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
Slaves Cannot Serve God Fully
Wednesday, February 15th, 2023If a slave states that he prefers slavery to freedom, he is punished. This is to teach us that slavery is not the normal state of a person. God wants us to be free people. Share on Facebook
Don’t Rely on Others
Friday, February 3rd, 2023One of the problems with the Jews was that they were used to having all of their needs taken care of. One of the lessons of the Torah was that we should not rely only of God but have to work to take care of ourselves. That is what freedom really means. Share on Facebook
Freedom Comes With a Price
Tuesday, January 31st, 2023The portion starts out with the Jews avoiding going directly to the Land of Israel lest they get into a war with the Philistines and run back to Egypt. It ends with the Jews fighting Amalek. They had to learn that there was no going back to Egypt. Share on Facebook
God Wants Action From Us
Wednesday, January 25th, 2023The reason for the Pascal Sacrifice before the plague of the killing of the first born was that God wanted to see that the Jews were willing to take action for their freedom. Share on Facebook
Don’t Be A Frog
Thursday, January 12th, 2023The Jews were not enslaved all at once. It was a step-by-step process. First special taxes were levied on them. Slowly more and more of their freedom was taken away until they suddenly realized that they were enslaved. Share on Facebook
The Cure for Ingratitude
Friday, July 8th, 2022פרשת חקת / ט’ בתמוז תשפ”ב When the well that was following the Jews in the wilderness dried up after the death of Miriam the people complained that they had a better life in Egypt. What is amazing is that the people complaining were born after they left Egypt. They were totally taken care of […]
The Limits of Freedom
Friday, June 17th, 2022פרשת בהעלותך / י”ח בסיון תשפ”ב The Complainers are back again in this week’s portion. They will continue to plague Moses throughout the Exodus. The question is what they were really complaining about. The limits that the Torah places on us. That we cannot do whatever we want in society. Share on Facebook
Freedom Means Being Responsible
Sunday, May 15th, 2022פרשת בהר / י”ד באייר תשפ”ב – כ”ט בעומר In this week’s portion we learn about the Jubilee year in which all Jewish slaves are to set free whether they want to be free or not. The question is who would not want to be free? The answer is that a slave has no worries […]
The Importance of Ritual
Wednesday, April 6th, 2022פרשת מצורע / ה’ בניסן תשפ”ב The real question of the wicked son is why to we need all this ritual to celebrate Passover. Can’t we just do a simple ceremony and get it over with? The answer of course is that we need the ritual since without we will forget why we were brought […]
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