PARSHAS BEREISHIS

  • Rabbi Yitzchok Oratz
  • March 3, 2020
  • 5:26 pm
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Pure Pork- Parshas Shemini
There is nothing more “treif” (non-kosher) than a pig. Pig has always represented the prototype of impurity, the quintessential “treif” (non-kosher) item.  In Hebrew, the very word for pig has become a common epithet used to refer to all repulsive, unwanted items or behaviors – even those having nothing to do with food.  Something really […]
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  • Rabbi Moshe Rockove
  • March 3, 2020
  • 5:20 pm
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The “Do It Yourselfer”- Parshas Re’eh
The ‘do it yourself’ attitude has earned a prominent place in our society. Besides the potential financial savings involved, people enjoy the fulfillment of tackling a project themselves and seeing what they can do on their own. They enjoy the camaraderie of the family undertaking the project together, pooling their common talents toward a united […]
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  • Rabbi Yitzchok Oratz
  • March 3, 2020
  • 5:15 pm
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Leadership and Legacies- Parshas Pinchos
The arduous journey was finally nearing its conclusion. The Jewish people had wandered through the desert for forty long years. Years filled with ups and downs, complaints and miracles, awesome accomplishments and tragic disappointments (much like life itself). Through all their tribulations the Jewish people were not alone; G-d provided them with the greatest leaders […]
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  • Rabbi Gedaliah Liebes
  • March 3, 2020
  • 4:54 pm
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Your Voice Counts- Parshas Noach
Election Day 2012. It's almost here. You can feel it in the air, as the pre-election hype has been turned up to full blast! Tens of millions of Americans will head to the voting booths to cast their votes. We must constantly be thankful that we live in such a wonderful country where we are […]
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  • Rabbi Moshe Rockove
  • March 3, 2020
  • 4:37 pm
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Children or Charity- Parshas Noach
This week’s Torah portion, Noach, introduces Noach by saying “These are the offspring of Noach, Noach was a righteous man perfect in his generation.”  (Gen. 6:9)  One would assume that if the Torah introduces Noach’s offspring, it would immediately enumerate his children; yet the Torah details Noach’s piety.  Why does the Torah deviate by discussing […]
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  • Rabbi Moshe Rockove
  • March 3, 2020
  • 4:05 pm
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Flood- Parshas Noach
Parshas Noach opens with the story of The Flood.  The people of the world were immoral and endlessly corrupt.  G-d decided that civilization would have to be destroyed and a new one built on top of it.   He brought a great flood - a deluge of boiling water - that destroyed every living creature on […]
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  • Rabbi Mayer Erps
  • March 3, 2020
  • 3:44 pm
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Mission Impossible- Parshas Nitzavim
Over the past few years I’ve had the privilege to give bar mitzvah lessons to the boys in our Hebrew school. So as not to discourage the boys from wanting to read from the Torah, I usually don’t show  them how the words are going to appear in the Torah scroll until after a few […]
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  • Rabbi Yitzchok Oratz
  • March 2, 2020
  • 6:56 pm
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Sensitivity for the Suffering Sinner- Parshas Nasso
Lep’er n. One suffering from leprosy; outcast. (Webster’s Dictionary) Webster has it right. Indeed, as our Torah portion tells us (Numbers 4:2), a leper is both one who is suffering from leprosy and an outcast. Unique among other forms of impurity, leprosy causes a person to be sent completely outside the camp[i], all alone and […]
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