Keeping Torah and Values in Focus
by Micha Berger · Published October 18, 2018 – ט׳ במרחשוון תשע״ט · Last modified October 18, 2018
If Hashem told Avraham that the Egyptians would oppress us, why were they then punished for doing His Will? Commanding the Egyptians vs speaking of future realities Speaking of the group vs speaking of...
by Micha Berger · Published October 10, 2018 – א׳ במרחשוון תשע״ט · Last modified October 10, 2018
A 15 minute shiur on Facebook Live on the Meshekh Chokhmah’s discussion of the first pasuq of parashas Noach (Bereishis 6:9) “נֹ֗חַ אִ֥ישׁ צַדִּ֛יק תָּמִ֥ים הָיָ֖ה בְּדֹֽרֹתָ֑יו — Noach was a righteous man, he...
1- Bereishis / Anavah / Audio / Torah as Growth
by Micha Berger · Published October 4, 2018 – כ״ה בתשרי תשע״ט · Last modified October 4, 2018
A 15 minute shiur on Facebook Live on the Meshekh Chokhmah’s discussion of Bereishis 1:26 “וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֔ים נַֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה אָדָ֛ם בְּצַלְמֵ֖נוּ — And G-d said, ‘Let us make man in our Image.” Audio: Video:...
by Micha Berger · Published September 30, 2018 – כ״א בתשרי תשע״ט · Last modified September 30, 2018
Next time you hear a speaker or a rabbi speak about “the goyim” in some disparaging stereotype, ask them about this gemara. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi asks about an apparent contradiction in seifer Yechezqeil....
by Micha Berger · Published September 23, 2018 – י״ד בתשרי תשע״ט · Last modified September 23, 2018
Tehillim 136, which Chazal call Hallel haGadol, has a long list of things Hashem did for us with the refrain “כי לעולם חסדו — for His Lovingkindness is eternal.” The first three call us...
by Micha Berger · Published September 18, 2018 – ט׳ בתשרי תשע״ט · Last modified September 18, 2018
התכלת אינה מעכבת את הלבן והלבן אינו מעכב את התכלת תפילה של יד אינה מעכבת של ראש ושל ראש אינה מעכבת של יד הסולת והשמן אינן מעכבין את היין ולא היין מעכבן המתנות של...
by Micha Berger · Published September 8, 2018 – כ״ח באלול תשע״ח · Last modified September 8, 2018
Here are three thoughts related to the siman, the mnemonic practice, of eating an apple dipped in honey. (Aside from the ear-worm you or your kid learned in preschool that starts with the words...
by Micha Berger · Published September 6, 2018 – כ״ו באלול תשע״ח · Last modified September 6, 2018
I The name of the Sorites Paradox comes from the Greek word for heap, “soros”, a key word in the typical formulation. If someone had one million grains of sand, they would have a...
by Micha Berger · Published September 1, 2018 – כ״א באלול תשע״ח · Last modified September 1, 2018
I’m about to repeat two points by R’ Meir Simchah haKohein miDvinsk zt”l: 1- Yerushalayim is named for being the convergance of two principles: refined middos and perfected intellectual comprehension. 2- There is an...
Holidays / Reward and Punishment
by Micha Berger · Published August 27, 2018 – ט״ז באלול תשע״ח · Last modified August 27, 2018
I was asked the following question, and the author thought enough people want to know the answer that it pays to share it here: Q: “Siman“, as on Rosh Hashanah night, is translated as...
by Micha Berger · Published August 19, 2018 – ח׳ באלול תשע״ח · Last modified August 19, 2018
צֶ֥דֶק צֶ֖דֶק תִּרְדֹּ֑ף לְמַ֤עַן תִּֽחְיֶה֙ וְיָרַשְׁתָּ֣ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־ה אֱלֹקיךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ׃ Justice justice you shall pursue, so that you will live and inherit the land that Hashem your G-d gives to you. – Devarim...
