The prohibition of eating blood is one of the best-known mitzvot in Parashat Acharei Mot. In his Commentary on the Torah, on Sefer Vayikra 17:10-11, the Ramban notes that many of the verses that … more

One of the major themes of our parasha is the death and burial of Sarah Emanu in Ma’arat HaMachpelah. Another, found in the subsequent chapter, focuses on Eliezer finding Yitzchak’s … more

The Torah has many poetic passages that engage our minds and cause our hearts to soar. Paradoxically, a number of these sections were uttered by none other than Bilam, the evil prophet from the … more

The second verse of Parashat Behar contains the well-known words, “When you come to the Land that I am giving you,” that serve as a prologue to the mitzvah of shemitah (the Sabbatical … more

Our parasha contains a phrase that is found in the first bracha of the Shemoneh Esrei: “God your Lord is the ultimate Supreme Being and the highest possible Authority. Great, mighty and … more

This week’s parasha (Torah portion) contains a verse that seems to defy all manner of understanding: “Now Joseph’s brothers saw that their father had died…” (Sefer Bereishit 50:15, this and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach). What can the Torah possibly mean when it tells us this? more

Rabbi Chiya, in Midrash Vayikra Rabbah 24:5, teaches us that our parasha was taught to the entire nation (b’hakhal) “since the majority of the Torah’s fundamental principles may be … more

Our parasha, Vaera, contains the four instances in Chamisha Chumshei Torah (the Five Books of the Torah) wherein the phrases “l’ma’an teida” (“in order that you should … more

The theme of the Chosen People (am hanivchar) is repeated in a number of places in the Siddur, becoming a universally accepted principle of Jewish thought: •From the blessing before … more

Our parasha, Mishpatim, contains the ethically-infused mitzvah “mi’devar sheker tirchak” (“Distance yourself from a false matter,” Shemot 23:7). In his Torah … more