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 »
The Candy Man by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine More than 80 years of oppression had passed. Finally the Egyptians were being punished for enslaving the Jews. First the Nile was turned into blood; then a plague of frogs infested the land. Interestingly, when the frogs observed the directive to infest Egypt, the frogs went everywhere. They more »
Anonymous You by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine It was a very difficult time. The slavery in Mitzrayim was exceptionally harsh and was taking a terrible toll. Even those who were not physically enslaved suffered as the fledgling Jewish nation experienced wonton killings, beatings, and searches for Jewish boys to be killed. It was at this time more »
Every generation has its special people. In Egypt two such people were called Shifra and Puah. Shifra and Puah were not their real names. Shifra’s real name was Yocheved, and would later give birth to Moshe. Puah was her daughter, known to us by her real name, Miriam. But as the midwives of the Jewish more »
Moshe is frustrated. Hashem told him to go to Pharoh and demand the release of the Jewish People. Moshe did so, and expected that the terrible slavery would abate as a result. Instead, Paroh increased the workload of the Jews. At the conclusion of last week’s portion Moshe turns to Hashem in frustration. “Why have You more »
Parshas Yisro- “Yisro is Coming!” by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine A sense of excitement swept the camp. From tent to tent people whispered the news: “Yisro is coming!” Yisro was the father in law of Moshe. But, to the Jewish people he was much more than that. Yisro was the only advisor of Pharoh who took more »
The Parsha of Mishpatim/ laws begins with the law of the Jewish slave. The Jewish slave is quite unique in that he isn’t much of a slave at all. He must indeed serve his master with loyalty, but he in turn is treated in royal fashion. Our sages teach for example, “If there is only more »
The Mishkan was a special place. The ambiance was structured so that here one could connect with Hashem in a very special way. Each one of the utensils was fashioned in a way that symbolized greatness. The Aron, for example, was structured with half measures (1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 2 1/2) to symbolize more »