March 12, 2021
This week’s length double-parasha, Vayakhel/Pekude, completes both the book of Exodus as well as the construction of God’s sanctuary, the Mishkan. After having described each part of the Mishkan in the previous parshiot, Moshe facilitates the donations of materials from the people, oversees the construction of each part, and then directs the construction of the sanctuary itself for the first time. The opening word, “vaYakhel,” is critical. It means, the people gathered together to form a community as one by giving freely and plentifully. Many commentators wrote on the significance of the ingathering of the nation at this moment, signified by the opening word, vayakhel. Rabbi Avraham ibn Ezra emphasized that the people needed to rally around the shared enterprise of constructing the Mishkan and hear the call for donations directly from Moshe. Rabbi Ovadiah ben Yaakov Sforno, 15th century Italy, clarified that Moshe wanted everyone to understand that building th
March 5, 2021
Parashat Ki Tissa might be the most powerful portion in the Torah. Bene Yisrael just stood together at Mt. Sinai with one mind and one heart. They received the Torah and declared, “All that Hashem commands us, we will do and we will understand!” They were overwhelmed with awe by God’s presence and pleaded with Moshe to approach God on their behalf. God had also started to instruct Moshe in the construction of the Mishkan, the sacred structure that would enable Israel’s camp to be organized around God’s presence. The Mishkan would also ensure that God’s voice would continue to resonate with the people in the continuous transmission of revelation as they traveled life’s journey towards the promised land.
Priceless Library is the Closing of a Circle for Portugal
Newsי״ח אדר ה׳תשפ״א - March 2, 2021
A priceless collection located in the newly-built Chabad library in Cascais, Portugal. chronicles the nation’s rich Jewish history through the lens of the region’s seforim, including a
reshima the Rebbe wrote while there.
By Menachem Posner – Chabad.org
The year was 1497. Just five years after leaving his native Spain due to the Edict of Expulsion, Rabbi
Avraham Saba stood tearfully beside an olive tree outside of Lisbon, Portugal. There, under what he described as a “tree of tears,” he buried his most precious possession, his manuscript commentary on Chumash, Pirkei Avot, Ruth and Esther.
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The Torah reports that after Moshe ascended Mount Sinai to receive the Torah, he spent some time atop the mountain before returning to the Jewish People. In the meanwhile, the Jewish People grew impatient anticipating Moshe’s return, “And the Nation saw that Moshe delayed (
Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse,
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This week, at a parent’s evening, my son’s school rabbi gave some words of advice about how to help him achieve his potential. “If he shares an idea on Friday night, put everything else aside, and give him your full attention. Show him the value you place on what he has learned, what is in his thoughts and on his mind.” The rabbi continued, with an anecdote, recalling having once asked a class what they thought the most special thing about the Shabbat table was. One boy replied, “The cholent.” When asked why, he answered, “When I share what I learned at school, my father starts eating the cholent.” Not only was the food more precious to his father,