Parsha with Rabbi David Bibi

Parshat Shemini, a parsha that holds an astonishing secret: the exact midpoint of the Torah — both in words and in letters — is found here. But it’s not just a cooltrivia fact. This secret reveals a deeper message about Torah, support forTorah, and the spiritual roles we play.   The Torah's Midpoints — More Than Math In Vayikra 10:16, we find the phrase: 'ואת שעירהחטאת דרש דרש משה והנה שרף' “Moshe inquired insistently about the goatof the sin-offering, and behold, it had been burned.'  Now here’sthe gematria-level nugget: the word 'דרש' appears twice— and this double appearance marks the midpoint of the words of the Torah.  Then in Vayikra 11:42, in the list of forbidden creeping creatures, we read: 'כלהולך על גחון' “Anything that moves on its belly...' The letter 'vav'in the word 'גחון' is the midpoint of the letters of the Torah — and it’s traditionally written larger than normal. The Gemara in Kiddushin 30a and Maseches Sofrim teach us that our sages were called 'sofrim' — counters — precisely because they counted every letter and word.  But why would Hashem arrange for these midpoints to land here?

Today’s parashah is Shemini—a portion filled with fire and silence, Divine closeness, and the holiness of separation. But today, we’re going to zoom in on something subtle. Almost hidden. A moment tucked into the laws of kashrut, thatcarries a whisper of deep mussar.     And itbegins with a story.     A 24-year-old boy is sitting on the train with his father.  Suddenly, he turns to his dad and shouts out, excitedly:  “Dad, Dad, look outside the window! The trees—they’re rushing past us!”   An elderly couple sitting nearby looks over, clearly confused and even pitying. Why is a grown man acting like a child?     A few minutes later, the boy shouts again:      “Dad! The clouds—they’re running with us!”    The father just smiles. The elderly couple can’t help themselves. One of them leans over and whispers: “Maybe you should take your son to see a doctor…?”   The father smiles gently and says,    “Actually—we just came from the doctor.”      “You see, my son has been blind since birth. And this—this is the first day of his life that he’s ever been able to see.”     

Some of us have the practice that before doing a mitzvah—whether it’s putting on tefillin, lighting candles, or studying Torah—we pause and say a short tefillah: LeShem Yichud Kudsha Brich Hu u’Shechintei. A quiet moment to dedicate what we’re about to do to Hashem, to unite the spiritual worlds. And even if we don’t say the whole LeShem Yichud, many of us still whisper a familiar line: Vihi Noam Hashem Elokeinu aleinu, u’ma’aseh yadeinu konenah aleinu, u’ma’aseh yadeinu konenehu. We say it before the mitzvah. But if you look at the pasuk, it’s actually a prayer for what comes after—after the work is done, after the effort is complete. So why begin with it? Let’s explore that—because I think it reveals something profound about how we bring Hashem into our lives. Not just when we finish a project or succeed in something meaningful—but from the very first moment we take action. And to understand that, we have to look at the very first time this pasuk was ever spoken—by none other than Moshe Rabbeinu. This week’s parsha—Parshat Shemini—

We begin this weeks perasha  וַֽיְהִי֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֔י קָרָ֣א מֹשֶׁ֔ה לְאַהֲרֹ֖ן וּלְבָנָ֑יו וּלְזִקְנֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ On the eighth day Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel. Inspired by Rabbeynu Bachya and Ramban, please join me on a journey—a journey through numbers. But not just any numbers. Two numbers that sit quietly in our tradition, and yet, they pulse with transcendent meaning. Eight. And fifty. Let’s start here: 

