In this week’s parsha, the Torah describes the garments worn by the Kohen Gadol (High Priest). The Torah says (Shemos 28:31): “You shall make the Robe (מעיל) of the Ephod entirely of turquoise wool (תכלת).” The Torah adds (28:33-34): “You shall make … a gold bell and a pomegranate, a gold bell and a pomegranate on the hem of the robe, all around. It must be on Aharon in order to minister. Its sound shall be heard when he enters the Sanctuary before Hashem and when he leaves,

The Torah sets forth in this week’s parsha the details of constructing the Menorah. Regarding the lamps of the Menorah, the Torah states (Shemos 25:37) : “You shall make its lamps seven; he shall raise up its lamps so as to give light towards its face.” The pasuk is difficult to understand. What does it mean to “raise up its lamps”, and how does that “give light towards its face?” Furthermore, what is the “face” of the Menorah? The Mizrachi explains that this pasuk cannot be

The Torah tells us (Shemos 23:5): “If you shall see the donkey of your hater lying under his burden, will you allow yourself to leave it to him? You must forsake everything and hasten to his aid.” The Torah tells us that despite hating someone, if you see his donkey suffering under its burden, you are obligated to help that person and relieve the donkey from its suffering. There are two positive aspects for helping. First, there is potentially a Torah commandment to prevent

This week’s parsha features the Aseres HaDibros , popularly known as the Ten Commandments. The Torah describes the tenth one: “You shall not covet (לא תחמוד ) your fellow’s house. You shall not covet (לא תחמוד) your fellow’s wife, his manservant, his maidservant, his ox, his donkey nor anything that belongs to your fellow.” (Shemos 20:14). The tenth commandment in Sefer Devarim is slightly different: “And you shall not covet (לא תחמוד) your fellow’s wife, you shall not desire

The Torah tells us that after crossing the Red Sea, the Jews at Mara received their first instructions in the desert. The Torah says that “there He established a decree and an ordinance." (Shemos 15:25). The commentators offer many different explanations for what this “decree” and “ordinance” were. Rashi says that the Bnai Yisroel were given sections of the Torah detailing fundamental commandments: the mitzvos of Shabbos, regular laws, and the laws of the Red Heifer. Rashi u

At the end of the parsha, as the Jews are leaving Egypt, G-d introduces the mitzvah of tefillin: “It shall be a sign upon your arm (ידכה) and an ornament between your eyes, for with a strong hand Hashem removed us from Egypt.” (Shemos 13:16). On which hand should the tefillin be placed? One might think that the tefillin should always be placed on the left arm, because that would make the tefillin opposite the heart. However, the Talmud (Menachos 37a) learns that because the T

The Torah says (Shemos 6:13), “G-d spoke to Moshe and Aharon and commanded them ( ויצום ) regarding the Children of Israel and regarding...

As part of Pharaoh’s ongoing campaign to subjugate the Jews, “the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives: … ‘When you deliver the Hebrew women, and you see them on the birthstool; if it is a son, you are to kill him, and if it is a daughter, she shall live.’” (Shemos 1:15-16). The Talmud (Sotah 11b) understands that Pharaoh revealed to the midwives how to determine the gender of the child before the child was born by looking at its position in the womb just before birth. T

At the end of Sefer Beraishis, Yaakov offers his final words to each of his children, reflecting on their characteristics and their...

In this week’s parsha, Yosef finally revealed to his brothers that he was the Viceroy of Egypt. The brothers were taken aback, and were...