pasuk, and many others, explain that this is because a shepherd has time to think and meditate and contemplate, and that was a way to connect to Hashem, in a profession that allows for it. That is why they chose that profession. That's the simple, natural explanation. But now, as Hashem is always preparing the future, there are another two great benefits. Benefit number one is, when you're dealing with sheep on a day-to-day basis, cleaning them, and getting down and dirty, so to say, with them, you lose your respect for them, so there's no way you're going to treat them as a god. You know what they are. You're not going to worship them. So benefit number two is that the Egyptians would distance themselves from us. They were forced to separate from the Egyptians because they were not in the business that the Mitzrim appreciated. Look how Hashem was preparing from generations before, to put us in a situation that was right for us. When they came to Egypt, they might have said, " Oh my gosh, this is the worst possible profession! No one, no one likes this profession here." But in hindsight it was actually a protection. It might have caused us to be distanced, and that might be why we moved to the ghetto of Goshen and did not mix with everybody else. But that's what was necessary, and that's what was good for us.

Maharal Netzach Yisroel Chapter 13 Part 1 (The defense of Yitzchak Avinu) by Rabbi Avi Zakutinsky

What if the Torah provides its own commentary on its most pivotal moments? In this episode, Rabbi Fohrman and Imu continue uncovering a striking web of connections between Jacob's deception in Genesis 27 and the Revelation at Sinai in Exodus 19. As they explore these interwoven parallels, they reveal a profound shift in roles—Father becoming Son, Son becoming Father—and examine how God's choice to reveal Himself through cloud and sound echoes Jacob's own veiled encounter with Isaac.But these parallels aren't just literary—they hold deep theological stakes. If Jacob's disguise at the moment of blessing teaches us something about hidden identities, what does that mean for how we perceive God at Sinai? And by embracing our own limitations, could we, like Yitzchak, learn to truly listen?Check out the scene from Close Encounters of the Third Kind that Rabbi Fohrman referenced in this episode: Watch here. For more on Rabbi Fohrman's reading of the deception story, see this essay from his book Genesis: A Parsha Companion. A Book Like No Other is a product of Aleph Beta, and made possible through the generous support of Shari and Nathan Lindenbaum. Aleph Beta is a Torah media company dedicated to spreading the joy and love of meaningful Torah learning worldwide.

https://youtu.be/BkQtVQzaAE4 Audio: Play the audio class Download: Download this MP3 Topics: Morning Prayers Follow-Along Text: אֲבָל אֲנַֽחְנוּ עַמְּךָ בְּנֵי בְרִיתֶֽךָ, בְּנֵי אַבְרָהָם אֹהַבְךָ, שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּֽעְתָּ לּוֹ בְּהַר הַמֹּרִיָּה;זֶֽרַע יִצְחָק יְחִידוֹ, שֶׁנֶּעֱקַד עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ;עֲדַת יַעֲקֹב בִּנְךָ בְּכוֹרֶֽךָ, שֶׁמֵּאַהֲבָתְךָ שֶׁאָהַֽבְתָּ אוֹתוֹ, וּמִשִּׂמְחָתְךָ שֶׁשָּׂמַֽחְתָּ בּוֹ, קָרָֽאתָ אֶת שְׁמוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל וִישֻׁרוּן:לְפִיכָךְ אֲנַֽחְנוּ חַיָּבִים לְהוֹדוֹת לְךָ, וּלְשַׁבֵּחֲךָ וּלְפָאֶרְךָ וּלְבָרֵךְ וּלְקַדֵּשׁ וְלִתֵּן שֶֽׁבַח וְהוֹדָיָה לִשְׁמֶֽךָ:אַשְׁרֵֽינוּ, מַה טּוֹב חֶלְקֵֽנוּ, וּמַה נָּעִים גּוֹרָלֵֽנוּ, וּמַה יָּפָה יְרֻשָּׁתֵֽנוּ;אַשְׁרֵֽינוּ, שֶׁאָֽנוּ מַשְׁכִּימִים וּמַעֲרִיבִים עֶֽרֶב וָבֹֽקֶר וְאוֹמְרִים פַּעֲמַֽיִם בְּכָל יוֹם:But we are Your nation, the people of Your covenant: the descendants of Avraham, who loved You, to whom You swore on Mount Moriah;the offspring of Yitzchak, his only son who was bound on the altar;and the congregation of Yaakov, Your son, Your firstborn, whom You named Yisrael and Yeshurun, out of Your love for him and Your delight in him.Therefore, we are obligated to thankfully acknowledge, praise and glorify You, and to bless, sanctify, and give praise and thankful acknowledgment to Your name.We are fortunate! How good is our portion! How pleasant is our lot! And how beautiful is our inheritance!Fortunate are we that, upon rising in the morning and again in the evening, we declare twice every day, evening and morning: PreviousClass 052: morning prayers: Leolam Yehei Adam part 2 NextClass 054: morning prayers: Aval Anachnu Amecha part 2 More in this section Class 058: morning prayers: Trumat Hadeshen part 2 Class 057: morning prayers: Trumat Hadeshen part 1 Class 056: morning prayers: Kriat Shema Ketana part 2 Class 055: morning prayers: Kriat Shema Ketana part 1 Class 054: morning prayers: Aval Anachnu Amecha part 2 Class 052: morning prayers: Leolam Yehei Adam part 2 Class 051: morning prayers: Leolam Yehei Adam part 1

