tears
Vayigash – Love and Tears
What is the significance of Yosef’s tears? Why does he only cry on the shoulder of Benjamin, whereas he kisses and cries with each of the other brothers? What is the significance of the numerical values of Yosef and Yakov’s names? What is the concept of the kiss? What is the concept of tears? Find…
Read MoreVayigash – Tears, Silence and Shechina
What is the difference between the crying Yosef does with Benjamin, as opposed to his crying with his other brothers? Why does Benjamin merit to have the Divine Presence in his portion? What is the secret of the silence of Benjamin, Yosef, Rochel and Esther? Why do Yosef and Benjamin cry about the destruction of…
Read MoreCrying in our times?
I got the following question from a friend who listens to my podcasts: I’ve just listened to your this week’s Parsha podcast and I can honestly say even at the age 52 which I am, I have never felt so well prepared for Tisha B’Av as I now feel after having listened to your podcast.…
Read MoreDevarim – Where is His place?
Why do we always read Devarim on Parshas Chazon – the Shabbos before Tisha B’av? Why do we comfort mourners with a reference to a consolation from Hashem as ‘hamakom’ – the place? Why do the angels search for Hashem’s ‘place?’ What is the concept of the word “איכה” – in our parsha, in the…
Read MoreVayigash – The secret of tears
What is the significance of Yosef’s crying? Why is crying done on the ‘neck?’ Why do Binyamin and Yosef cry about the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash and Mishkan? Why does crying denote sincerity? Why did Yakov say Shema while Yosef cried? Why do the righteous cry when the Yetzer Hara is destroyed in the…
Read MoreObama and Jerusalem
It was very disturbing for me to hear that the United States government has demanded a halt to construction in Jerusalem. This is our city, torn from us so long ago, the city we have hoped for and dreamed of for centuries. This city has been the center of our prayers, and we ask three…
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