TMC Torah Blog

 Asher Yatzar insight גָּלוּי וְיָדֽוּעַ לִפְנֵי כִסֵּא כְבוֹדֶֽךָ  "It is obvious and known in the presence of Your glorious throne." Everything in the world is "obvious and known" before Hashem, so what is the significance of mentioning this specificall…

This week's Haftarah is generally read twice a year. The special Shabbos Rosh Chodesh Haftarah comes from the concluding chapter of Yeshayahu (66:1-24). The Levush (425:2) and the Mishnah Berurah (425:4) both explain the connection from Rosh Chodesh…

Why do we add an extra month to the year, and why is it specifically Adar?  Based on the verse in Parshas Re'eh (16:1), we know that Pesach must be during the spring. Here's the problem: We follow the lunar calendar, and each month has a 29.5…

Meet Harav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, famously called "The Alter," a significant leader of Orthodox Judaism in Eastern Europe and an extraordinary Torah educator. He founded the renowned Slabodka yeshiva and had a powerful impact on his students, many of w…

Rav Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter, well-known as the Sfas Emes, was an other-worldly Torah luminary. He was a Chasidic Rabbi and Av Beis Din. Born in 1847 (5608) as Yehudah Leib, affectionately known as Leybl in his youth, he faced early hardships after …

After Netilas Yadayim in the morning, one says Asher Yatzar as part of Birchas Hashachar. Avudram writes that one should say it even if he didn’t use the bathroom.  The Beis Yosef asks, since the bracha was instituted to be said after re…

Correct Procedure for Netillas Yadayim in the morning: • One should wash with a cup. This is due to Rashba's opinion that weare washing just as the kohen washed his hands with a utensil everymorning. (SA 4.7, Pri megadim MSZ 1.) • You sh…

Netilas Yadayim After saying Modeh Ani, one must wash Netilas Yadayim. (Although many siddurim print Reishis Chochma right after Modeh Ani, there is a machlokes as to whether or not you are allowed to say pesukim like this before Birchos HaTorah. …

The phrase "מודה אני" is structured differently from the literal translation of "I thank Hashem" (אני מודה). Why do we seem to say it backward? One perspective, as shared by Rabbi Aharon Leib Shteinman, suggests that by placing "אני" (I) after "מוד…

Parshas Mishpatim (מִּשְׁפָּטִים‎—Hebrew for "laws") sets out a series of laws; some refer to it as the Covenant Code. It reports the people's acceptance of the covenant with God. The parsha addresses laws on Hebrew indentured servants and enslav…