Where are you coming from? by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine The Pesach seder revolves around one simple phrase. “Start with the negative, and conclude with the positive.” The Talmud records two views as to how this should be done, both of which are implemented in our hagadah. One view focuses on physical salvation and says, “We more »
The Cleaning Lady by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine The offerings, or Korbanos as they were called, were an integral part of the service in the Sanctuary and later in the Beis Hamikdash. Besides the daily offerings that were brought by the nation, there were a variety of Korbanos that could be offered by the individual. There more »
Torah of Life by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine There were 39 categories of work needed to fashion the Mishkan. These same 39 categories of work are prohibited on Shabbos. The commentaries explain that the Mishkan was a Home created by mankind to invite G-d into our lives. The acts needed to create the Mishkan paralleled the more »
Because I Love You… by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine The holiday of Purim is a holiday of joy. But, beyond the external joys of food and festivity, the holiday represents a profound internal joy and happiness. On the verse (Esther 9:27), “The Jews established and accepted,” the Talmud teaches that, although the Jewish people had accepted more »
The Missing Names by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine One of the noteworthy facts about this week’s Parsha is that it does not contain the name of our teacher, Moshe. From the beginning of Shemos when Moshe was born until the book of Devorim (where Moshe reviews the Torah,) there is no other Parsha with this unusual more »
Morning After Failure by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine Parshas Terumah describes the building of the Mishkan, the Sanctuary that the Jews built in the desert. Building the Sanctuary was monumental. But what makes it really special is that the Mishkan was built shortly after the incident of the golden calf. When Moshe ascended the mountain to more »
Divide and Conquer by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine Torah Judaism places much emphasis on financial law. Of the ten volumes in a contemporary set of Shulchan Aruch, (dealing with prayer, holidays, mezuzah, kashrus, matrimony, finances, and so much more) a complete three of the ten volumes are devoted to financial law. Yet, as important as law more »
G-d: Yours to Discover by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine Of all the Parshiyos in the Torah, it could well be argued that Yisro is the most important Parsha. In it Hashem communicates the foundation of His relationship with the Jewish people. In preparation of the great Revelation at Sinai Hashem directs Moshe to share a preamble, more »
The Song of Miriam by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine The Jews stood at the edge of the sea in a spirit of exhilaration. They had just experienced the miracle of the splitting of the sea and now their redemption from Egypt was final. The feared Egyptian army lay dead, drowned in the sea. Led by Moshe, more »
Is Your Fare, Fair? or, What Are You Expecting? by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine The Jews were ready to leave Mitzrayim. The plagues had taken their toll on the Mitzriyim, and the Jews in unison brought the Korban Pesach with great anticipation. They knew that after this mitzvah the call would come summoning them from their more »