Bamidbar Korach Education Shelach Lecha: How not to use the Torah She has a degree in History of Science from Harvard and in English literature from Cambridge, and has worked in literary publishing both in New York and in Jerusalem as a translator, a foreign rights agent, and as the Books Editor of Lilith Magazine. 18 July 2017 The Chief Rabbi's D'var Torah for Parashat Matot-Massei (The Three Weeks) Watch on When one person's piety caused a national disaster - a lesson for the Three Weeks. Parashat Matot-Masei | My Jewish Learning At first, Moses is upset. D'var Torah: Matot- Masei Navigating the Journey of - Camp Ramah It offers more than 240,000 shiurim via webcast in audio, video and text formats by our Roshei Yeshiva and other YU luminaries. The discussion of vows both in our parashah and in the Talmud suggests that vows played an important role in the marital dynamic, offering a window into the risks and rewards of intimate, committed partnership. "You're Doing the Right T(h)ing!" Torah.org About Rabbi Moses Katz. Check out Aleph Betas Parsha pages on Parshat Masei, Parshat Devarim, and Parshat Vaetchanan! We are entering the fifth and final book of the Torah this week, Devarim, which is also named the 'Mishneh Torah.' (Sanhedrin 21b Rashi) The book includes speeches of rebuke by Moshe just five weeks prior to his death, there is a recap of the journey in the wilderness, and more than seventy new mitzvot!! It's a pleasure and a privilege to stand here today to share some thoughts with you as I prepare to move to Boston, where two of my sons and both of my granddaughters live. The Book of Numbers, full of bloodshed and division, ends with a call for unity and a discussion of the sanctity of life. The founder of this world-famous banking firm was Mayer Amschel Rothschild, who was born in Frankfort 214 years ago, in a very religious family, several members of which were . The Israelites battle the Midianites. In his D'var Torah this week, the Chief Rabbi reflects on Rabbi Zecharia ben Avkulas role in the destruction of the Temple. Those Jewish sages youve studied offer you an opportunity to live a more dignified, refined life. After the war, he spent time in a Displaced Persons Camp before moving to England and then to the U.S., where he met my mother (a nice Jewish girl from New Jersey with Russian parents who had fled from Stalin). Learning on the Marcos and Adina Katz YUTorah site is sponsored today by Michael & Yael Buckstein l'ilui nishmas Raizel Shayna bas Meir Mendel and Yisrael Zvi ben Zev. Have a great week, watch this space for Dvar Torah on Parshat Masai, by Michael Zaroovabeli. The laws of the Cities of Refuge emphasize the sacredness and infinite value of every human life. Part 14, Customs regarding Kitniyot according to R Zevin, Two minute Dvar Torah for Parashas Pekudei: "The Beautiful Mirrors of the Israelite Women. The Torah is a wellspring of wisdom on leadership. Last year, there were more than 67 million displaced people world-wide. July 8, 2021 Rabbi Avrohom Leventhal A person, who had recently become more interested in his Judaism, approached me with an interesting question. Love people and help them get more interested in Torah" (Avot 1:12). This week's Torah portion. Parshat Devarim. The first haftarah of oppression (for Parashat Matot or Parashat Pinhas), and the haftarah read by Sephardim for Parashat Shemot. Even before we start to look, there are factors to consider. The winner will benefit from a free trip to the Awards Ceremony 2020. , may we lift our voices and call out for the right of each and every human being to have a home in the fullest sense of the word, a sanctuary where human dignity can safely unfold. The Torah stresses to us how one should never rashly take an oath or a vow. 27, 2023 | Tammuz 8, 5783 This week's Torah reading is Chukat-Balak Upcoming holiday is The Three Weeks | Jul. One of these questions is how to teach Matot-Masei, one of the more disturbing parshiot in the Torah. Parshat Matot opens with a very technical legal discussion about what happens when someone makes a vow. The Torah's intent is certainly not to restrict the rights of Jews to express their opinions and engage in meaningful dialogue on . When one persons piety caused a national disaster a lesson for the Three Weeks. During these Three Weeks between Shivah Asar BTamuz and Tishah BAv, it is common for us to study the Gemarah in Mesechet Gittin (55b), and there we find the well-known story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza: A well-known man in Jerusalem, a wealthy individual, threw a party, he invited his good friend Kamtza. Life in this world is not a fairy tale. But in a two-part video series, "Why Is The End of Bamidbar So Anticlimactic? Matot: Why Is The End Of Bamidbar So Anticlimatic? Moshe responded to their request with anger (Bamidbar 32:6-15), saying that this will make everyone unconfident about going to the land of Israel as it may have appeared that they did not want to live directly in the land. Occasionally we actively feed ourselves by learning the good old-fashioned way. Rabbi Zecharia ben Avkulas said: No! Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. Or do we use it to make our lives more Jewish? There is always something to learn and explore. Can You Have a . Most Dvar Torah's have sources to any verses quoted or teachings taught from various different sources. D'var Torah, Torah Thoughts, Parshat Toldot. Receive weekly insights from the Chief Rabbi. The request of the tribes of Reuben and Gad to settle outside of the Land of Israel raises the issue of balancing communal and individual needs. The reward for such vulnerability and exposure is the potential for mutual understanding, trust, dedication, and love. Parshat Korach: Accepting Other Peoples Greatness (and Finding Parshat Korach The Power of Incense in Daily Likutey Halakhot Lesson Reb Chaim Freud Tefillin 5 Lesson #4, Daily Likutey Halakhot Lesson Reb Chaim Freud Tefillin 5 Lesson #3, Breslov Kabbalah: Part 7 The Shattering Of The Vessels. Parashat Matot: Summary. Soon thereafter, they immigrated to Canada to avoid the Vietnam War. Galileo Prize Hesse / Germany - Galileo Masters Unsubscribe at any time. Parsha With Passion on Apple Podcasts And if he takes a vow with the implication that she may not spend the holidays in her fathers home, he may do so only for one holiday but no more, suggesting once again that he is limited in the degree to which he may restrict her autonomy. Nextwe read a fascinating story: about the request of the tribes of Reuven and Gad to settle in the land to the east of the Jordan River (outside of the Promised Land). . The Parshah then goes on to explain the laws of Koshering impure vessels which was instructed by Aharon's son, the new Kohen Gadol, Elazar (Bamidbar 31:21-24). If a man makes a vow to God or swears an oath, he must not permit his word to remain unfulfilled. Who was this Rabbi and why was such a suggestion given? The laws of nullifying vows teach us that our silence and inaction in the face of contemporary injustice and oppression is akin to assenting to it. Conversely, the Talmud (Ketubot chapter 7) also restricts the ways a husband can restrict his wifes behavior by means of a vow. God clarifies the laws of murder. This is such a pertinentperushat this time of the year. The next time we read Matot is July 15, 2023, Matot Torah Portion: Numbers 30:232:42. D'var Torah: Parashat Matot-Massei - Office of the Chief Rabbi Awareness of the wholeness in the Torah opens our eyes to the wholeness of the world. D'var Torah: Matot-Masei - Office of the Chief Rabbi AJWS Dvar Tzedek: Parshat Matot-Masei | Sefaria Let's look at one kind trash, one of our country's favorites. Moshe Hakohen Ashkenazi was born in 1550. Support Torah learning from the Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center/Conservative Yeshiva for leaders and seekers around the world here. Then Torah teaches that both men and women may make vows, but whereas a mans vows remain binding, a womans vows may be annulled by her husband or father (Numbers 30). Ozer Bergman is an editor for the Breslov Research Institute, a spiritual coach, and author of Where Earth and Heaven Kiss: A Practical Guide to Rebbe Nachman's Path of Meditation. And so, Rebbe Yehudah HaNassi decided to break with tradition, in order to write down the Oral law, because within Halacha, he saw that he had a responsibility and Halacha dictated that it was necessary for him to do this in order to preserve it. ANSWER: The Midrash Rabbah ( Lamentations 2:14) relates: Rabbi Elazar said: Let not the chapter on vows be lightly esteemed in your eyes, because on account of that chapter were the members of the Great Sanhedrin of Tzidkiyahu slain. You have all heard of the famous Rothschild family of bankers, who were as much famous for their great wealth as for their great charitableness. However there are three situations when it is commendable for a G-d fearing Jew to make an oath; if one has acquired sinful habits and wishes to stop and repent; if the oath is represented by a mitzvah; and there is also a tradition from our forefather, Yaakov, that one should take a vow at a time of distress. Moshe spoke to the Israelite tribal heads, saying: This is the word God has commanded (Numbers 30:2). We learn one of the greatest lessons in life from a tiny dot. For example if the vessels had been used for cooking non kosher food, the vessel must be filled with boiling hot water in order to make it Kosher (Avodah Zarah 75b Rashi)! These numbers are staggering. 