IS IT KOSHER? “The Lord spoke to Moshe and to Aharon, saying to them: Speak to the children of Israel, saying: These are the living creatures that you may eat from all the animals that are on the earth.” (Vayikrah 11:1-2) At the beginning of 2021, I...

THE FINGER OF GOD I was once driving along Koeberg Road when I noticed a sign indicating the way to Finger Of God Ministries. Intrigued by the name of this church, I searched for more information on the internet. The rather sparse website explained that “Finger...

EVERY SINGLE DAY “Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying: Command Aharon and his sons, saying: This is the law of the elevation-offering: It is the elevation-offering that stays on the flame, on the Altar, all night until the morning, and the fire of the Altar should remain...

PANCAKES AND DOUGHNUTS “If your offering is a meal offering on a machavat, it shall be made of high-quality flour, mixed with oil, and it shall be unleavened bread. Break it into pieces, and pour oil on it, it is a meal offering. If your offering...

THEY STAND FOREVER “And Moshe said to the Children of Israel: See, God has called by name Betzalel, the son of Uri, the son of Chur, of the tribe of Yehudah; and he has filled him with the spirit of God, with wisdom, with insight and...

ALWAYS ON CALL “The Lord would speak to Moshe face-to-face as a man speaks to his fellow and he would return to the camp. But his servant Yehoshua, son of Nun, a lad, would not move from within the tent.” (Shmot 33:11) In several places, the Torah...

YOU CAN’T SATISFY EVERYONE “Rabbi Yochanan said, ‘Great is the power of a morsel of food, for by denying it [to a guest] it can distance those who are close kin and by providing it, it can bring close those who are distant.” (Sanhedrin 103b-104a) The ramifications...

THE HUMBLE SERVANT “You shall attach five of the curtains separately and six of the curtains separately, and you shall fold the sixth curtain over the front of the Tent.” (Shmot 26:9) The Talmud (Makkot 26a) records several great leaders, amongst them King David and the prophet...

HATE IS A FOUR-LETTER WORD “In the third month from the exodus of the Children of Israel from the land of Egypt, on this day they arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai. They journeyed from Refidim and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai and encamped in...

 HOW IRONIC! “Hashem said to Moshe, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, and the water will go back upon Egypt, upon its chariots and upon its horsemen.” Moshe stretched out his hand over the sea, and toward morning the water went back to its power...