The Midrash in Zos HaBrocha says אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אֵיזוֹ הִּיא הַבְרָכָה שֶבֵרַךְ משֶה בַתּוֹרָה תְּחִּלָה, בָרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶר בָחַר בַתּוֹרָה הַזאֹת וְקִּדְשָהּ ורָצָה בְעוֹשֶיהָ . וְלאֹ אָמַר בַעֲמֵ ליהָ, וְלאֹ אָמַר בְהוֹגֶיהָ, אֶלָא בְעוֹשֶיהָ, בְאֵלוּ שֶהֵ ן עוֹשִּין אֶת דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה...אָמַר הַקָדוֹש בָרוּךְ הוּא לְיִּשְרָאֵל...כָל מִּי שֶמִּתְיָרֵא אוֹתִּי וְעוֹשֶה דִּבְרֵי [...]
Midrashim from this week’s parsha with insights into Chinuch: 1) The Midrash (Netzavim 3) when discussing “Lo BaShamayim Hiy”, that learning Torah and growth are within everyones reach, many commentators discuss the apparent discrepancy, how learning Torah and growth is really quite difficult. While many have their own approach in explaining the apparent contradiction, [...]
"So now, write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the children of Israel… (31:19)" Chazal derive from this pasuk that each person is required to write a Sefer Torah for himself. Even if one inherited a Sefer Torah or received one as a gift, he is nevertheless still obligated to write one. [...]
The pasuk in Shemos says that Hashem heard our voices when we were crying in Egypt (not our actual prayers). This seems odd: If Hashem is able to hear our prayers which have meaning, why would he listen to our “voices” and not our tefilos? The answer is actually quite simple! While most human [...]
The Midrash says in this week’s parsha “Worse off is the person who learns Torah and does not fulfill it than the person who does not learn it and does not fulfill it”. The question is, both people are not acting properly by not doing mitzvos, but at least the first one is learning! [...]
When reviewing the story of Korach, what I found most frightening was:Korach was convinced from all sides he was right and therefore went ahead with his plan, even though he was very wrong and ended up destroying himself, his family and those around him (according to the Midrash he saw through Ruach HaKodesh that Shmuel [...]
This week I wanted to share 2 midrashim: The Midrash teaches the halacha: A parent can carry their child on Shabbos even though their child is carrying muktzah. We learn this from Hashem, who “carried” us, his children, in the midbar even though we were holding on to Avodah Zarah. We can learn from [...]
The Midrash notes that Hashem does not “need” or “benefit” from the light provided from the the Menorah. Rather, Hashem commands us to do the Avodah of the Menorah for our benefit. Likewise, later in this week’s Midrash, Rabi Abba HaKohen Bar Papa relates that his practice was to avoid passing crowds and groups [...]
In discussing the choreographed encampments and movements of Bnei Yisroel and the Midbar, which were determined by the position and movement of the Aron, the Midrash discusses the movement of the Aron in the times of Dovid HaMelech, when the Aron was lost in battle to the Pelishtim and then later returned. Before moving [...]