The Hidden Structure of Nisan - A Month Outside of Time

By Your Blood You Shall Live: How the Mezuzah Keeps the Exodus Alive  This Pesach, a simple question turned into a deep journey. The Torah tells us inParshat Bo:     “You shall take the blood and place it on the lintel and the two doorposts…”     “And Hashem will pass through tostrike Egypt… and He will see the blood… and He will not allow the destroyer toenter to strike.”       “You shall observe this matter as adecree for yourself and for your children forever.”  וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה לְחָק־לְךָ וּלְבָנֶיךָעַד־עוֹלָם. (שמות י”ב, כד)     So,the question is obvious: What is this eternal mitzvah of placing blood on ourdoorposts?     Wedid it once in Egypt. We talk about it every year at the seder. But we neveractually do it again. Why not?      Basedon the Teachings of The Shvilei Pinchas:      TheOhr HaChaim HaKadosh and the Chatam Sofer both ask: if it’s supposed to be aneternal statute, where’s the ongoing practice? The Ramban and Ibn Ezra suggestit refers only to the korban Pesach, not the blood on the doors—but the flow ofthe pesukim makes that difficult, as we see the command for the future korbanPesach in the next paragraph.   Addingto that question, let us ask what is the blood that was placed on the door?      Thecommand we received required each family or household of Benai Yisrael fourdays before the exodus on Shabbat Hagadol, to take a sheep for the korban. Wemust keep in mind that this wasn’t a private ritual—it was a public act ofdefiance. The sheep was the Egyptian god, and Bnei Yisrael were told to tie itto their bedposts for four days. Imagine trying something like this in Indiatoday where they worship cows in some places or even taking an in adamantobject like a large cross from the church and tying it to your bed in a deeplyCatholic country a century ago—not as decoration, but with the stated intent toslaughter it, smear its blood on your door, and burn it in front of thebelievers. That’s what our ancestors did in Egypt. It wasn’t just an act ofsacrifice—it was an act of both defiance and identity. Facing their oppressors,they declared: We are no longer yours. We belong to Hashem.     Butlet us recall the pasuk from Yechezkel.    “By your blood you shall live.”  וָאֹמַר לָךְ בְּדָמַיִךְ חֲיִי; וָאֹמַר לָךְ בְּדָמַיִךְחֲיִי. (יחזקאל ט”ז, ו)     Whythe repetition?     Andwhen do you recall most often saying this verse?  Mostlikely at a Brit Mila.      Rashi,quoting the Mechilta, brings us deeper. The Jews in Egypt had no merits forredemption, so Hashem gave them two mitzvot to perform:  Britmilah and korban Pesach.     Bothinvolved blood. Both were deeply personal and national. Both required courage.     TheTargum Yonatan and the Zohar go even further: the blood of the korban and theblood of the brit were mixed together and smeared on the doorposts. And in thatmerit, Hashem passed over the Jewish homes.      B’damayich chayi. B’damayich chayi.  Whatis so special about these two misvot aseh which distinguish them from all otherpositive commandments. They are the only two positive commandments in theentire Torah that, if neglected, carry the punishment of karet—being cut offfrom the people. We read in the Torah      וְעָרֵל זָכָר אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יִמּוֹל אֶת־בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתוֹוְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא מֵעַמֶּיהָ אֶת־בְּרִיתִי הֵפַר. (בראשית י”ז, י”ד)      וְהָאִישׁאֲשֶׁר הוּא טָהוֹר וּבְדֶרֶךְ לֹא הָיָה וְחָדַל לַעֲשׂוֹת הַפֶּסַח וְנִכְרְתָההַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא מֵעַמֶּיהָ. (במדבר ט’, י”ג)        Whythese two of all the positive commandments? Because they are acts of identity.They declare: I belong to Hashem.     Thereis a question our rabbis ask     Whydoes the paragraph of Shema Yisrael and VeAhavta precede the paragraph ofV’haya im shamoa     Ourrabbis explain that    • ShemaYisrael—accepting Hashem’s Sovereignty (ol malchut shamayim).   • V’hayaim shamoa—accepting His mitzvot (ol mitzvot).     Andaccepting the yoke of Heaven must precede the accepting of the misvot      Now,the nation of Israel came into being during the plague of the firstborn theywere referred to as (Shemot 4,22): “בני בכורי ישראל”, my firstborn son, Israel.This is why they were commanded to place on their doorways the blood of thekorban pesach – and the blood of the brit milah.   Theblood of the milah represents acceptance of the yoke of Heaven—the placing ofthe Almighty’s seal upon our flesh.     Theblood of the korban pesach, the slaughtering of the Egyptian’s g-d for Hashem’ssake, represents the yoke of mitzvot.      Thesetwo mitzvot form the