https://youtu.be/xjGEbVKuldw Audio: Play the audio class Download: Download this MP3 Topics: Morning Prayers Follow-Along Text: אֲבָל אֲנַֽחְנוּ עַמְּךָ בְּנֵי בְרִיתֶֽךָ, בְּנֵי אַבְרָהָם אֹהַבְךָ, שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּֽעְתָּ לּוֹ בְּהַר הַמֹּרִיָּה;זֶֽרַע יִצְחָק יְחִידוֹ, שֶׁנֶּעֱקַד עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ;עֲדַת יַעֲקֹב בִּנְךָ בְּכוֹרֶֽךָ, שֶׁמֵּאַהֲבָתְךָ שֶׁאָהַֽבְתָּ אוֹתוֹ, וּמִשִּׂמְחָתְךָ שֶׁשָּׂמַֽחְתָּ בּוֹ, קָרָֽאתָ אֶת שְׁמוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל וִישֻׁרוּן:לְפִיכָךְ אֲנַֽחְנוּ חַיָּבִים לְהוֹדוֹת לְךָ, וּלְשַׁבֵּחֲךָ וּלְפָאֶרְךָ וּלְבָרֵךְ וּלְקַדֵּשׁ וְלִתֵּן שֶֽׁבַח וְהוֹדָיָה לִשְׁמֶֽךָ:אַשְׁרֵֽינוּ, מַה טּוֹב חֶלְקֵֽנוּ, וּמַה נָּעִים גּוֹרָלֵֽנוּ, וּמַה יָּפָה יְרֻשָּׁתֵֽנוּ;אַשְׁרֵֽינוּ, שֶׁאָֽנוּ מַשְׁכִּימִים וּמַעֲרִיבִים עֶֽרֶב וָבֹֽקֶר וְאוֹמְרִים פַּעֲמַֽיִם בְּכָל יוֹם:But we are Your nation, the people of Your covenant: the descendants of Avraham, who loved You, to whom You swore on Mount Moriah;the offspring of Yitzchak, his only son who was bound on the altar;and the congregation of Yaakov, Your son, Your firstborn, whom You named Yisrael and Yeshurun, out of Your love for him and Your delight in him.Therefore, we are obligated to thankfully acknowledge, praise and glorify You, and to bless, sanctify, and give praise and thankful acknowledgment to Your name.We are fortunate! How good is our portion! How pleasant is our lot! And how beautiful is our inheritance!Fortunate are we that, upon rising in the morning and again in the evening, we declare twice every day, evening and morning: PreviousClass 053: morning prayers: Aval Anachnu Amecha part 1 NextClass 055: morning prayers: Kriat Shema Ketana part 1 More in this section Class 058: morning prayers: Trumat Hadeshen part 2 Class 057: morning prayers: Trumat Hadeshen part 1 Class 056: morning prayers: Kriat Shema Ketana part 2 Class 055: morning prayers: Kriat Shema Ketana part 1 Class 053: morning prayers: Aval Anachnu Amecha part 1 Class 052: morning prayers: Leolam Yehei Adam part 2 Class 051: morning prayers: Leolam Yehei Adam part 1

