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13 essays
Vayigashתשפ״ו
A Good Cry
The essay explores the significance of Yosef's crying during his revelation to his brothers, linking it to the ultimate redemption of Israel. Drawing on the Sfas Emes, it argues that tears and the hardships of exile (Galus) are not merely punishments but necessary tools to extract latent holiness and refine the soul.
Medrash
Achron Shel Pesach: Then What
The essay explores the linguistic connection between Moshe's complaint 'U'me'az basi el Paroh' (since I came to Pharaoh) and the triumphant 'Az Yashir' (then sang Moshe) at the Sea. It argues that the word 'Az' signifies the complex relationship between cause and effect in Hashem's plan, where perceived hardships (causes of suffering) are actually the necessary steps (effects of the plan) toward ultimate redemption. By starting the Shira with 'Az,' Moshe demonstrated that the Jewish people had attained the clarity of Emunah to see the hand of G-d even within setbacks.
Medrash
BoParshas HaChodeshParshas HaChodeshתשפ״ו
Big Month Ahead
The essay explores the significance of Parshas Hachodesh and Chodesh Nissan, specifically why it is called 'Chodesh Ha'aviv' (the month of spring). Drawing on the Shinover Rebbe, it explains that the 'temperate weather' of spring (neither too hot nor too cold) is a metaphor for a balanced approach to Avodas Hashem—avoiding both over-exertion and spiritual sluggishness—which was the necessary mindset for the transition from slavery to serving God.
Medrash
Boתשפ״ו
Bread Line
The essay explores the Midrashic connection between the Matzah eaten with the Korban Pesach and the cakes (ugos) Sarah Immenu prepared for the angels. It posits that while 'Lechem' (bread) represents a compromise connecting the physical and spiritual, Matzah represents a higher existence of true freedom (Cheirus) where the physical is entirely elevated to the spiritual.
Medrash
Shemosתשפ״ו
Clothing Choices
The essay explores why the daughters of Yisro identified Moshe as an 'Egyptian man' despite his Hebrew identity. While the Midrash suggests he wore Egyptian clothing, the essay delves deeper, using the insights of R' Chatzkel Sarna to explain that Egypt represented the 'lowliest' kingdom that lacked self-awareness of its blessings. Moshe, as the humblest of men, adopted the positive aspect of this 'lowliness'—true humility—recognizing that all his strength and success came from Hashem rather than his own merits.
Medrash
Vaeraתשפ״ו
Expansion Opportunities
The essay explores the miracle of Makkas Shechin (the plague of boils), specifically the phenomenon of 'muat machzik es hamerubeh' (the small containing the large) when Moshe held both his and Aharon's handfuls of soot. It distinguishes between physical limitations (Teva), which govern material life, and spiritual pursuits (Ruchnius), where a person can transcend natural boundaries through devotion to God.
Medrash
Terumahתשפ״ו
Golden Rule
The essay explores the purpose of gold in the world, noting a Midrash that gold was only created for the sake of the Mishkan. It argues that gold represents the potential for both spiritual height and destructive deviation; while it was used for the Golden Calf, its use in the Mishkan serves as a rectification (kapparah) by demonstrating that even the most precious materials must be used strictly 'al pi hadibbur' (according to God's word).
Medrash
Yisroתשפ״ו
Honor Guard
The essay explores the grand welcome Yisro received upon arriving in the desert, featuring Moshe, Aharon, and according to some Midrashim, the Aron Hakodesh. It argues that this display of honor was not 'worldly honor' but a demonstration of the principle that 'true honor is only Torah.' By leaving his high status to study Torah, Yisro transitioned into a new ontological category—a 'Ben Torah'—where honor is an essential definition of one's spiritual elevation rather than a destructive character trait.
Medrash
Ki Sisaתשפ״ו
Our Father Before Us
The essay explores why Moshe Rabbeinu’s prayers following the Sin of the Golden Calf were only answered after he invoked the 'Zechus Avos' (merit of the Patriarchs). Drawing on the metaphor of a grapevine leaning on old wood, it suggests that the Avos established the foundational desire to know and cling to God (Aggadah), and by invoking them, Moshe reframed the Golden Calf not as pure rebellion, but as a misguided attempt to maintain that ancestral connection.
Medrash
Mishpatimתשפ״ו
Six of One
The essay explores why the Torah mandates a six-year term for a Hebrew slave (Eved Ivri), linking the number six to the days of Creation and the six historical exiles (Galuyos). It argues that just as exile is intended for character refinement and spiritual growth, the servant's tenure is meant to be a transformative period; failing to leave after six years indicates a failure to internalize the message of Divine servitude established at Har Sinai.
Medrash
Stranger Danger: The Purity of the Night of Pesach
The essay explores the specific prohibition of a 'ben nechar' (stranger) eating the Korban Pesach, contrasting the physical Egyptian oppression with the spiritual purity of Israel on the night of the Exodus. Drawing on Rav Hutner’s Pachad Yitzchok, it argues that the night of the 15th of Nissan was a unique historical moment where Klal Yisrael existed in its most pristine state—freed from external nations and not yet diluted by the 'Erev Rav' or internal dissent—representing a template for the future Redemption.
Medrash
Vayechiתשפ״ו
The Great Impediment
The essay explores the cryptic blessing 'Veyidgu Larov' given to Ephraim and Menashe, specifically examining a Medrash that links their speech impediment (the 'Shibbolet' incident) to the nature of fish. It argues that this physical impediment was actually a sign of spiritual elevation, where the Neshama is so dominant that it becomes disconnected from the physical act of speech, mirroring the developmental stages of Moshe Rabbeinu's own speech.
Medrash
Beshalachתשפ״ו
Vision Test
The essay explores why Joshua, a descendant of Joseph, was chosen to lead the battle against Amalek. Drawing on Rav Shlomo Wolbe, it argues that 'Yiras Shamayim' (fear of Heaven) is fundamentally about the 'vision' to see beyond one's own self-absorption; while Amalek embodies the blindness of self-interest inherited from Esau, Joseph's legacy of clarity and perception provides the spiritual tool to vanquish this eternal enemy.
Medrash