Author: Shlomo Bar-Ayal

  • Helping the Stranger

    י”א בחשוון תשפ”ב / October 17, 2021

    This week’s portion starts out with God visiting Abraham and Abraham interrupting the visit to help some strangers. It is easy to help those that we know. It is a bigger test to help a stranger.

  • The First Commandment to Abraham

    ט’ בחשוון תשפ”ב / October 15, 2021

    The first commandment that Abraham receives is to make aliya, go to the Land of Israel. Why not send him someplace that is away from the international scene, which is not as volatile?

  • The Importance of Taking a Stand

    ח’ בחשוון תשפ”ב / October 14, 2021

    In this week’s Parsha Abraham goes to war. This seems rather odd that a man of religion and spiritualty should go to war. Why did he not be a man of peace. Sometimes war is the answer.

  • Agreement in the Flesh

    ז’ בחשוון תשפ”ב / October 13, 2021

    This week Abraham receives the commandment to perform a circumcision, or Brit Milah. We look at the reason for this commandment and what it means to us today.

  • When to Rescind Permission

    ו’ בחשוון תשפ”ב / October 12, 2021

    What was the problem between Abraham and Lot. What was the real reason that they separated.

    What was the problem between Abraham and Lot. What was the real reason that they separated.

  • Holiness in the Center

    ה’ בחשוון תשפ”ב / October 11, 2021

    Abraham is sent on a holy mission to be at the center of the ancient world. This so that others may learn from him.

  • Go For Yourself

    ד’ בחשוון תשפ”ב / October 10, 2021

    In Parshat Lech Lecha Abraham is told to leave his country, nation & family and to travel for himself. That he, through the Torah, is the master of his fate. As opposed to the theory that we are doomed by our birth, country class, etc.

  • Better Rather Than Perfect

    ב’ בחשון תשפ”ב / October 8, 2021

    The story of the flood starts off saying that Noah was a righteous man in his generation. Why the qualifier? Either he was righteous or not. Here we see why.

  • What Was Wrong with the Tower of Babel

    כ”ט בתשרי תשפ”ב / October 5, 2021

    Why was the generation of the Tower of Babel punished? What was the real problem from God’s point of view.

  • Why Noah Was Chosen

    כ”ח בתשרי תשפ”ב / October 4, 2021

    Unlike ancient cultures which recorded the flood but gave no moral reason for the flood or why the survivor was chosen, the Torah stresses that Noah was chosen because he was righteous.