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One of the things that the Baal HaHaggadah mentions that is relevant to our days, although it doesn't seem so, is the Brit Ben HaBetarim , the deal that Hashem made with Avraham Avinu, where He tells Avraham, " Your children will be sojourners in a land that's not theirs, they'll work them, they'll pain them over 400 years. I will judge that nation and they will walk out with a great wealth." Right after that, we say, Hi She'amdah Lavoteinu Velanu . That promise of the Brit Ben HaBetarim stood for our forefathers and for us . And we all know it as a song, Shelo Echad Bilvad, Amad Alenu Lechaloteinu / Not only one wanted to destroy us, rather, in every generation they try to destroy us, but HaKadosh Baruch Hu Matzilenu M'Yadam saves us from their hand All that protection is traced back to the promise that God gave Avraham. But God promised Avraham Avinu about the exile of Egypt. What does that have to do with the exile that we're in today? The rabbis explain that Avraham Avinu was told his children would be in exile for 400 years. And yes, God did calculate the end, as it says, HaKadosh Baruch Hu chishav et haketz /He worked it out to get us out early so that we wouldn't be assimilated and reach the 50th level of tumah . But we really should have been there 400 years. And although God was able to work out the legalities and get us out earlier, we really did not get the full cleansing and purification that needed to happen. That is why we went back into future exiles. The Midrashim find hints in the Brit Ben HaBetarim , Avraham is going through his vision,to the four exiles. Because it was hinted there that we're going to end up going through four exiles, and the promise that Avraham Avinu got was for all four exiles, and the protection was also for all four exiles. This is important because in order for something to be defined as a miracle it has to be predetermined, pre-announced. The Ramban explains that Moshe Rabbenu's birth, which occurred when Yocheved was 130 years old, is not called a miracle in the Torah, because it was not mentioned, whereas the birth of Yitzchak from Sarah Imenu is, because Sarah Imenu's miracle was announced beforehand by the angels. It can't be after the fact. And this Brit Ben HaBetarim , which refers to our exile as well, means that God will protect us through our exile as well, and it turns our survival into a miracle, every single day. Like Yaakov Shwekey's song, We are a miracle. Rav Yaakov Emden states in the Hakdamah to his Siddur , in the section that's called Sulam Bet El , he says, I swear that I see something that's greater than the miracles of Yetziat Mitzrayim. Greater than the miracles performed then is the fact the Jewish people have survived throughout the long and difficult Galut that we're in. That's a greater wonder. It's been more years, it's been more time. Similarly, the Chovot HaLevavot says, if you want to look for a miracle today, similar to that of Yetziat Mitzrayim , look at us; look at the survival of the Jewish people. We are a miracle .And this is not just true on the national level, but every individual has to feel that way. One of the lessons of Yetziat Mitzrayim is that from the open miracles, we see the hidden miracles. The beautiful words of Yaakov Shwekey's song, We Are a Miracle, lyrics by Sophia Franco, really make this point. A nation in the desert We started out as slaves Made it to the motherland, and then came the Crusades It's been so many years crying so many tears don't you know don't you really know? We are pushed to the ground through our faith we are found standing strong. The Spanish Inquisition wanted us to bow But our backs ain't gonna bend Never then, and never now It's been so many years crying so many tears don't you know don't you really know? We are pushed to the ground through our faith we are found standing strong. Extermination was the plan When the devil was a man Oh oh But the few who carried on Live for millions who are gone It's been so many years crying so many tears Don't you know, don't you really know? Generations have passed Only we're here to last…. Standing strong. Every day we fight a battle On the news we are the stars As history repeats itself And makes us who we are Hate is all around us But we'll be here to sing this song… CHORUS : We are a miracle We are a miracle Through it all, we remain… Who can explain? We are a miracle… And that is really the story and the message of Vehi She'amdah . It's also worthwhile to quote the from the famous essay by Mark Twain concerning the Jews: He has made a marvelous fight in this world in all the ages, and has done it with his hands tied behind him. He could be vain of himself and be excused for it. The Egyptians, the Babylonian, the Persians rose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream stuff and passed away. The Greek and the Roman followed, and made a vast noise, and they are gone. Other peoples have sprung up and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out and they sit in twilight now or have vanished. The Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jew. All other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his mortality? Obviously, we know the answer.