 Crazy Week …I worked on a few classes and articles   I wrote and recorded this Tuesday. On Wednesday, thePresident suspended the tariffs for 90 days and the stock market shot up arecord amount for a single day …. what will be tomorow?  Trust in Hashem—A Test for Our Generation  Rabbi Abittan, Zecher sadik livracha,often reminded us that the great test of our generation is bitachon—trustin Hashem. He would say that because of the comforts we’ve been blessed with,it’s easy to fall into the illusion of self-sufficiency. The Torah warns us ofthis very mindset:  'Kochi v’otzem yadi asah li ethachayil hazeh—My strength and the might of my hand made me all thiswealth' (Devarim 8:17).  Even if we don’t say those words, weoften live them—forgetting that all we have is a gift from Hashem. Andso, sometimes Hashem gently—or not so gently—reminds us that He is incharge.  Just recently, someone panicking at thetariff announcement and how it would affect his business, reached out to tellme he had listened to a shiur I gave on the 7th of Nisan in 2020, just as COVIDwas beginning. It was our first Zoom class through the Safra Synagogue. Theworld had shut down. Orders were canceled. Work stopped. And we were askingourselves: What now?  I shared then an idea based on the Haggadah:  'Bechol dor vador omdim aleinulechaloteinu'—In every generation, they rise up to destroy us.  But there’s another layer. It’s not onlythat an enemy rises—it’s that we feel like the world is ending. And itseems that it’s not once in every generation; rather in our days, almost everyyear we get hit with something that makes us feel the world is ending. Sometimes it’s local, sometimes global and sometimespersonal, but the pattern repeats.  We’ve lived it. After 9/11. During theSecond Intifada. The financial crisis of 2008. Superstorm Sandy. COVID. Andmost recently, the horrific events of Shemini Atzeret or October 7th. And ineach moment, the same fear returns: What will be tomorrow?  The Midrash teaches (ShemotRabbah 3:5):  'Hakadosh Baruch Hu mit’avehle’tefilatan shel tzaddikim'—Hashem desires the prayers of therighteous.  Why? Because in moments of crisis, weremember. We turn back. We cry out, 'Ein lanu al mi lehisha’en ella alAvinu Shebashamayim'—We have no one to rely on but our Father inHeaven.  That first Chol HaMoed Pesach of 2020,we buried so many. It was a nightmare. And yet—we are here. We survived.Like our grandparents who endured the Spanish Flu after WWI. Like generationsbefore them, who faced plagues, pogroms, exile, and still clung to theiremunah.  Our community in particular has longbeen blessed in business. From the days of retail peddling, to wholesale, tointernational importing and investing in real estate. And today, that sameworld is shaking—tariffs, supply chain breakdowns, volatility. Deals that oncebrought profit now bring loss. It feels uncertain. And yet, maybe Hashem iswhispering again: I’m still in control.  The pasuk in Tehillim (20:8)says: 'Eleh barechev v’eleh basusim, va’anachnu b’shem Hashem Elokeinunazkir'—Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we call out inthe name of Hashem our God.  This is the message of bitachon.And it’s not just theological—it’s historical. In Parashat Beshalach, asBnei Yisrael stand before the sea, chased by the Egyptians, they cry out infear. And Hashem says:  'Ma titzak elai? Daber el BneiYisrael v’yisa’u'—Why are you crying to Me? Tell Bnei Yisrael to moveforward (Shemot 14:15).  Sometimes emunah means standingstill; sometimes it means marching forward even when we can’t see the path.But always it means knowing Who is leading us.  Even in October 7th’s darkness, we saw YadHashem—through miracles, survival, unity, and resolve. And perhaps that’sthe silver lining: we remembered that we are not alone.  So with all this in mind, I revisitedthat class from Nisan 2020, and I am going to post it again, not just as a record of what we went through, butas a reminder of what we always come back to: Hashem lo ya’azvenu—Hashemwill not abandon us.  May thisreflection be a zechut for clarity, courage, and geulah, bimheirav’yameinu, amen.  

