Purim and Ki Sisa
I have heard many derashos discussing the linkage between parashas Tetzaveh and Purim, which usually falls out around the week of Tetzaveh. Typically involving the discussion of the kohein‘s uniform in Tetzaveh and all...
Keeping Torah and Values in Focus
by Micha Berger · Published March 1, 2013 – י״ט באדר תשע״ג · Last modified March 1, 2013
I have heard many derashos discussing the linkage between parashas Tetzaveh and Purim, which usually falls out around the week of Tetzaveh. Typically involving the discussion of the kohein‘s uniform in Tetzaveh and all...
by Micha Berger · Published February 27, 2013 – י״ז באדר תשע״ג · Last modified February 27, 2013
(Version 3.) In the previous entry, I wrote: “Rav SR Hirsch argues that the Rambam only failed to find the meaning to the details of the mitzvos because his assumption that mitzvos serve to...
by Micha Berger · Published February 22, 2013 – י״ב באדר תשע״ג · Last modified February 22, 2013
The argument over whether the Rambam’s philosophy had a place in Jewish Thought didn’t end in 1306 when the Maimonidian Controversies (that began in his lifetime) died down. Even to this day, in many...
by Micha Berger · Published February 13, 2013 – ג׳ באדר תשע״ג · Last modified February 13, 2013
Saying that I have bitachon, trust that Hashem sets up the world I experience to maximize my opportunity for success, implies that I believe that all of my failures are due to my own...
by Micha Berger · Published January 16, 2013 – ה׳ בשבט תשע״ג · Last modified January 16, 2013
We open the Shemoneh Esrei by referring to Hashem as “Hashem Elokeinu vEilokei avoseinu — Hashem, our G-d, and the G-d of our ancestors….” Three distinct ways of perceiving G-d are being given here:...
by Micha Berger · Published January 14, 2013 – ג׳ בשבט תשע״ג · Last modified January 14, 2013
נענה רבן גמליאל ואמר: “צְדָקָה תְרוֹמֵם גּוֹי…” (משלי יד:לד) — אלו ישראל. דכתיב (דברי הימים א יז:כא) “וּמִי כְּעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל…” [וגו’] “…וְחֶסֶד לְאֻמִּים חַטָּאת”(משלי שם) — כל צדקה וחסד שעכו”ם עושין, חטא הוא להן....
by Micha Berger · Published December 27, 2012 – י״ד בטבת תשע״ג · Last modified December 27, 2012
Until adultery became too commonplace (in the days of Rabbi Yochanan Ben Zakai, shortly after the destruction of the Beis haMiqdash) a wife whose husband suspected her of having an affair could forbid her...
by Micha Berger · Published December 18, 2012 – ה׳ בטבת תשע״ג · Last modified December 18, 2012
צריך שיהיו תפילין עליו בשעת ק”ש ותפלה. A man must have tefillin on at the time of reading Shema and prayer [Shemoneh Esrei]. – Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 25:4 בשעת ק”ש ותפלה: ר”ל לכל...
by Micha Berger · Published December 9, 2012 – כ״ה בכסלו תשע״ג · Last modified December 9, 2012
(This post is a different treatment of the same themes as “Mas’ei — the Journey as a Name of G-d“.) וַיֵּשֶׁב יַעֲקֹב בְּאֶרֶץ מְגוּרֵי אָבִיו בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן. And Yaaqov settled in the land of...
by Micha Berger · Published November 29, 2012 – ט״ו בכסלו תשע״ג · Last modified November 29, 2012
The story so far… Words are how we divide the space of ideas into more specific “countries”. Our choice of vocabulary therefore not only reflects our thoughts, but shape them. And more importantly, they...
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