Archive for the 'Torah' Category
Preparing To Be A Free Nation
Thursday, May 16th, 2024The Torah refers to Passover as the holiday of Matzot. The reason is to teach us that leaving Egypt was the first step to becoming a nation. We had to learn what it means to be free. Share on Facebook
You Have to Earn It
Wednesday, April 3rd, 2024The big mistake that Aaron’s sons made was that they assumed that they would inherit the status of their father without having earned it. This is to teach us that just because your parents are great does not mean that you will be. You have to earn it. Share on Facebook
Unity in Our National Mission
Sunday, January 14th, 2024The Torah uses the singular verb when Moses and Aaron we commanded to go to Pharaoh. This is to teach us that whatever our disagreements among ourselves we have to be united when facing our foes. Share on Facebook
Getting Egypt Out Of The Jews
Tuesday, January 9th, 2024The hardest job that Moses had was getting Egypt out of the Jews. The problem was that many of the Jews loved Egyptian culture. God wanted the Jews to reject that culture for the Torah. Share on Facebook
Miracles Are Not Unnatural
Monday, January 8th, 2024All the miracles that happened in Egypt could be explained naturally. This is because a miracle is an event that happens when you need it to happen. Life is a miracle in of itself. Share on Facebook
What’s In A Name?
Friday, January 5th, 2024The name Hebrew is a derogatory name for the Jews. The reason is that the goal of enslaving the Jews was to destroy them. Thus it is the same throughout our history. First they will denigrate the Jews and then murder the Jews. Share on Facebook
Know Before Whom You Are Standing
Thursday, January 4th, 2024Moses was admonished at the burning bush to know before whom he was standing. This was also an admonishment to remember that he would be speaking to slaves would not really be interested in long speeches. They wanted their freedom. Share on Facebook
Listen To Your Elders
Sunday, December 31st, 2023The reason that the tribe of Levi was not enslaved was that Levi was still alive when Pharaoh succeeded in fooling the Jews. Levi, though saw through Pharaoh’s plot and told his descendants not to be fooled. Share on Facebook
Don’t Follow the Crowd
Tuesday, June 13th, 2023Joshua & Caleb did not follow the conventional wisdom of the other scouts. They were outliers in their views. Yet they were correct in their analysis while the others were not. This is to teach that it is the outliers who advance ideas, not those who follow the crowd. Share on Facebook
The Hubris of Power
Monday, June 12th, 2023The problems of the scouts that Moses sent was that they were the leaders of the tribes. They felt that they would lose power if they gave a good report. That is why they sabotaged the whole effort. Share on Facebook
About the Author: Shlomo Bar-Ayal is an Israeli-American, or an American-Israeli (I could never get that right) who is unabashedly pro-Israel, pro-US and a great guy.
He has an open mind to opinions that he agrees with.
Besides blogging on whatever he feels like blogging about on any given day he enjoys learning Talmud, davening, being the candyman in his synagogue, smoking his tobacco pipe, giving tours at the Grand Lodge of New York, being involved in Freemasonry, and partaking in an adult beverage every now and then