Orion asked on Mi Yodeya: Hashem’s infinite power I’ve heard many times that Hashem is infinitely powerful. But how do we know this? Perhaps he’s just very powerful or even all powerful (possessing all...
by Micha Berger · Published July 13, 2018 – א׳ באב תשע״ח · Last modified July 13, 2018
The point of mourning during Bein haMetzarim (“between the tragedies”, a/k/a the “Three Weeks”) is not to be miserable in-and-of itself. How many politicians and other famous people recently said “I’m sorry” only to...
by Micha Berger · Published July 1, 2018 – י״ח בתמוז תשע״ח · Last modified July 1, 2018
The Medrash Tankhuma (Balaq 1) says: … וְאִם תֹּאמַר מִפְּנֵי מָה הִשְׁרָה הַקָּבָּ”ה שְׁכִינָתוֹ עַל גּוֹי רָשָׁע? כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה פִתְחוֹן פֶּה לָאֻמּוֹת לוֹמַר, אִלּו הָיוּ לָנוּ נְבִיאִים, חָזַרְנוּ לְמוּטָב, הֶעֱמִיד לָהֶם נְבִיאִים וְהֵם...
The Mussar Institute is doing an omer series based on the 48 skills necessary to acquire Torah, listed in Avos 6:6. I was given the task of writing two entries — day 5, eimah...
by Micha Berger · Published April 10, 2018 – כ״ה בניסן תשע״ח · Last modified April 10, 2018
כמה ישהה בין תפלה לתפלה? רב הונא ורב חסדא. חד אמר: כדי שתתחונן דעתו עליו. וחד אמר: כדי שתתחולל דעתו עליו. [Minimally,] how long must one wait between [one] prayer to [another] prayer? Rav...
The Mussar Institute is doing an omer series based on the 48 skills necessary to acquire Torah, listed in Avos 6:6. I was given the task of writing today’s — day 5, eimah (fear)....
by Micha Berger · Published April 5, 2018 – כ׳ בניסן תשע״ח · Last modified April 5, 2018
I was kind of surprised by the reception this answer on Mi Yodeia got; the questioner didn’t even think I answered his query. Here’s the exchange: Eli asked: Are there any Rishonim who believe...
by Micha Berger · Published March 23, 2018 – ז׳ בניסן תשע״ח · Last modified March 23, 2018
“If he shall offer it as a todah, a thanksgiving offering…” (Vayikra 7:1). The gemara reads, “Rabbi Yehudah said that Rav said: There are four who have to thank [Hashem] — those who go...
Other-Focused Orthodoxy / Rachmanus
by Micha Berger · Published March 2, 2018 – ט״ו באדר תשע״ח · Last modified March 2, 2018
Rabbi Meir Simchah haKohein from Dvinsk (1842-1926, Lithuania), in his Meshekh Chokhmah (on Shemos 12:16, s.v. “uveyom”), writes that Jews do not celebrate even the vanquishing of our enemies. As the verse in Mishlei...
by Micha Berger · Published February 27, 2018 – י״ב באדר תשע״ח · Last modified February 27, 2018
user4762 asked the above question on Mi Yodeya, and I liked how my answer turned out so I’m sharing it here. Question: If I’m unconscious about it should I still apologise? Someone else points...
by Micha Berger · Published January 24, 2018 – ח׳ בשבט תשע״ח · Last modified January 24, 2018
The central thesis of this “Phenomenalism” category of this blog was built on two parts. The first is Rabbi Aqiva Eiger’s (RAE) explanation (shu”t, mahadura qama #136) that the ways in which uncertainty in...
by Micha Berger · Published November 20, 2017 – ב׳ בכסלו תשע״ח · Last modified November 20, 2017
Modern Orthodoxy is based on an integration of Orthodoxy with life in the modern world. However, with R’ JB Soloveitchik’s passing, the movement was left without a luminary who analyzes and discusses matters of...
by Micha Berger · Published October 23, 2017 – ג׳ במרחשוון תשע״ח · Last modified October 23, 2017
Bereishis 1:27: וַיִּבְרָ֨א אֱלֹקים ׀ אֶת־הָֽאָדָם֙ בְּצַלְמ֔וֹ בְּצֶ֥לֶם אֱלֹקים בָּרָ֣א אֹת֑וֹ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה בָּרָ֥א אֹתָֽם׃ And G-d created the man in his mold; in the image of G-d He created him; male and female...
by Micha Berger · Published October 18, 2017 – כ״ח בתשרי תשע״ח · Last modified October 18, 2017
וַיְהִ֗י אַחַר֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וְהָ֣אֱלֹקִ֔ים נִסָּ֖ה אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֑ם; וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו, “אַבְרָהָ֖ם!” וַיֹּ֥אמֶר, “הִנֵּֽנִי!”׃ And it was, after these events, that G-d put Abraham to the test; He said to him: “Avraham!” and he said: “Here...
by Micha Berger · Published October 3, 2017 – י״ג בתשרי תשע״ח · Last modified October 3, 2017
כָּל מִי שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה שִׂמְחַת בֵּית הַשּׁוֹאֵבָה – לֹא רָאָה שִׂמְחָה מִיָּמָיו! Whomever didn’t see Simchas Beis haShoeivah did not see simchah in all his days! –Mishnah Sukkah 5:1 The talmud on this mishnah...
by Micha Berger · Published August 1, 2017 – ט׳ באב תשע״ז · Last modified August 1, 2017
The story of Qamtza and Bar Qamtza is very well known. It is introduced by Rabbi Yochanan, who asks, “’What is the meaning of the verse in Mishlei which reads, ‘Fortunate is the one...
