TMC Torah Blog

Instructed by God, Moshe conveyed to the Israelites the regulations about the impurity of women after childbirth. A woman giving birth to a boy would be considered impure for seven days, followed by 33 days of purification. Conversely, if she gave b…

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁלֹּא עָשַֽׂנִי גּוֹי: Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the Universe, Who did not make me a gentile. Why do we make a bracha in the negative "that he didn't make us a goy" as opposed to the positive "״שאני יהודי (…

This week, instead of reading the regular Parshas Shemini haftarah, we read the haftarah for Parshas Hachodesh (Yechezkel 45:16-46:18).  Verse nine mentions that when leaving the Bais Hamikdosh, one should exit from the opposite gate of entry;…

The Rama (429:1) brings a custom to distribute wheat to the poor before pesach; this is known as maos chitim (money for wheat) or kimcha d'pischa (Passover flour). The Mishnah Berura (429:3) says this is an ancient custom from the times of the Gemar…

During the ordination ceremony for Kohanim and consecration of the Mishkan, Moshe instructed Aaron to gather calves, rams, a goat, a lamb, an ox, and a meal offering for sacrifices (קָרְבֳּנוֹת‎, korbanot) to present before God. Aharon blessed the pe…

אֵֽלּוּ דְבָרִים שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם שִׁעוּר הַפֵּאָה וְהַבִּכּוּרִים וְהָרְ֒אָיוֹן וּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים וְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה: אֵֽלּוּ דְבָרִים שֶׁאָדָם אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹתֵיהֶם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהַקֶּֽרֶן קַיֶּֽמֶת לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, וְאֵֽלּוּ הֵן כִּבּוּד אָב וָאֵם וּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים וְהַשְׁכָּמַת בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ שַׁחֲרִית וְעַרְבִית וְהַכְנָסַת אוֹרְ֒חִים וּבִקּוּר חוֹלִים וְהַכְנָסַת כַּלָּה וּלְוָיַת הַמֵּת וְעִיּוּן…

Harav Yechiel Michel Epstein (the Arukh HaShulchan) 1829–1908Harav Yechiel Michel ha-Levi Epstein, renowned as "the Aruch haShulchan" for his monumental Torah literary contribution, Harav Yechiel Michel ha-Levi Epstein, famous as "the Aruch ha…

This week, instead of reading the regular Parshas Tzav Haftorah, we read the Haftorah for Parshas Parah (Yechezkel 36:16-38). Maftir discusses the purification process of the Parah Adumah (red cow), executed when someone became ritually impure throu…

The Gemara in Pesachim (6A) tells us, "30 days before Pesach, we begin learning the halachos of Pesach." However, another Gemara in Megillah (32a) says we learn the halachos on Pesach itself, implying there's no obligation to know them before Pesach…

The Law Hashem instructed Moses and Aaron to educate the Israelites on the ritual Law regarding the Red Heifer (פָרָה אֲדֻמָּה‎, parah adumah) used for the water of purification. The heifer must be at least in its third year (i.e., two years plus a b…