by Moshe Yosef Kerendian Throughout Jewish history, Hashem’s ways may initially seem random or even detrimental, but once His ways are enacted, His planning becomes evident as a help to the Jewish people. For example, a person not getting their desired job as a construction worker may look disturbing at first, but after a few months, days, years, or even
Read moreThis week’s Parsha is Metzora, which focuses on many things. One very important thing that the Parsha discusses is the tzaraat: a heaven-sent disease that was inflicted upon people due to their misdeeds, most commonly Lashon Hara. To gain atonement for a sin so great that it deserved tzaraat, a person must vanquish himself totally of the moral underlying flaw inside of
Read more
Lag ba’omer is one of the most beautiful, important, and awaited chagim for the Jewish people. There are many citations to celebrate by making a bonfire and dancing around it, having a barbecue, and just overall having fun. However, the question may arise: what is the cause for all this celebration? Most people think that we celebrate because the 24,000 students of
Read more
In this week’s Parsha, when Hashem speaks to Mosheh, He uses four phrases of “redemption”: Vehotzaiti, Vehitzalti, Vega’alti, and Velakachti. The Netivot Shalom explains that these phrases represent the four different redemptions that took place. Hashem first “took us out” of the corruption and immorality of Egyptian culture, which they had been bombarded with for hundreds of years (the first redemption). The second stage was to “save them”, each person
Read more
In this week’s Parsha of Vayechi, the Torah recounts how Yaakov Avinu gathers his sons around his deathbed to bless them for the last time. When he gets to Yehudah’s blessing he says “Yehuda atah yoducha achecha[49:8]” meaning “Yehuda your brothers will admit to you” referring to the fact that his brothers will admit that he is their rightful ruler
Read more
The Torah in Parashat Korah delineates the twenty-four “Matenot Kehuna” – gifts that the Kohanim are to receive from the rest of the nation. After listing all the various gifts, G-d commands Moshe to tell Aharon that these gifts are a “Berit Melah Olam” – literally, “an eternal covenant of salt” (18:19). Different approaches have been taken to explain the
Read more
Viewpoints can be found throughout our nation’s history, whether it’d be Avraham’s viewpoints on who the master of the world is down to who the Jews thought should be king after Shlomo Hamelech’s passing. From explaining why some people did a certain action down to how they view the world, subjectivity is crucial in developing a person. While Hakadosh Baruch
Read more
In the beginning of this weeks Parsha, Rashi cites Chazal who derive from the word B’haalotecha, which is connected to alah, go up, that there was an elevation before the Menorah in the Bait HaMikdash. The Kohen would ascend those steps in order to kindle the lamps. I once heard a profound homiletic rendering of this Chazal. Not only was
Read more
Our Rabbis teach us that everything written in the Torah is recorded because of its relevance to every Jew in every generation. Why are the seemingly trivial details which dominate Parshat Naso, such as the arrangement of the encampments of the various tribes, significant and relevant to us? Rav Aharon Kotler suggests that although this information seems like historical facts
Read more
This past Thursday, May 13, 2021, Valley Torah students gathered in the outdoor Beis Midrash tent for a talk with world-renowned physicist Dr. Chaim Presby regarding an array of topics ranging from his work with fiber-optics to his viewpoint on macroevolution and intelligent design. Dr. Presby is a senior lecturer for outreach programs associated with Gateways and has been a
Read more
The Valley Torah Scroll 