The Global Yeshiva

שבת טעם החיים שמות תשע"א

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Shemos 5771

The Unconquerable Light

ותהר האשה ותלד בן ותרא אותו כי טוב הוא ותצפנהו שלשה ירחים, the woman conceived and gave birth to a son. She saw that he was good and she hid him for three months. (Shemos 2:2)

In this week’s parasha the Torah records the birth of the leader of the Jewish People, Moshe. It is said (Shemos 2:2) ותרא אותו כי טוב הוא ותצפנהו שלשה ירחים, she saw that he was good and she hid him for three… Continue

Added by Rabbi Binyomin Adler on December 24, 2010 at 4:39am — No Comments

Shabbos: Taam HaChaim Parashas Ki Seitzei 5769

שבת טעם החיים פרשת כי תצא תשס"ט

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Parashas Ki Seitzei 5769

Go out with joy

Introduction

This week’s parasha, Ki Seitzei, commences with the laws regarding the Jewish People going out to battle. Rashi writes that the battle referred to here is a discretionary battle, i.e. the Jewish People are not required to wage war against their enemies. Rather, the battle is one where the nation chooses to expand their territory. It is regarding this battle that… Continue

Added by Rabbi Binyomin Adler on August 28, 2009 at 1:11am — No Comments

Shabbos: Taam HaChaim Parashas Re’eh 5769

שבת טעם החיים פרשת ראה תשס"ט

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Parashas Re’eh 5769

The need to be vigilant throughout the month of Elul

Introduction

The month of Elul is approaching. What is required of us in this month of awe? The Medrash (Pirkei D’Rabbi Eliezer §46) states that on the first Rosh Chodesh Elul that the Jewish People were in the Wilderness, Moshe blew a Shofar, signifying to the Jewish People that they should be on guard when Moshe ascended upon high. This… Continue

Added by Rabbi Binyomin Adler on August 13, 2009 at 8:12am — No Comments

Shabbos: Taam HaChaim Parashas Tazria-Metzora 5769

שבת טעם החיים פרשת תזריע-מצורע תשס"ט

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Parashas Tazria-Metzora 5769

Counting our way out of impurity towards purity and holiness

Introduction

We have just completed the celebration of the Pesach festival, and we are now in the midst of counting the Omer. In this week’s parshiyos we also encounter other forms of counting. One counting is when a woman after childbirth counts the days of her impurity. A second counting is when a metzora, one who… Continue

Added by Rabbi Binyomin Adler on April 24, 2009 at 4:28am — No Comments

Shabbos: Taam HaChaim Parashas Tetzaveh-Zachor-Purim 5769

שבת טעם החיים פרשת תצוה-זכור-פורים תשס"ט

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Parashas Tetzaveh-Zachor-Purim 5769

The Bais HaMikdash, our source of holiness

Introduction

This week’s parasha is Tetzaveh, and we also read Parashas Zachor, where we are commanded to remember what Amalek did to us upon our exodus from Egypt. There is a tradition that the parasha of the week is associated with the extra Torah reading, so it behooves us to explore the association between the parasha of… Continue

Added by Rabbi Binyomin Adler on March 8, 2009 at 8:22am — No Comments

Shabbos: Taam HaChaim Parashas Shemos 5769

שבת טעם החיים פרשת שמות תשס"ט

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Parashas Shemos 5769

From the crucible and Sea of suffering to the sea of Shabbos and liberation

Introduction

In this week’s parashah it is said (Shemos 2:23) vayehi vayamim harabim haheim vayamas melech Mitzrayim vayaianchu vinei Yisroel min haavodah vayizaku vataal shavasam el HaElokim min haavodah, during those many days, it happened that the king of Egypt died, and the Children of Israel groaned… Continue

Added by Rabbi Binyomin Adler on January 16, 2009 at 6:09am — No Comments

Tefillah: Birum Olam: Prayer stands at the Pinnacle of the World Volume I Issue 21

תפילה: ברום עולם

Tefillah: Birum Olam: Prayer stands at the Pinnacle of the World

Volume I Issue 21

Tefillah Thoughts

Prayer requires unity amongst the Jewish people

It is well known that prior to praying, one should have in mind the mitzvah of loving your neighbor as yourself. The Lev Simcha (Vayechi 5744) writes that in the final blessing of Shemone Esrei, we ask HaShem barcheinu avinu kulanu kiechod yachad, bless us, our Father, all of us as one.… Continue

Added by Rabbi Binyomin Adler on January 13, 2009 at 5:28am — No Comments

Shabbos: Taam HaChaim Parashas Chaye Sara 5769

שבת טעם החיים פרשת חיי שרה תשס"ט

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Parashas Chaye Sara 5769

Friday night angels

Introduction

In this week’s parashah we find a fascinating idea contained in the episode where Eliezer embarks on a mission to find a wife for his master, Avraham’s son Yitzchak. Upon arriving at the home of Lavan, the father of Rivka, it is said (Bereishis 24:31) vayomer bo beruch HaShem lamah saamod bachutz vianochi pinisi habayis umakom lagemalim, He said,… Continue

Added by Rabbi Binyomin Adler on November 21, 2008 at 6:48am — No Comments

Shabbos: Taam HaChaim Parashas Noach 5769

שבת טעם החיים פרשת נח תשס"ט

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Parashas Noach 5769

Noach and Shabbos

Introduction

This week the Torah discusses Noach, a person who is depicted as a righteous person and who is saved from the Great Flood that destroyed the populated world. Noach appears to be a mystery, however, as the commentators and even the Medrash struggle to understand what it was about Noach that he merited salivation. One Medrash (Bereishis Rabbah 29:1) even goes… Continue

Added by Rabbi Binyomin Adler on October 31, 2008 at 8:28am — No Comments

Shabbos: Taam HaChaim Korach 5768

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Korach 5768

Shabbos in the Parashah

In this week’s parashah the Torah records the rebellion that Korach staged against Moshe. Every year we are confounded by the audacity of Korach and his entourage as they attempt to persuade the Jewish People that Korach is the correct person for the job, i.e. leading the Jewish People and Moshe and Aharon should step down. One may be led to draw a parallel of this scenario to the current Israeli-Palestinian… Continue

Added by Rabbi Binyomin Adler on June 26, 2008 at 8:20pm — No Comments

Shabbos: Taam HaChaim Naso-Shavuos 5768

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Naso-Shavuos 5768

Shabbos in the Parashah

This week’s parashah is Parashas Naso and is followed immediately by the festival of Shavuos. The commentators traditionally link the parashah to the adjoining festival, so we will follow this approach and discuss the parashah and the festival of Shavuos. In Parashas Naso the Torah discusses the law that requires that people who have contracted various impurities must be sent out from the camp. It is said… Continue

Added by Rabbi Binyomin Adler on June 6, 2008 at 7:19pm — No Comments

Shabbos: Taam HaChaim Behar 5768

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Behar 5768

Shabbos in the Parashah

In this week’s parashah the Torah discusses the laws of Shemittah, where every seventh year we are obligated to let the land in Eretz Yisroel lie fallow. The standard explanation for the rationale behind this mitzvah is that by allowing the land to rest, we are demonstrating our subservience to HaShem. It takes a quite a bit of faith for a farmer to refrain from working his field for an entire year, and the Torah… Continue

Added by Rabbi Binyomin Adler on May 16, 2008 at 8:18am — No Comments