Author: Shlomo Bar-Ayal

  • It’s All Up to You

    פרשת ניצבים / כ”ז באלול תשפ”ב

    A major message of the Torah is that we have free will. We can set our own agenda. If we want a good life, then we have to do the right thing.

  • Overcome Your Flaws

    פרשת ניצבים / כ”ו באלול תשפ”ב

    It is interesting to note that it is not enough for one to say that they are sorry for their sins. They have to first recognize their mistake and repent for it. The apology has to be heartfelt. That all our Biblical leaders were flawed but they overcame their flaws.

  • Believe in God, Not Ideology

    פרשת ניצבים / כ”ה באלול תשפ”ב

    One of the worst forms of idolatry is the belief in ideology. Even when that ideology proves false people will believe it. All the people who believed that the Russian Communist Revolution would bring an era of peace to the world were disappointed when this did not happen. Those who approach problems without an ideology seem to come up with real solutions.

  • Our Leaders Are Not Gods

    פרשת ניצבים / כ”ד באלול תשפ”ב

    The admonition not be like the idol worshipers of Egypt was to stress that our leaders are not like the Pharoah. He was considered to be a god. Our leaders are human and should be treated as such.

  • Teach Your Children Well

    פרשת ניצבים / כ”ג באלול תשפ”ב

    The Torah mentions that not only were adults present at Moses’s admonitions but that their children were there as well. Why was this so important? To show that it is important that children see how important it is to the adults. Children are sponges. They observe everything. If they see it is important for their parents, then it is important to them.

  • It’s Up to You

    פרשת ניצבים / כ”ב בלול תשפ”ב

    When Moses speaks to the people, he speaks to all of the people. This shows that in Judaism we can achieve greatness through our efforts. No matter how we start we can achieve great things. We are equal when we start. Where we finish is up to us.

  • Make the World Better by Being Better

    פרשת כי תבוא / כ’ באלול תשפ”ב

    We are commanded to be better people. The Torah does not care about our feelings but about our behavior. We make the world a better place by our actions, not our intent.

  • How To Avoid Sin

    פרשת כי תבוא / י:ט באלול תשפ”ב

    In Pirkei Avot it states that we should know three things to avoid sin: Know where you came from, a putrid drop; know where you are going, a place of worms; and before whom you will be judged, the Holy One blesssed be He. To teach us that we might not think we are important but to God we are.

  • Actions Over Beliefs

    פרשת כי תבוא / י”ח באלול תשפ”ב

    There is a debate which is more important: Doing the commandments or being spiritual. The Jerusalem Talmud addressed this debate in the 3rd Century CE and concludes that your actions are more important than your beliefs therefore we should follow the commandments even if we do not believe in God.

  • Are Your Ancestors Proud of You?

    פרשת כי תבוא / י”ז באלול תשפ”ב

    Many people go on genealogy sites to see who their ancestors were and are proud of them. The question that the Torah asks is would they be proud of you. Live your life so that they would be.