Author: Shlomo Bar-Ayal

  • What Is Lag B’Omer About?

    Today is the 33rd Day of the Omer. It is a day of celebration. The real story of the reason we mourn the first 33 days of the Omer is that Rabbi Akiva’s students died. The Talmud avoids the obvious reason since the Romans still ruled the land of Israel.

  • The Danger of Blasphemy

    In this week’s potion we see the blasphemer. We might ask why his punishment was so severe. The truth is that he is very knowledgeable. That is what makes him dangerous. If he was just an ignoramus, he would not be a danger.

  • We Are Partners With God

    When blessing a holiday, we recite the blessing that God sanctifies Israel and the time. This is to teach us that God gave us the ability to set the calendar & He will abide by our decisions. It is a partnership.

  • How To Sanctify God’s Name

    The way to sanctify God’s name is to do something moral and/or ethical in his name. It is not necessarily an obvious commandment. It could be giving a grieving grandmother gloves on a cold night.

  • Educated Your Children

    Throughout the Torah education of our youth is stressed. We have to teach them the Torah and why we do things. If we do not, then they will not continue in our path.

  • Remember Who We Reprsent

    The conditions of the priests serving in the Tabernacle seem strange until we realize that they represent God to the people and the people to God. Our behavior should be such even when we are not in our house of worship.

  • Keep The Spirit Of The Law

    The Torah stresses that it is not enough that we keep the letter of the law but the spirit of the law. We have to remember that the 1st Temple was destroyed because the Jews kept the letter of the Law but not its spirit.

  • Pay For Services Rendered

    The Torah specifically states that we must pay our workers when we say that we will. We are not allowed to make them wait for their money. To do so would create societal divisions.

  • We Are Not A Death Cult

    The Torah admonishes us not to communicate with the dead. Once someone has died, we have to let go. They have transitioned from this world to the next. We transition to this world without them.

  • The Basis Of Society

    In Parshat Kedoshim we start with the commandment to be in awe of your parents but that the Torah is paramount. The Torah is emphasizing that the basis of any good society is the family structure. And that the leaders of the family are the parents.