Bonus episode, President Yitzchak Herzog on Megillat Esther!

Shabbos Hagadol 5785- Yachatz & The Strength of Yitzchak Avinu by Rabbi Avi Zakutinsky

MRC Pesach Yom Iyun 5785 - Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin - A Slavery Called Freedom by Shapell's Rabbeim

This week's conversation with R. David Fohrman, beloved Tanakh teacher and principal educator at Aleph Beta, was a joy. We begin by thinking about the connection between Betzalel and the world's creation. We ponder the wonders of AI and the relationship between the womb and God's contraction (tzimtzum), and then flesh out the fascinating textual and essential relationship between Betzalel and Yosef. Enjoy this magical Biblical tour with a true Tanakh giant. The series asks what axiomatic ideas sit at the root of Israel's national formation, without which we wouldn't be who we are? How might we adjust our current trends in the Jewish world to realign with these principles? This week's episode has been dedicated in memory of David Shmuel ben Yitzchak. To donate to Matan or sponsor a podcast episode, visit the Matan Website's DONATE page: https://www.matan.org.il/en/donatenow/

Today's daf is sponsored by Amy Goldstein in loving memory of her mother, Carolyn Barnett-Goldstein on her sixth yahrzeit. "Mom - I miss your knowledge of music, art, and literature. You were gone way too soon."  Further conditions are brought under which the rebellious elder can get killed. Only the High Court in the Temple is allowed to execute the rebellious elder. There is a debate about how his death is publicized - is his death delayed until the next holiday and killed while everyone is in Jerusalem or is he killed immediately and the court sends letters to all the communities? A false prophet, who tells of a prophecy that he either did not hear or was told to someone else, and one who prophesizes in the name of an idol receive the death penalty of strangulation. Three other cases regarding false prophets are subject to death by the hands of God - one who suppresses a prophecy, one who does not listen to the instructions of a prophet, and a prophet who doesn't listen to their own prophecy. The Gemara brings examples from the Tanach for each of these six categories. A difficulty is raised against one who doesn't listen to the words of a prophet - how does the person know that the prophet is a real prophet? The answer is that this would only be true in a case where the person was already proven to be a true prophet. The Gemara brings examples of situations where it was clear that they needed to listen, such as Yitzchak at the akeida, as Avraham was already proven to be a true prophet. Also, Eliyahu at Mount Carmel was trusted already when he told the prophets of Baal to bring sacrifices outside the Temple. The Gemara digresses to the akeida story and brings two explanations to the verse introducing the section "And it was after these matters that God tested Avraham." The first explanation relates it to the celebration of Yitzchak's weaning and introduces the Satan character from Job as pushing God to test Avraham. The second explanation connects it to the circumcision of Yishmael and Yitzchak and to sibling rivalry. Rabbi Shimon and the rabbis disagree about which penalty is given to a prophet who tries to sway the people to worship idols and a person who sways an entire city to worship idols. 

Today's daf is sponsored by Amy Goldstein in loving memory of her mother, Carolyn Barnett-Goldstein on her sixth yahrzeit. "Mom - I miss your knowledge of music, art, and literature. You were gone way too soon."  Further conditions are brought under which the rebellious elder can get killed. Only the High Court in the Temple is allowed to execute the rebellious elder. There is a debate about how his death is publicized - is his death delayed until the next holiday and killed while everyone is in Jerusalem or is he killed immediately and the court sends letters to all the communities? A false prophet, who tells of a prophecy that he either did not hear or was told to someone else, and one who prophesizes in the name of an idol receive the death penalty of strangulation. Three other cases regarding false prophets are subject to death by the hands of God - one who suppresses a prophecy, one who does not listen to the instructions of a prophet, and a prophet who doesn't listen to their own prophecy. The Gemara brings examples from the Tanach for each of these six categories. A difficulty is raised against one who doesn't listen to the words of a prophet - how does the person know that the prophet is a real prophet? The answer is that this would only be true in a case where the person was already proven to be a true prophet. The Gemara brings examples of situations where it was clear that they needed to listen, such as Yitzchak at the akeida, as Avraham was already proven to be a true prophet. Also, Eliyahu at Mount Carmel was trusted already when he told the prophets of Baal to bring sacrifices outside the Temple. The Gemara digresses to the akeida story and brings two explanations to the verse introducing the section "And it was after these matters that God tested Avraham." The first explanation relates it to the celebration of Yitzchak's weaning and introduces the Satan character from Job as pushing God to test Avraham. The second explanation connects it to the circumcision of Yishmael and Yitzchak and to sibling rivalry. Rabbi Shimon and the rabbis disagree about which penalty is given to a prophet who tries to sway the people to worship idols and a person who sways an entire city to worship idols. 

