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Download source material here. (Adobe Acrobat PDF file)

Download source material here. (Adobe Acrobat PDF file)

Download source material here. (Adobe Acrobat PDF file)

Download source material here. (Adobe Acrobat PDF file)

Download source material here. (Adobe Acrobat PDF file)

Download source material here. (Adobe Acrobat PDF file)

While Tisha B’Av, the Ninth of Av is a day of mourning the destruction of both Botei Mikdosh, our holy Temples, it is referred to in our holy writings as a moed, a holiday. How could a day of such sadness and tears, when God’s Presence left its earthly abode and became distant from us be designated a holiday? Even more troubling, the Alei Shor, Rav Wolbe exhorts us, although we mourn the destruction of the Temple, in the comfort of our everyday lives how many of us really feel a deep void because Hashem has distanced Himself from us?

Tishrei is replete with yomim tovim. We start with Rosh Hashanah, continue with Yom Kippur, round out the month with Sukkos and finish with Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah. The connection between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, especially when linked through the aseret yemei teshuvah, the Ten Days of Repentance, is obvious. But the question arises, is Sukkos and Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah also part of this cycle?

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The main characters in the Torah are those that constitute the pillars of our faith, our patriarchs, matriarchs, and the leaders of our people. Occasionally, the Torah inserts a foil, a character to contrast with one of our own and to serve as a vehicle for teaching us an important lesson. Such a character is Ephron the Hittite for Avraham in Parshat Chayay Sarah.

Rav Schwadron, the Maggid of Yerushalayim, presents several questions in relation to the mitzvoth and celebration of Chanukah based on the Al Hanisim liturgy. Since the essence of the observance of Chanukah is giving praise and thanks to Hakodosh Boruch Hu, and we thank Hashem for our deliverance, it seems strange to thank Him for the war itself, in addition to the salvation and victory. It would seem logical to assume that gratitude for the war would be subsumed under the generalization of “deliverance”.

The major theme of Parshat Vayechi is Yaakov's blessing his sons and the progenitors of the twelve tribes prior to his death. While Yaakov imparts his wisdoms and insight to each of his sons, we notice that his focus is not so much on blessings that imply prayers for success as on identifying a particular character trait for each son. Indeed, says Rabbi Reiss in Meirosh Tzurim, the source of all success is recognizing your particular abilities and character traits and then using them to achieve your goals. This understanding is an even greater requirement when pursuing spiritual goals.

The compilers of the Passover Haggadah expend much effort in discussing the plagues Hashem brought upon Mitzraim/Egypt, as is only appropriate in celebrating the exodus. At one point, they focus on two terms, the Egyptians declaration that the plague of lice is “the finger of God” and the contrasting perception Bnei Yisroel declare at the Reed Sea as “the mighty hand of God.”

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