By Ari Goldwag
Insights into the weekly Torah portion
Why does the Torah refer to the time that a woman is impure after a flow as 'many days' if it is only a few days? What does Hashem reassure the Jewish people after telling them that they will be...
Why does the Torah use the word Adam-Man in reference to the person who has Tzara'as-Leprosy? What is the imbalance in the person who suffers from this spiritual malady? Why was there a threatening 'stormy wind' in the times of...
Why are there special foods that are permitted and forbidden to the Jewish people to be eaten? What is the 'measuring' that Hashem did to determine who would receive the Torah? How does this parallel the 'measuring' He did of...
Why is the Korban Toda (thanks offering) the only one that will remain in the future time? What is the concept of the korban Shelamim, whose root is related to Shalom-Peace? Why is it the last of the korbanos spoken...
Why does Moshe 'stand by the side' at each point - at the burning bush, at the splitting of the sea, at Sinai, and at the building of the Mishkan? Why, in each case, does Hashem tell him that only...
Why were the Jewish people unable to complete the construction of the Tabernacle? Why was it necessary for both Moshe Rabenu, who completed the Mishkan-Tabernacle, as well as Shlomo Hamelech (King Solomon) to have special spiritual assistance to complete the...
Why does the Torah refer to the creation of the Ark of the Covenant by Betzalel in the singular, seeming to imply he did it on his own? What was created first - the spiritual light of Creation or the...
Why does Hashem ask Moshe to 'look at the name' of Betzalel? Where was Betzalel's name to be seen? How was it that Betzalel was able to manifest such exquisite artistry if the Jewish people had been slaves and he...
Why does the Torah use the word 'davar' - 'thing' or 'matter' in introducing the order of initiating Aharon and his sons into their Kohen service in the Mishkan-Tabernacle? What are the two 'matters' that can be used to atone...
How do we 'take an example from Heaven' in the construction of the Tabernacle? What are the many parallels between the 'throne room' of Hashem above, and the place of His Presence here on earth? What do each of these...
Why does the Torah place the concept of the inclined ramp of the altar right next to the concept of the laws? Why is there concern of immodesty walking up the ramp if the Kohanim had undergarments to prevent immodesty?...
Why does it speak of Moshe 'going up' to receive the Torah, if Hashem 'came down' with all His hosts, as it were, to give the Torah? How was Moshe's previous battle with angels now helpful in his current mission,...
Why is Egypt compared to a fox, while the four great Kingdoms of Israel's exiles were all compared to great animals? What was Egypt's crafty plan for survival from the growing menace of the Israelite population in their midst? Why...
What is the meaning of the sign that Moshe gave Pharaoh when the staff was thrown down and turned into a snake? Does Hashem need to prove that 'He is right' or is His ultimate desire that the wicked turn...
What is behind Moshe's (Moses') question to G-d as to what His name is? What is the understanding of Hashem's response in saying 'I will be that I will be?' Why is the language at first doubled, and then singular?...
When Yakov calls his sons to bless them, to Whom Else does he call? What is the calling that we do on Rosh Hashana and what is decided on Yom Kippur? How does this parallel the blessings Yakov gave to...
What does the story of Yosef and Yehuda and the brothers coming together represent, beyond the simple understanding of the verses? How do these two great paragons of leadership return to a state of unity alongside all the children of...
Why does the verse say that Yakov 'sees' that there is food in Egypt, but then say that Yakov 'heard' there is food in Egypt? Why did Yakov lose his Ruach Hakodesh (Divine Inspiration), and what was his experience as...
How does Hashem draw the people of Israel after Him? What is the understanding of the paradox of the 'chains of love?' Why do the People of Israel need to experience exile and subjugation to the nations of the world?...
As Rochel was about to die in childbirth with the birth of Binayamin, what was the consolation the midwives offered with the statement, 'don't worry, this too is a boy?' Why did the two students of R' Yehoshua dress in...
Why does the Torah give us so much detail around the scene when Yakov arrives in Charan - the well, the three flocks, the rock that closes the well, how it was rolled off through a group effort? How does...
Why did Gehenom enter into the room with Esav after Yakov left and had procured his blessings? Who is the one for whom that punishment is reserved? Why did Esav keep trapping animals and the angel kept releasing those animals?...
Why does the Torah first use a language of 'Shachan' to mean 'dwelling' and then 'Nafal,' which usually means to fall? What changed for Yishmael after Avraham's death? What is the difference between Yishmael and his offspring and how will...
