The Chumash (Five Books of Moses)
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Tzaraas, the Biblical Skin Blemish
Is the Torah’s description of Tzaraas, skin blemishes, related to our own negative impurities, pertaining to our character and behavior, in which we need to purge from our soul, in preparation for following the Torah? Answer: It’s an interesting thought.…
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Humility vs. Responsibility
Two Jewish values are humility on the one hand, and taking responsibility on the other. While it may be important to shy away from honors and the limelight, it’s also important to take responsibility when duty calls. Moses is known…
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Urim and Tumim of the High Priest
What is the Urim & Tumim on the Ephod? How were they used by the priest? And the big question – what happened to them? Answer: Inside the Breastplate was placed God’s sacred names. Ramban (Exod. 28:30) states that Moses…
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Moses in the Tabernacle
Genesis Chapter 40 beginning at verse 17 – Did Moses set up the tabernacle by himself? Of course G-d would have been advising along the way but no one else including Aaron would have been allowed in at this point.…
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The Golden Calf and the Tabernacle
Can you please explain why the story of the sin of the Golden Calf is right in the middle of the description of the Mishkan (Tabernacle)? Answer: I’ll tell you a few thoughts that I have, and maybe you can…
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Asnas, Shimon and Dinah
In the last part of Genesis we find that Asnas married Yosef HaTzadik and our Rabbai told us that she was a jewish and Dinah’s daughter. How did Asnas come to Egypt? Wasn’t Dinah married to Shechem? We find inVayigash that…
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Jacob’s Fight with the Angel
All of these questions bothered me for years. I tried looking in the commentaries with no great success… Answer: I think your questions are wonderful, and I have struggled with (some of) them too. All I can do is to share…
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Midrash and Laban Wanted to Destroy Us
I once heard that many Midrashim were actually written down with political situations of the time in mind and are not just ‘fairy tales’ if you will. My question is what was the political or cultural background behind the paragraph…
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All About Reuben, Jacob’s Son
Our grandson will be named Reuven at his Circumcision on Friday. Please give me some information about Jacob’s son, Reuben. I do not believe there are any other Reubens in the Bible. Is this correct? I graduated from a day…