Join Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld as he guides us through the world and major works of Kabbalah, Hasidic masters, and Jewish philosophy, shedding light on the inner life of the soul. To learn more, visit InwardTorah.org

Join Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld as he guides us through the world and major works of Kabbalah, Hasidic masters, and Jewish philosophy, shedding light on the inner life of the soul. To learn more, visit InwardTorah.org

Parshas HaShavuah Shiurim: Parshas Chayei Sarah - The Abarbanel's Explanation of The Torah's Lengthy Repitition of The Story of Eliezer Finding A Wife For Yitzchak 11/13/2022

Parshas HaShavuah Shiurim: Parshas Toldos - Yitzchak And Rivka's Opposing Attitudes to Who Should Receive The Berachos: How Fathers and Mothers Differ In Understanding Their Children- The Approaches Of The Ramban, Sforno, And Beis HaLevi 11/20/2022

Parshas HaShavuah Shiurim: Parshas Toldos - Yitzchak Avinu: Revealing and Unlocking the Av Shrouded in Mystery 10/31/2021

It is customary in all synagogues that a "Gabbai," or "Mesader," stands near the Torah during the Torah reading together with the Ba'al Keri'a (reader) and the Oleh (person called to the Torah), and is responsible for calling congregants to recite the Berachot over the Torah. The Mishna Berura (commentary to the Shulchan Aruch by Rabbi Yisrael Kagan, the "Chafetz Chayim," Lithuania, 1839-1933) cites two possible reasons for this practice (141, s"k 16). Firstly, our reading of the Torah corresponds to Matan Torah, the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, and should therefore resemble that momentous event. The Mesader who calls people to the Torah corresponds to the Almighty, as it were, who summoned Benei Yisrael to the mountain to receive the Torah. The Ba'al Keri'a reads the Torah for the Oleh just as Moshe Rabbenu taught the Torah to Benei Yisrael. Thus, the three men who stand by the Torah scroll during the reading serve to commemorate our initial receiving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. The Mishna Berura then cites a second explanation from Masechet Sofrim, namely, that the three men at the Torah correspond to our nation's three patriarchs – Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov. In this context, the Mishna Berura cites a passage from the Sha'arei Efrayim (a compendium of the laws of Torah reading by Rabbi Efrayim Zalman Margaluyot, Russia, 1760-1828) regarding controversies and misunderstandings that occasionally arise in the synagogue with respect to the distribution of Aliyot. At times a person is called to the Torah and feels insulted for having been chosen for the given Aliya, rather than for a more distinguished honor. It is all too easy in such cases for the individual to accuse the Mesader of deliberately attempting to insult him. In order to avoid such situations, the Mishna Berura advises, congregations should choose as a Mesader a well-respected and well-liked individual who has achieved a reputation of integrity. Such a person is not likely to be suspected of distributing the Aliyot on the basis of personal vendettas and agendas. The Mishna Berura adds that if it so happens that the Mesader does insult a congregant, the congregation should judge him favorably and assume that this was done inadvertently, and not maliciously. And the Mesader, for his part, must ignore any insults or scorn directed to him by the congregation. The Mishna Berura rules that if in response to a congregant's insults the Mesader leaves the Torah scroll and returns to his seat, he should be punished for dishonoring the Torah scroll. The fact that he was humiliated does not authorize him to infringe upon the honor of the Torah scroll. Summary: The Mesader, who calls people for Aliyot to the Torah during the Torah reading, should be a well-liked person known for his integrity, and must ignore any insulting comments made by disgruntled congregants. And if it appears that he infringed on somebody's honor by calling him for the wrong Aliya and the like, the congregation should assume that he made an honest mistake, and did not intentionally insult the given congregant. Furthermore, 3 people should stand at the Teba during the reading.