Moshe conveyed God's commands to the Israelite tribe leaders regarding commitments (נדרים, often known as "vows"). Following God's instructions, Moshe led a successful attack on the Midianites. The Israelites butchered every man, including the …
Why is there a small yud in Parshas Pinchas? Harass the Midianites. That's interesting. Why? What with the sidebar for Korach, Dasan, and Aviram? Can you name the daughters of Tzelofchad? What with the large nun at the end of the story of Bnos T…
Bamidbar Rabbah (21.14) “May the Lord, God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation” (Numbers 27:16). “Moses spoke to the Lord, saying: May [yifkod] the Lord, God of the spirits…appoint”…
God announced that because Pinchas had displayed his passion for God, God granted him a pact of friendship and priesthood for all time. God then told Moshe to attack the Midianites to repay them for their trickery, luring Israelite men to worship Ba…
The 15th of Tammuz marks the Yahrtzeit of famed Torah commentator Rabbi Chayim ben Attar (1696-1743), author of the Ohr HaChayim and the passing of Reb Aryeh Leib, Author of Shaagas Aryeh (1785). Rabbi Chayim ben Attar (the Ohr HaChayim) was Born i…
The fast of Shiva Asar B'Tamuz is on Tuesday, July 23rd, and marks the beginning of the Y'mei Bein Hametzarim, the Three Weeks. The Y'mei Bein Hametzarim, between the 17th of Tamuz and the 9th of Av, is a national mourning period over the destructi…
What's the proper way to daven? Eyes open, closed, or looking in a siddur? The Gemara Yevamos (105b) teaches that one should face his eyes downward while davening, based on a verse in Melachim (1- 9:3). The Tur and Shulchan Aruch (95:2) also…
The days between Shiva Aser B'tamuz and Tisha B'av are referred to as "Ben Hametzarim" (the dire straits) based on the verse in Eichah (1:3). Shibbolei Haleket (263) references the verse in Daniel (10:2), which says, "Daniel mourned for three weeks…
The passing of Rav Yaakov ben Asher (the Tur) (1348) Rav Yaakov ben Asher, son of Rav Asher ben Yechiel (the Rosh), was one of the most prominent Torah scholars in medieval Europe. His classic work on Jewish law, named the Tur, also known as…
The first printed edition of Sefer HaChinuch, 1523, is published. The Sefer HaChinuch was composed in the Middle-Age Spain, c.1255 – c.1285 CE. The Sefer HaChinuch ("Book of Education") is an anonymous work written in thirte…
