An'election process' in daily politics can
become very complicated. In this week's Parsha, we also find an 'election'
process; no less complex, and 'possibly' even more signficant - God's
choice of Avrham Avinu to become the forefather of His special nation!
In this week's shiur, we discuss the Torah's presentation of God's
choice of Avraham Avinu, in an attempt to understand what this "bechira"
process is all about.
How many times must God repeat the same promise to Avraham
Avinu? In Parshat Lech L'cha alone, God tells Avraham four times
that his offspring ("zera") will become a nation in a special
land ("aretz")! Would not have one divine promise been
In this week's shiur, we attempt to explain the reason for
each of these promises and their relation to the events which
transpire in the interim. As we do so, we will also encounter the
theme of "bechira" and "dechiya" - a central topic in Sefer
From the story of Bnei Gad and Reuven in Parshat Matot,
it seems as though the borders of Israel are rather
'expandable,' while in Parshat Masei, they appear to
be quite fixed. So what are the borders of the Land of Israel?
This week's shiur examines the biblical roots of this
Is 'eight' a magic number in Chumash? Or, is it only
coincidental that specifically the 'eighth day' is chosen
when God commands Avraham Avinu concerning Brit Milah;
the 'eighth day' is chosen for the
dedication of the Mishkan;
the 'eighth day' is chosen for the day
on which the cleansed Metzora, Zav, and Zavah bring their
and in Parshat Emor, the final holiday is "Shmini Atzeret" -
the 'eighth day' of Succot!
In the following shiur, we return to Sefer Breishit in search
of the biblical significance of the number 'eight.'
What is the most important part of
Magid? We are all familiar with the four questions, the four
sons and the many songs etc., but when and how during
Magid do we actually tell over the story of Yetziat Mitzrayim (the
Exodus)? To answer this question, and to better appreciate the
Haggada, this week's shiur analyzes the flow and structure of Magid.
Global warming? This summer's 'hot' topic uncovers a direct
connection between our climate and mankind's 'physical' behavior.
However, according to Parshat Ekev, man's 'spiritual' behavior may
also affect our climate - at least in regard to the 'land of
To explain why, this week's shiur explores the significance of
"matar" (rain) in Chumash.