Torah Thoughts

In parsha Vayera, Torah tells us a most perplexing episode on Moshe Rabbeinu’s return from Midian to Mitzrayim: “And it came to pass on the way, at the lodging-place, that Hashem encountered him and sought to kill him. And Tziporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and touched it to his feet, and said: ‘A bridegroom of bloods you are to me.’ So He let him alone.” (Shemos 4:24–26). In the above pasuk it is unclear whether the “him” is referring to Moshe, or to his infant son Eliezer? Rashi, seems to imply that it was Moshe, but in Nedarim 32a Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says it was the infant, because Moshe failed to circumcise him in time. But this is puzzling, because Torah does not proscribe a death penalty for failure to circumsise. In fact the entire people were not circumcised until the night of Exodus (Rashi on Exodus 12:6 ) as well as all those born during the entire 40 years of wondering in the desert ( Joshua 5:2 and Rashi there). So we are left with a q...

In Parshas Beha’alotcha we encounter a puzzling episode: “Miriam and Aharon spoke against Moshe concerning the Cushite woman whom he had taken, for he had taken a Cushite woman.” (Numbers 12:1) Chazal explain that Moshe had separated from his wife Tziporah. Miriam overheard Tziporah lamenting this and took the matter to Aharon. For this, Miriam was stricken with tzaraas. But why? Why would Miriam — a prophetess, righteous and beloved — insert herself into her brother’s most private marital life? Why would she, of all people, violate the very principle of privacy that Bilam later praises when he declares: “How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel.” (Numbers 24:5) Rashi, citing Bava Basra 60a, explains that Bilam saw the tents arranged so no entrances faced each other. This family privacy made Israel worthy of the Shechinah. If privacy is such a supreme value, why did Miriam not respect Moshe’s privacy? The Surface-Level Answer Many commentators explain that Miriam th...

  1. The Departure of Elimelech The Book of Ruth opens: “And it came to pass in the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land. And a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the fields of Moav, he, his wife, and his two sons.” (Ruth 1:1) This man is Elimelech. His wife is Naomi, and his two sons are Mahlon and Chilion. Soon after arriving in Moav, Elimelech dies, and after 10 years his sons die as well (Ruth 1:3–5). Naomi is left bereft, but her daughter in law Ruth the Moabite cleaves to her and becomes the ancestress of David. 2. The Puzzle of Elimelech’s Death Why did Elimelech die in Moav? His name sounds noble — Eli-melech (אֱלִימֶלֶךְ), “My God is King.” Would a man with such a name abandon his people during famine? And why is his death and the death of his sons framed as judgment, while Ruth — a Moabite outsider — emerges as the true redeemer? 3. Traditional Answers Midrash Ruth Rabbah 1:4: Elimelech was a wealthy leader who fled to avoid giving charity...

God's rebuke of Israel for requesting a king  When the children of Israel approached prophet Shmuel to anoint a king, Hashem told him: וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל שְׁמַע֙ בְּק֣וֹל הָעָ֔ם לְכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יֹאמְר֖וּ אֵלֶ֑יךָ כִּ֣י לֹ֤א אֹֽתְךָ֙ מָאָ֔סוּ כִּי־אֹתִ֥י מָאֲס֖וּ מִמְּלֹ֥ךְ עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ And the LORD replied to Samuel, Listen to the voice of the people in everything they say to you.  For it is not you that they have rejected; it is Me they have rejected as their king.  (1 Samuel 8:7) This seems like a harsh rebuke of the people, implying that by requesting a human king, Israel has rejected Hashem as their King. It is as if for the Children of Israel at that time seeking a king and seeking Hashem were mutually exclusive. It was either one, or the other, but not both.  The Question We may now ask the question: Why weren't they able to accomplish both? Yet, in the future, the prophets tell us that Israel will indeed seek both Hashem and David their ki...

In Parsha Vaishlach Yaakov returns to Eretz Yisroel after 22 years of working for Laban and learns that his brother Eisav is marching with 400 men towards him in order to kill him. Yaakov becomes frightened and begins to prepare for the encounter. He prayed to Hashem and said that he has become small קָטֹ֜נְתִּי מִכֹּ֤ל הַחֲסָדִים֙ וּמִכׇּל־הָ֣אֱמֶ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתָ אֶת־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ I have become small because of all of the loving kindnesses and all of the truth that You have done with Your servant. ( Bereishis 32:11 )   Rashi Explains that the term katanti  קָטֹ֜נְתִּי means small, unworthy, humble. Further on we read that Yaakov returned to the other side of the Yabbok river, which Rashi explains he went there to get small jars   וַיִּוָּתֵ֥ר יַעֲקֹ֖ב לְבַדּ֑וֹ וַיֵּאָבֵ֥ק אִישׁ֙ עִמּ֔וֹ עַ֖ד עֲל֥וֹת הַשָּֽׁחַר׃ And Jacob remained alone ( Bereishis 32:25 ) Which Rashi explains that he had forgotten some small , katanim jars and he returned for them (Chullin 91a)....

In Parsha Vayetzei we read that Yaakov worked for Rochel 7 years, but it seemed to him like a few short days because he loved her. וַיַּעֲבֹ֧ד יַעֲקֹ֛ב בְּרָחֵ֖ל שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֑ים וַיִּהְי֤וּ בְעֵינָיו֙ כְּיָמִ֣ים אֲחָדִ֔ים בְּאַהֲבָת֖וֹ אֹתָֽהּ׃ So Yaakov worked seven years for Rochel, but in his eyes they seemed like few days because of his love for her. ( Genesis 29:20 )   We see from this, that because Yaakov's labor of 7 years was a labor of love, they seemed to him as only a few days. It is interesting to note that the translation "a few days" is not quite precise, because the translated expression "like a few days", in the original Hebrew, literally means "like single days" because  k' yamim echadim כְּיָמִ֣ים אֲחָדִ֔ים literally means  like  single days .    What could that mean?   Interestingly, we find this term in the very beginning of Torah, in parsha Bereishis, where it says: וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים  ׀ ...

 In Parsha Vayetzei we learn that when Yaakov met Rochel for the first time, he kissed her, raised his voice, and cried. וַיִּשַּׁ֥ק יַעֲקֹ֖ב לְרָחֵ֑ל וַיִּשָּׂ֥א אֶת־קֹל֖וֹ וַיֵּֽבְךְּ׃ Then Yaakov kissed Rochel, raised his voice and cried ( Genesis 29:11 )   Which Rashi explains   ויבך  AND HE WEPT - He wept because he came with empty hands. He thought: Eliezer, my grandfather’s servant, brought with him rings, bracelets and all good things, but I have nothing with me (Genesis Rabbah 70:12).   Rashi explains why Yaakov wept, but he does not explain why he kissed her. It seems that kissing a girl in public by a tzaddik, for whom modesty is paramount, raises a bigger question about propriety than merely weeping. Rashi says that he cried because he was robbed by Esau's son Eliphas along the way and did not bring any engagement gifts for his future bride Rochel. This is our clue: just as his weeping was for the lack of a gift for Rochel, s...