Rabbi Michoel Reach
145 answers
Rabbi Michoel Reach was a member in the Yeshiva Derech Chaim
Kollel in Brooklyn, NY and the Ner Israel Rabbinical College in
Baltimore, MD for many years. He has taught advanced classes on the
Chumash (Five books of Moses) for three years in Baltimore and is the
author of a not yet published book on Chumash. He also has a Bachelors
in Physics and Math from the California Institute of Technology and a
PhD in Math from the University of California Berkeley with a
Dissertation on the Recursion relation for K-Soliton solutions to the
Schroedinger Equation. He is presently a database consultant for the
Pathology Data Systems Department for the Johns Hopkins School of
Medicine.
-
The Spies and Korach
How much time lapsed between the story of the spies and that of Korach? Answer: Hi! Very good question. Though there are commentaries (such the Ibn Ezra) who place the story of Korach much earlier chronologically, the Ramban (Nachmanides) says…
-
Egypt Was Good For Us
If G-d intended for the Jewish people to be strangers in a foreign land, Jacob’s decision to leave Israel was not out of his own free choice. So why do we thank G-d so much for taking us out of…
-
Reading the Torah With Your Own Assumptions
The story of how Hagar was sent out is terrible. With only one thing of water, in the desert, with a child? If that happened today, it would be considered abusive, right? Also, the story of the sacrifice of Isaac. That…
-
How Could the Generation of Moses Sin?
In the book of Exodus great miracles were performed against Egypt, and when the nation of Israel was in the wilderness again God did great miracles, ie…manna…Why did the nation of Israel keep falling back on sinful ways, ie..the golden…
-
Rachel and the Idols
A few questions about Genesis, Chapter 31:19 and 31:34: Why did Rachel keep her father’s idols? Why didn’t she throw them away before or after Laban caught up with her family? Was her early death related to this, and the…
-
Why were the animals punished in The Flood?
I have some questions about the Flood. In Genesis 6:12 we read “God saw the earth…it had gone to ruin, for all flesh had ruined its way…” The usual interpretation is that humankind was to be punished for its iniquities.…
-
Pinchas and the Priesthood
In Parshas Pinchas it states that Pinchas was the grandson of Aharon the Kohen. It further states that because of his courageous deeds espoused in the Parsha, he was to be rewarded with everlasting ‘hereditary priesthood’ to include his descendants. In…
-
Simchas Torah vs. Shavuot
Why isn’t Simchas Torah celebrated right after Shavuot? Answer: I guess the reason Shavuos and Simchas Torah are far apart in time is that they are so different from one another. Shavuos is the culmination of Pesach. Rav Shamshon Rafael…
-
Why didn’t Joseph tell his father Jacob that he was alive?
Joseph was first consul to Pharoh for many years. Why did he not search to find his father or at least send others to see if his father and siblings were still alive? Thank you. Answer: Hi! Excellent question. Joseph…