Yishmael

Chayei Sarah – Laying Claim to Israel

Why do the children of Ishmael and Canaan lay claim to Israel specifically in front of Alexander the Great? Why do the responses come from Gevia the hunchback? Why does Alexander feel drawn toward Jerusalem? Why does he want to enter the Holy of Holies on the Temple Mount? What does it mean that Abraham…

Read More

Maharsha Sanhedrin 12a

I was revisiting an old post of mine, which was a really mind-blowing piece in the maharsha in Sanhedrin. As I was looking it over, some cool ideas came to mind which wanted to share. The italics are the original post, and the stars are my current thoughts. Recently, in the daf (Sanhedrin 12) we…

Read More

Jerusalem: Not For Sale

What is it about Yerushalayim that makes it so central on the world stage? Why does the United States government care if we build in our capital? Why does the Arab world get up in arms if we build a synagogue in our capital city? What is it about the current situation that is so…

Read More

Fall of Yishmael

At the end of this week’s parsha, the Torah goes through the lineage of Yishmael, and ends off (in perek כה passuk יח) by saying “על פני כל אחיו נפל” – which literally translates as ‘He fell on the face of all of his brothers.’ The Ba’al Haturim points out the significance of the fact…

Read More