55 episodes. The first haftarah of oppression (for Parashat Matot or Parashat Pinhas), and the haftarah read by Sephardim for Parashat Shemot. Part 14, Customs regarding Kitniyot according to R Zevin, Two minute Dvar Torah for Parashas Pekudei: "The Beautiful Mirrors of the Israelite Women. Our parashah begins with the laws governing oaths and vows. Subscribe to Dvar Torah and receive this weekly class via e-mail. Parshat Matot features several interesting events, however it starts off relating over the final laws given in the book Bamidbar, relating the laws on vows and oaths (Bamidbar 30:2-17). Parashat Masei: Summary | My Jewish Learning Finally (for now), are you willing to pay the price of finding the tzaddik hador? We are good at trash, and no one can take that away from us! When we read such details, it's only natural for our eyes to glaze over. Now, the dilemma that our people faced then is similar to many dilemmas that we faced throughout history. The laws of vows teach that our words have the power to create holiness between us. Of all the Jews that make optimal use of their potential, there is only one, at any given time, who is the tzaddik hador,* the leading tzaddik of the generation, who guides the Jewish people and determines what is the best way for them to fulfill their role in bringing Gods creation to its tikkun. Please enter your email address and click on the "Reset Password" button. Today is Tue. Sometimes we exert self-control; sometimes not. Miraculously there were no Jewish casualties and millions of the wicked Midyanites lives were lost. We hope that with time, we will learn to trust and not to test; to heal and not to hurt; to love and not to lose the person we hold most dear. For Midian's part in having tempted the Israelites to sin, back at the end ofParshat Balak when the Israelites engaged in idolatry and adultery God instructs the Israelites to exact revenge. This week's Torah portion, Matot , begins to bring to a close the book of Bamidbar , which is wholly concerned with the people's journey out of slavery in Egypt and the pursuit of a home in the Promised Land. Home represents true safety. The name of the Parshah, "Matot," means "Tribes," and it is found in Numbers 30:2.. Moses conveys the laws governing the annulment of vows to the heads of the tribes of Israel.. War is waged against Midian for their role in plotting the moral destruction of Israel, and the Torah gives a detailed account of the war spoils and how they were allocated amongst the people, the warriors, the . > Torah Teasers Parshat Balak > Torah Teasers Parshat Chukat. Parashat Chukat-Balak. 10,54 km. Where to find him? Exploring Judaism is a home for the Torah of Conservative Judaism, embracing the beauty and complexity of Judaism, and our personal search for meaning, learning, and connecting. In his Dvar Torah this week, the Chief Rabbi reflects on Rabbi Zecharia ben Avkulas role in the destruction of the Temple. In this week's Torah portion, Moses describes the laws of oaths. , which is wholly concerned with the people's journey out of slavery in Egypt and the pursuit of a home in the Promised Land. Moshe was satisfied with their assurance. FULL SUMMARY OF MATOT YUTorah Online is made possible by the generosity of Marcos and Adina Katz and is coordinated by Yeshiva University's Center for the Jewish Future. There are millions of people who, like the ancient Hebrews, are vulnerable and homeless. Consequently he created abridge, half of Menashethisside, half the other side, and as a result there was a constant flow ofpeople. ", What is the Authority of the Rabanan? Please kindly voluntarily refrain from using the website during Sabbath times in the respective locations the website is being viewed on. We learned in Parshat Vayaitze, when Yaakov was fleeing from Eisav, Yaakov vowed to give a tenth of all his earnings if he would return home safely and Hashem would provide his necessities (Bereishit 28:22). This Dvar Torah was originally published as a part of the AJWS Dvar Tzedek series. He killed Bilam and helped guide the Jews to an emphatic victory over Midyan. Lessons from the biblical cities of refuge. Secondly, ask