I write these words walking through Auschwitz – Birkenau as the sun is setting on a cold winters day and the following thought comes to mind.   Yaakov runs away from Beer Sheva alone and afraid. Yaakov finds himself at the gateway to Heaven, the future site of the Beis Hamikdash as night is falling. … More Parshas Vayeitzei

The Malbim interprets the next two pesukim together   (ד) אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדוֹ מֶחְקְרֵי אָרֶץ וְתוֹעֲפֹת הָרִים לוֹ: (ה) אֲשֶׁר לוֹ הַיָּם וְהוּא עָשָׂהוּ וְיַבֶּשֶׁת יָדָיו יָצָרוּ:   In Whose hand are the depths of the earth, and the heights of the mountains are His. For the sea is His, He made it, and His hands … More It’s all in His Hands

The Seforno says that this chapter is referring specifically to קיבוץ גליות, the ingathering of the exiles at the time of Moshiach, so that the Jewish people themselves can return to Hashem with Teshuva The events of this time are predicted by the prophet Yechezkel 36:23-28. This passage is both powerful and beautiful and has been a … More Present and Future

Rav Hirsch now says something remarkable. The letter  ה that is added to the words נקדמה, נריעה, נרננה  is technically called the paragogic ה. It is added for emphasis, as these words constitute the summons calling us to Hashem. There is nothing better suited to call the attention of the non-Jewish world in which Yisrael lives and must … More Setting Our Priorities

Rav Hirsch interprets this chapter in the context of the previous ones. Chapters 92 and 93 give voice to those thoughts that well up within our hearts each Shabbos day and which show us a glimpse beyond the dreary present into the future into  the ear of the advent of G-d’s kingdom on earth. Chapter … More Putting things in context

In these posts I will try  בעזרת ה’ to translate and explain different commentaries on the various pesukim. One of the advantages of this is that when we daven we can have different explanations in mind at different times. This leads to a sense of variety and freshness in our tefilla and makes it all the … More Keeping an Eye on the Future

After having experienced the enormous challenge of waiting to conceive and being answered as a result of extending themselves through heartfelt prayer, Rivka finds herself with the most difficult pregnancy imaginable. When she passes a place of tumah she feels one side pulling to get out and when she passes a place of kedusha she … More Toldos – Sibling Rivalry on a Global Scale

The Malbim continues to explain that an awareness of Hashem and His hashgacha can take place in one of two ways. Firstly, recognising His specific actions through paying attention to the big picture. Through looking at the universe it is self-evident that existence could not have created itself and that there must be a Creator … More Different Starting Points

To view the shiur click here http://www.torahanytime.com/video/chessed-rising-above-yourself/ to download the sources click here chessed2

(א) לְכוּ נְרַנְּנָה לה’ נָרִיעָה לְצוּר יִשְׁעֵנוּ Come, let us sing praises to Hashem; let us call out to the Rock of our salvation. The Malbim explains that the chapters of Tehillim that make up Kabalas Shabbos are talking about one main theme, namely the two different modes of hashgacha (providence) that Hashem employs to … More Come, Let Us Sing …