Reading these last parashot of the year, I keep wondering – why did things go wrong after the years of miraculous existence in the desert that should have taught our forefathers all the right things? יב וְהָיָה עֵקֶב תִּשְׁמְעוּן, אֵת הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים הָאֵלֶּה, וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם וַעֲשִׂיתֶם, אֹתָם–וְשָׁמַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְךָ, אֶת-הַבְּרִית וְאֶת-הַחֶסֶד, אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע, לַאֲבֹתֶיךָ. 12 And it shall come…
Category: Shabbat
Summer Vegetarian Delights
Summer is the best time to experiment with vegetables. It is, of course, easier to do if you live on the land, or in one of those countries like Israel, where everything tastes delicious. My digital nomad, daughter, currently in Croatia with RemoteYear is munching on red currants that we very rarely get here, for…
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses Vaetchanan / ואתחנן
Fittingly, after the 9 of AV, we are reminded by Moshe Rabbeinu what we have to do in order to stay alive on the “good land”. ו וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם, וַעֲשִׂיתֶם–כִּי הִוא חָכְמַתְכֶם וּבִינַתְכֶם, לְעֵינֵי הָעַמִּים: אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁמְעוּן, אֵת כָּל-הַחֻקִּים הָאֵלֶּה, וְאָמְרוּ רַק עַם-חָכָם וְנָבוֹן, הַגּוֹי הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה. 6 Observe therefore and do them; for this is your…
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses Deuteronomy / דְּבָרִים
This past Shabbat we have said “Be Strong, Be Strong, Let Us Be Strengthened – חזק, חזק,להתחזק for the Book of בְּמִדְבַּר – Numbers. This week, we are starting to read the last cycle of the year – the book of Deuteronomy – דְּבָרִים. For me, this is a momentous Shabbat. My younger daughter is leaving to…
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses – Shelach / שְׁלַח
Every Parshah “accidentally” throws some very contemporary notes at you. Everyone knows how ancient the city of Hebron is. This Parshah points out the depth of its history by comparing it to a city, apparently, well known in the ancient word and stating that Hebron is seven years older. כב וַיַּעֲלוּ בַנֶּגֶב, וַיָּבֹא עַד-חֶבְרוֹן, וְשָׁם אֲחִימַן…
Verses of Pain, Food & D’var Torah All in One Shot
I guess we, the unfortunate souls trapped in the cement jungle of the biggest apple of the world – New York City are so used to the pollution we take for air, that once we hit the real clean air of the country, our bodies start to reject it. Right after returning from my mini…
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses – Naso / נָשֹׂא
Since there is no way I will have time to write more this week, I’ve decided to share Dr. Ackerman’s view on the parshah: “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,’ Take a census of the sons of Gershon, as well, according to their fathers’ household, according to their families.’” (Numbers 4:21) Parashat Naso contains the…
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses – Bamidbar/בְּמִדְבַּר
This week we count. א וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי, בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד: בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי בַּשָּׁנָה הַשֵּׁנִית, לְצֵאתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם–לֵאמֹר. 1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the…
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses – Behar/Bechukotai – בהר/בחקותי
To me, this week’s parshah is speaking about holiness and sanctity no less than the ones talking about the priests’ behavior. It is one of the parashiot that truly shows that the Gd of Israel is the Gd of everything and everyone. By His hand, the world is governed towards justice. This justice starts with the…
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses – Emor / פרשת אמור
These are such loaded Parshiot! So many things to discuss, it’s hard to pick. Books can be written in modern politically correct world about the lines devotes to who is allowed to come close to the “congregation of GD” Books can be also written on the question of a blemished sacrifice and why it is…
Poppy Seeds?
There are some foods that divide the population into two parts. The fiercest division that I found so far is related to two foods that I love, but many people cannot stand: cilantro and poppy seeds. I use both all the time. I put cilantro, practically, everywhere – in salads, meats, roasted vegetables, etc. Some people say it…
Leftover Pesach Quick Shabbat Salmon
I do not usually use mayonnaise, but for Pesach I buy a small jar that hangs around my fridge for a while. Neither do I buy chraine, but naturally, I had some leftovers after the Sedorim. So for this Shabbat, I’ve decided to put these two to a good use marinating salmon in it. So I mixed…
Noshing Across the Nation 