your self if you are ready to undergo the long, seemingly interminable search to find the tzaddik hador? At times such vows were taken in an attempt to draw closer to God by means of self-denial, like the case of the Nazirite, who vows to abstain from wine and from hair-cutting and from contact with the dead for thirty days. He was the husband of Nesia Katzenellenbogen (bat Saul) and the father of Shmuel Hakohen Ashkenazi, and . As Dov Berkovitz writes in an essay about Tractate Ketubot (HaDaf HaKiyumi, untranslated), a vow made by a wife and annulled by her husband, or a vow made by a husband restricting his wife, is a window into the inner workings of their hearts is the husband trying to get space from his wife? The message of the Torah is clear. Keeping Your Word: Its Easier Said Than Done. Below you can find divrei Torah (Torah commentaries) from a Reconstructionist approach. The land east of the Jordan has been conquered and divided, and God is commanding Moshe regarding the procedures to be followed upon entering Israel. One-sided Arguments Torah.org Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. (For more on the story of the temptation of the Midianites and the sin of the Israelites see our video, "Intimacy and Holiness."). Moses describes the laws of oaths; the Israelites battle the Midianites; the tribes of Reuben and Gad request to dwell outside of the Land of Israel. Million displaced by war and violence and millions more by natural disasters. The story of displacement lies deep within our communal and individual Jewish histories. The Chief Rabbis Prayer composed for the Coronavirus Pandemic, Public Inquiry: The Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre. In that way, we will, please God, always arrive at the right decisions, for our time and for the future. For instance, if a husband takes a vow with the implication that his wife may not attend weddings or pay shiva visits, then she is entitled to a divorce immediately, because a husband may not deprive his wife of social connection. One who makes vows and promises regarding trivial matters transgress greatly and causes a desecration of Hashem's name. We learn how to draw out what is best in the other person, and how to speak honestly and openly about what we wish were otherwise. Ramban says simply, Moshe realised thattheland of Israel isa tiny land, more space was necessary and so it would be helpful if he hadmore volunteers to settleEastof the Jordan. Why was it divided, half this sideof the border, half that side of theborder?. The Levites' city dwellings remind us of the importance of green, agricultural spaces for encountering God's creation. Chance to win one of six tailored Galileo Incubation prizes worth up to EUR 62,000 each. ADVANCED MATOT/MASEI DVAR TORAH Exit; Apple; Yesterday we read parshat korach, this is my dvar torah on datan and aviram. Certainly extraordinary situations call for a Moshe-like tzaddik who can enter the fog (Exodus 20:18) to receive Torah, teaching. And for an exploration of how their conversation eerily evokes another, earlier tragedy in Israelite history besides the sin of the spies see our latest video. Parshat Balak: Meaning, Dvar Torah & Summary | Aleph Beta Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks. The first is Ramban. AJWS Dvar Tzedek: Parshat Matot | Sefaria Many people want to know who the tzaddik hador is because they understand that Jewish success depends on getting the right guidance. Genesis 21:1 - 34 & Genesis 22:1 - 24. Jun. Why is it so difficult to discover the tzaddik hador? Additional Prize. He worries that they will even lead to a repeat ofthe sin (and tragedy) of the spiesfrom 40 years earlier when the spies dissuaded the people from entering the land, God gotangry,and decreed that the whole nation would die in the wilderness. Help us by contributing to hosting costs for this website. He started the attack against Midyan when he killed Zimri and Cozby. Parashat Matot: Summary | My Jewish Learning In honor of both Parshas Matos which focuses on the power of the spoken word and in the spirit of Parshas Masei which accounts for the travels of the Jewish People in the desert over the course of 40 years, I would like to share a personal account of a brief but powerful verbal exchange . Visit http://tinyurl.com/dvartzedek to sign up to receive the weekly Dvar Tzedek by e-mail. He said Well, if you send an animal for them to sacrifice in their Temple, they will refuse to do it. All of us are learning Torah: we receive e-mail dvar Torahs, youtube classes, podcasts and Tweets.