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Vayikra 2026

1.   Every bracha in Shmoneh Esrei begins in Nochach - Atta, second person, but ends in third person, nistar- Rofei, Chonein, Shomeia. There is only one exception, where even the end of the bracha refers to Hashem in the second person. The instructions of Korbanos are in third person- he. See 1:3, 1:14, 1:10, 3:1 -  יקריב אתו, והקריב מן התרים,  זכר תמים יקריבנו, אם־זכר אם נקבה תמים יקריבנו  . There is only one exception. The instructions for one category of korbanos are in second person- you. Which. Why.   ---- The Korban Mincha is stated in second person- you. See 2:11, 2:12, and 2:13 -  אשר תקריבו, קרבן ראשית תקריבו , וכל קרבן מנחתך במלח תמלח . In Shmoneh Esrei, all brachos follow the format of Nochach/Nistar, with one exception- Modim. Modim could follow the same format and end with Hatov Shemo, veLo na'eh lehodos. But it doesn't. It is stated in second person - hatov shimcha, lecha na'eh lehodos. A korban Mincha yields absolutely no speci...
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Vayakhel Pekudei 2026

  1. It says in the Rama OC 147:1   וְאֵין לַעֲשׂוֹת מַפּוֹת לְסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה מִדְּבָרִים יְשָׁנִים שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ בָּהֶם דָּבָר אַחֵר לְצֹרֶךְ הֶדְיוֹט Mishna Berura- מפות לס"ת - וה"ה לכל תשמישי קדושה שאין נעשין מדברים שנשתמש בהן מתחלה לצורך הדיוט You are not allowed to use items to serve hekdesh if they were previously used for a non-kodesh purpose, such as making a paroches from a decorative wall hanging you had in your house. Where do we see such things used in the Mishkan, and how would you distinguish those cases? --- From the jewelry donated to build the mishkan; and especially the Mar'os HaTzovos in 38:8, the mirrors used to make the kiyor.  The Magen Avraham OC 147 sk 5,  אם שינה צורתן . says that they can be used after they undergo physical change. נ"ל דוקא כמות שהן אסור להשתמש בהן אבל אם שינה צורתן ועש' מהן כלי אחר שרי דהרי הכיור נעשה ממראות הצובאות ואף על גב דבמזבח בעי' עצים שלא נשתמש בהם הדיוט י"ל דמזבח שאני וכ"מ בגמ' ועיין בילקוט דמגי...
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Ki Sisa 2026

This week I'm posting the ones that ought to be asked in shul. Separately, I'm putting up the whole thing.      1.  30:12-13 .... ולא יהיה בהם נגף בפקד אתם  זה  יתנו כל העבר על הפקדים מחצית השקל בשקל הקדש ... The Torah could have called the half-shekel that averts a plague “chatzi shekel” ( חצי ) but instead calls it  “machatzis” ( מחצית ). How does that form of the word show that Tzedaka stands between life and death? ---  The word “machatzis” ( מחצית ) — “a half” — has five letters, and the middle letter is a " צ ", the first letter of the word “tzedakah.” Flanking the " צ " there is a " ח " and a " י ", " חי "— “life.” The exterior letters of the word are " מ " and " ת ", death. Thus, the Torah is suggesting that " צ " — tzedakah — is the mitzvah which stands between life and death. Tzedakah can distance death and bring life to those who practice it. ( פרדס יוסף )   2.  When is a person over an i...
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