In the Haftorah this week for Parshas Zachor, King Shaul is commanded to totally destroy Amalek as well as all of their sheep and cattle. However, Shaul did not fully comply with Hashem’s command, sparing the Amalek king Agag and the best sheep and cattle. When confronted by the prophet Shmuel, Shaul defended himself by claiming that the animals were saved “in order to sacrifice to Hashem your God” (Shmuel I 15:15). What appeared to be disobedience was reframed as virtuous. S

Holiness from Within   The Torah states (Shemos 25:8-9):   “They shall make a Sanctuary for Me – that I may dwell among them. According to everything that I show you, the form of the Sanctuary and the form of all its vessels; and so shall you do.”   The first verse establishes the mitzvah to build a physical dwelling place for the sake of Hashem. (Rashi). It will serve as the site of sacrificial offerings and as the spiritual center of the Jewish people. The Sefer HaChinuch (

The Torah states (Shemos 23:2):   “Do not follow the majority for evil; and do not respond to a grievance by yielding to the majority to pervert the law.”   Rashi explains that the clearest interpretation ( pshat ) of this verse refers to a Beis Din adjudicating a capital case. When a majority of judges incline toward conviction, an individual judge must not say, “Since they are many, I will follow them.” Each judge must render his decision based on his own independent judgme

Not If... But When - Parshas Yisro 5786 At the end of the parsha, immediately after the Ten Commandments, the Torah states: “And if [אם] you make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones.” (Shemos 20:22). At first glance, this verse is puzzling. The construction of an altar is a clear commandment, not an optional act (see Devarim 27:6). Yet the Torah uses the word אם , which ordinarily means “if”  — implying choice rather than obligation. Why would the Tor