How does the promise Hashem made to Sarah that she would conceive parallel the promise Hashem made to the Jewish people of their final redemption? Why did the miracle birth take a typical nine months instead of taking place immediately?...
Why did the 4 kings and 5 kings go out to battle? Why did they capture Avraham's nephew Lot and hold him captive? How does this war set a precedent for future wars of the Jewish people? How does it...
What was the difference between Noach and Avraham? Would Noach have been greater if he was in a generation where there were others who also were spiritual giants? Why does the Torah say that Noach walked 'next to Hashem' as...
Why does the word for building (VaYiven) have the same root as the word for intuition (Bina)? What is the idea behind the concept of women's intuition being more advanced than men's? How can men's intuition become more developed as...
Why does the Torah end with the sad story of Moshe Rabeinu's final request - to enter Israel - being denied? Why did Moshe feel confident that his prayers would be answered despite the decree of Hashem? What did...
Why was Rabban Gamliel willing to spend 1000 zuzim on his Lulav and Esrog set, the equivalent value of 500 goats? Why did the people of Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) walk around all day holding their set of arba minim (4 species)?...
Why did Hashem make the day of reckoning for the world to be on the day of Adam's creation? How was the decree of Adam after his sin reflective of Hashem's mercy? What does the Shofar represent and what is...
What is the concept of the blessing we make before and after studying Torah? What is the difference between Torah study and the study of all other intellectual pursuits? What is the secret of the Queen bee and how does...
Why do the concepts of Rain, Livelihood and Resurrection of the dead all have the word 'opening' used in their contexts? What do these three things have in common? Why do we mention that Hashem brings rain in the context...
What is the lesson we are to learn from 'what happened to Miriam' when we left Egypt? Why does negative speech cause the Divine Presence to leave us, Heaven forbid? How does focusing on the positive have the opposite effect...
What is greater - the sacrifices brought in the Beis Hamikdash (Temple) or proper judgment, justice and charity? Why are Tzedakah and Mishpat (charity and judgment) so central? Why did King David rejoice when people wished for the Beis Hamikdash...
Why does the Torah speak of a single mitzvah (commandment) when it refers to keeping all of the mitzvos? How does the mitzvah of Krias Shema (Hear O Israel) include all of the mitzvos? What is the unique spiritual power...
What is the difference between the wicked, who experience a more immediate downfall, as opposed to the Righteous, whose reward is saved for them for a thousand generations? What do we learn from the story of R' Pinchas ben Yair,...
Why was Moshe insistent on setting aside the cities of refuge on the Eastern side of the Jordan river if they would not be activated until a number of years later? When was Moshe the beneficiary of a 'city of...
Why did the nations seem at first to fear the people of Israel, then come out bravely to attack us as we approached their territory? What was the strength they saw in us and what was our perceived weakness? Why...
What did Bircas Hamazon (Grace after Meals) look like when the Jews were still wandering in the wilderness? Why is Israel referred to as the 'desired land' in the second blessing of Bircas Hamazon, and why is it such a...
Why does the story of the daughters of Tzlafchad immediately follow the statement of the Torah about the death of a generation because of the sin of the spies? What are the two instances where the women 'fixed that which...
What can we learn from the negative ways of someone like Bilaam? How does Bilaam remove responsibility from himself for the great heights he has fallen from in his desire to curse the Jewish people? How does he deny the...
Why does Moshe prove that Aharon is chosen by Hashem with a test of placing the staff of each prince in the Mishkan (Tabernacle)? Why, according to one opinion, is each prince's staff broken off from a single piece of...
What is the concept of the Tzitzis? How do they steer us away from the destructive seductions of the world around us? What is the concept of holiness? How did Korach use the concept of holiness in a negative way?...
What is the theme that runs through both the stories in parshas Behaaloscha and Shlach? What was at the root of the complaint of the people about their not having meat? What was at the root of the people's belief...
What is the connection between the offerings of the Nesiim (princes) and the command to Aharon to light the Menorah in the Mishkan (Tabernacle)? What is the deeper connection between the lighting of the Menorah and the blessing of the...
What is the parallel between receiving the Torah at Har Sinai and the Mishkan (Tabernacle) which had the Tablets at its center in the Ark of the Covenant? How do we know that all the physical blemishes of the people...
What is the concept of the counting of the Jewish people? Why does it seem to denote judgment on one hand, and love on the other? Why does Hashem speak (through the prophet Hoshea) of the inability to count the...
Why was Avraham rewarded for his kindness with the angels if they did not need the food and drink he offered them? Why was this reward 'paid' to his great great grandchildren, and not directly to him immediately? Why was...
