Blog Archive
Believe in God & Yourself
Tuesday, August 2nd, 2022פרשת דברים / ה’ באב תשפ”ב The sin of the spies is recounted in this week’s portion. The real sin that they committed was twofold. The lacked faith in God being able to help them in conquering the Land of Israel and they lacked faith in themselves. Share on Facebook
Be Just in Your Judgements
Monday, August 1st, 2022פרשת דברים / ד’ באב תשפ”ב The commandment to appoint judges is one of the most important for a just society. Moses commands the judges that they have to be just in their decisions. They cannot favor one party over the other, neither rich nor poor, neither the powerful nor the powerless, Share on Facebook
To Stand Up to Evil
Tuesday, July 26th, 2022פרשת מטות-מסעי / כ”ז תמוז תשפ”ב After the initial retaliation against Midian Moses reprimands the Jewish officers for allowing the women to live. To understand this, we have to remember that the women were willing participants in the sins committed by the Jewish men that led to the war. That is why they had to […]
To Get to a City of Refuge
Sunday, July 24th, 2022פרשת מטות-מסעי / כ”ה בתמוז תשפ”ב When going to Jerusalem there were no directional signs. We want people to stop and ask directions. When going to a city of Refuge there were directional signs. We know that the person running to them is in a hurry and cannot wait. Share on Facebook
Consoling Pinchas
Monday, July 18th, 2022פרשת פנחס / י”ט בתנוז תשפ”ב The Portion starts out with Pinchas receiving the blessing of peace. The reason is that he had just killed Zimri and Koziba. Even though they deserved to die and Pinchas was justified in doing so, he was disturbed by his action. Taking a life is a serious matter even […]
Justice Through the Courts
Wednesday, May 11th, 2022פרשת אמור / י’ באייר תשפ”ב – כ”ו בעומר When the Torah states “an eye for an eye” it does not mean that guilty should lose an eye but the value of an eye. And all this is to be done through the courts. The Torah does not condone unlawful behavior no matter how justified. […]
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