Ahavah / Other-Focused O / Shalom
by Micha Berger · Published July 25, 2017 – ב׳ באב תשע״ז · Last modified July 25, 2017
The last Tish’ah beAv will end with us rushing to finally get to say “Hello!” to our shul-mates the way in years past we rushed to the table in the back with the orange...
Other-Focused Orthodoxy / Shaarei Yosher / Ta`amei haMitzvos
by Micha Berger · Published July 5, 2017 – י״א בתמוז תשע״ז · Last modified July 5, 2017
The most fundamental difference between the kind of reasoning one finds in the Bavli with that one finds in the Yerushalmi is “vertical” vs. “horizontal”. The Bavli will drill down to get the full...
Holidays / Other-Focused Orthodoxy
by Micha Berger · Published May 22, 2017 – כ״ו באייר תשע״ז · Last modified May 22, 2017
Rav Shelomo al-Qabetz actually addresses much of Lekha Dodi to Jerusalem: “מִקְדַּשׁ מֶלֶךְ עִיר מְלוּכָה — Sanctuary of the King, the Royal City.” “הִתְנַעֲרִי מֵעָפָר קוּמִי \ לִבְשִׁי בִּגְדֵי תִפְאַרְתֵּךְ עַמִּי — Arise, get...
Ahavah / Other-Focused O / Other-Focused Orthodoxy
by Micha Berger · Published May 2, 2017 – ו׳ באייר תשע״ז · Last modified May 2, 2017
For the past three years or so, I belonged a va’ad led by haRav Naftali Kaplan shilit”a,the mashgiach and administrator of Yeshiva Netiv haDaas in Ramot. (His sons include Rav Avraham shilit”a, the Rosh...
by Micha Berger · Published April 14, 2017 – י״ח בניסן תשע״ז · Last modified April 14, 2017
We learn in Bereishis 46:34 וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֗ם אַנְשֵׁ֨י מִקְנֶ֜ה הָי֤וּ עֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ מִנְּעוּרֵ֣ינוּ וְעַד־עַ֔תָּה גַּם־אֲנַ֖חְנוּ גַּם־אֲבֹתֵ֑ינוּ בַּעֲב֗וּר תֵּשְׁבוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ גֹּ֔שֶׁן כִּֽי־תוֹעֲבַ֥ת מִצְרַ֖יִם כָּל־רֹ֥עֵה צֹֽאן׃ Then you shall say: Your servants have been cattle keepers from our...
In his first comment, Rashi opens his study of Chumash by repeating a medrash that asks why the Torah start with creation rather than with the first commandment to the Jewish People: הַחֹ֧דֶשׁ הַזֶּ֛ה...
by Micha Berger · Published March 26, 2017 – כ״ח באדר תשע״ז · Last modified March 26, 2017
I thought I should write something about my late father-in-law. In truth, I am pretty unqualified — me, a boy who grew up in the yeshiva system and never fully left the bubble, “Pop-pop”...
1- Bereishis / 2- Shemos / Other-Focused O / Shaarei Yosher
by Micha Berger · Published February 15, 2017 – י״ט בשבט תשע״ז · Last modified February 15, 2017
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ ה’ אֱלֹקים לֹא־ט֛וֹב הֱי֥וֹת הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְבַדּ֑וֹ אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לּ֥וֹ עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ Hashem Elokim said: It is not good for the man to be alone; I shall make for him a helper opposite him. – Bereishis...
by Micha Berger · Published February 12, 2017 – ט״ז בשבט תשע״ז · Last modified February 12, 2017
The class announcement from The Mussar Institute: Six Free Webinars for 2017 Pirkei Avot: Explorations in Root Principles Ask someone to translate the title “Pirkei Avot” and you are likely to be told “Chapters...
Here are some important links if you don't want to miss any of our shiurim:
Recent Comments