For the eternal merit to the soul of my grandfather Yitzchak Aziz Ben Mashallah Hacohen A”H In the first portion of Parshat Vayakhel, the Torah states: “Every man and woman whose heart moved them to bring for any of the work that God had commanded to make, through the hand of Moshe, Bnei Yisrael brought a free-willed offering to God.”
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When faced with a near-death experience, one should internalize what happened, and value the creator who gave him a second chance. However, Bnei Yisrael did not internalize the actual deaths that occurred to them at Har Sinai, just 40 days prior to the event of the Golden Calf. Despite being on a spiritual level worthy enough to receive the Torah, they
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For the eternal merit to the soul of my grandfather Yitzchak Aziz Ben Mashallah Hacohen A”H When Haman was promoted to second-in-command, the king ordered that every passerby must bow down to him. The Gemara (Sanhedrin 61b) explains that it was halachically permissible to comply with this edict, for there was no issue of actual idolatry involved. As a result,
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For the eternal merit to the soul of my grandfather Yitzchak Aziz Ben Mashallah Hacohen A”H Hashem told Moshe: “Speak to Bnei Yisrael and they shall take for Me a contribution (for the construction of the Mishkan)” (Shemot 25:2). The Rabbis note that we would expect the pasuk to say, “They shall give to Me a donation” – not take
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For the eternal merit to the soul of my grandfather Yitzchak Aziz Ben Mashallah Hacohen A”H The great revelation at Sinai was a most significant moment in the experience of communication. The event is described as an experience like “eating and drinking;” a real, live, enjoyable experience. Moshe, the leader of the people, achieved an even greater level of communication
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For the eternal merit to the soul of my grandfather Yitzchak Aziz Ben Mashallah Hacohen A”H R’ Shlomo Brevda z”l (1931-2013); Maggid and author, noted for his commentaries on the teachings of the Vilna Gaon z”l) writes: Parashat Yitro describes the most important event in human history–the Giving of the Torah. Why is the Parashah that includes that seminal event
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For the eternal merit to the soul of my grandfather Yitzchak Aziz Ben Mashallah Hacohen A”H When Moshe approached Paroh to grant permission for Bnai Yisrael to go to serve Hashem in the wilderness, he refused. He then declared, “Let the work become heavier upon the men and let them be occupied with it, so that they will not pay
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For the eternal merit to the soul of my grandfather Yitzchak Aziz Ben Mashallah Hacohen A”H ” יִשָּׂשכָ֖ר חֲמֹ֣ר גָּ֑רֶם רֹבֵ֖ץ בֵּ֥ין הַֽמִּשְׁפְּתָֽיִם׃” Pashas Bereshis, Perek 49, Passuk 14-(בראשית פרק מ״ט פסוק יד) Parshas Vayechi contains the final blessings that Yaakov gave to each of his sons prior to his death. In his blessing to the tribe of Yissochar, whose
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For the eternal merit to the soul of my grandfather Yitzchak Aziz Ben Mashallah Hacohen A”H When Yosef ’s brothers returned home and informed Yaakov that he was still alive and was the viceroy in Egypt, Yaakov’s first response was one of disbelief. However, when he saw the wagons that Yosef sent, Yaakov became convinced that they were telling the
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For the eternal merit to the soul of my grandfather Yitzchak Aziz Ben Mashallah Hacohen A”H And [Shechem] became deeply attached to Dina, daughter of Yaakov ( Jacob); he loved the maiden and appealed to the maiden’s emotions. Chamor spoke with [Yaakov and his sons] saying, ‘Shechem, my son, longs deeply for your daughter; please give her to him for
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The Valley Torah Scroll 