Weekly Newsletter Volume 4, Issue 2

October 21, 2023; 6 Cheshvan, 5784

Parsha In this week’s Parsha, we find the Pasuk (11:1) introducing the incident of the Migdal Bavel (Tower of Babel) saying, “Now the entire earth was of [spoke] one language and [spoke] Devarim Achadim.” The simple translation of Dvarim Achadim is “uniform words.” However, the Midrash (Beraishis 38:3) translates it to mean that the people of the generation spoke against a “lone voice.”

Who was this loan voice that they spoke against? The Midrash states that it was Avrohom Avinu and his virtuous messages that they spoke against. They did this by making fun of Avrohom...

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Weekly Newsletter Volume 4, Issue 1

October 14, 2023; 29 Tishrei, 5784 Sponsored anonymously L’Ilui Nishmas Sarah Eidel Bas Mordechai

Parsha In Bereishis 3:3, the Passuk tells us that Chava told the snake that Hashem commanded them (Adam and Chava) not to touch the Aitz HaDaas (the tree of knowledge). Rashi (ibid) tells us that this was not entirely correct. Adam, according to Rashi, added to Hashem’s command and told Chava that Hashem said not to touch the Aitz HaDaas as a protective measure, to help ensure that Chava would not eat from it which was Hashem’s actual command. Chava’s assumption was that the reason Hashem had commanded them not to touch it was because it had contained something poisonous to the touch (See Sifsei Chachamim to 3:4). Rashi then explains that the snake pushed her into the Aitz HaDaas and said, “Just as you did not die by touching it, so you will not die by eating it.”...

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Weekly Newsletter Volume 3, Issue 44

September 23, 2023; 8 Tishrei, 5784

Parsha “And Yeshurun grew fat and rebelled; You grew fat (שָׁמַנְתָּ), thick (עָבִיתָ) and gross (כָּשִׂיתָ). The nation forsook the G-d who made them and spurned the Rock of their support. (Devarim 32:15).

The word “עָבִיתָ” is translated above as “thick.” However, the Talmud Yerushalmi, the Targum Unkeles, and the Targum Yonasan all translate this word differently. They translate the word to mean “acquired possessions” and comment that the Torah is discussing the acquisition of numerous and expensive possessions.....

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