The Watch and the Worth – A Passover Thought We begin Vayikra with a mystery: וַיִּקְרָא אֶל־מֹשֶׁה—with a small aleph. Chazal teach that Moshe, in his humility, wanted to write וַיִּקָּר—like a casual encounter. But Hashem insisted: no, write וַיִּקְרָא—with a calling. A term of love, of nearness. Because Hashem valued Moshe—even more than Moshe valued himself. And that’s the secret of geulah, of redemption. It’s not just about being taken out of Egypt. It’s about being told: “You are worthy. You are wanted. I choose you.” Let me tell you a story. A grandfather gives his grandson an old watch and sends him to get it appraised. At the jewelry store: $200. At the pawn shop: $60, after bargaining. Then, at a museum, the same watch is valued at $50,000. The stunned grandson returns, and the grandfather says: “You see? The watch never changed. But different people saw different worth. Some saw junk. One saw treasure. That’s the lesson—your value doesn’t depend on others’ opinions. It depends on who truly understands you.” And that’s exactly the message of the Seder. When we say בַּעֲבוּר זֶה עָשָׂה ה׳ לִי—“Because of this, Hashem did for me”—we’re not telling a story about the past. We’re standing in the present, in the relationship. We’re declaring: Hashem sees my worth. He chose me. He brought me out of Egypt. But here’s the thing: you don’t show up to the Seder cold. You prepare. Because when someone of infinite value invites you to a night of connection— You don’t just toss something together. You get your mind ready. Your heart. Your soul. We prepare for the Seder not just to clean our homes, but to clear space inside—so we can remember who we are, and who we belong to. So don’t just get ready for a meal. Get ready to be seen. Get ready to be chosen—again. Get ready to remember what Hashem has always known: You are priceless. Be sure to listen to the class - Its All About Me ! 

When I was a kid I enjoyed playing baseball. We started at whiffle ball on thesidewalk and the driveway, graduated to soft ball in the park and when we hadonly a few of us, grabbed a broom stick and spalding and headed for the schoolyard. The key to hitting in baseball is to make contact. I think the key to theSeder and to Pesach is to make contact   

During the first 12 days of Nissan, we read the korbanot hanesi’im — the offerings brought by each tribal prince during the dedication of the Mishkan (Bamidbar 7). On day 13, we read “Zot chanukat hamizbe’ach.” After that, many communities continue saying the reading each day through day 21, and add names of departed loved ones for merit.

 Audits and Public Trust   Parshat Pikudei begins with Moses giving acomplete accounting of all the raw materials collected for the building of themishkan along with details on how these materials were used. Realizing that wealready were given this information we ask why the need for an official auditwhich seems to be a redundancy. We know that audits typically followquestionable actions or accusations. So what led to this audit?   The Midrash tell us: “They gazed afterMoses” – People criticized Moses. Theyused to say to one another, “Look at that neck. Look at those legs. Moses iseating and drinking what belongs to us. All that he has belongs to us.” Theother would reply: “A man who is in charge of the work of the Sanctuary – whatdo you expect? Do you expect that he should not get rich?” As soon as he heardthis, Moses replied, “By your life, as soon as the Sanctuary is complete, Iwill make a full reckoning with you.”  We wonder was this idle chatter widespreador perhaps only the conversation of a very few? And how could they accuse Mosesof living off the communal till? Ironically they accuse Moses of taking what istheirs and using those funds to purchase and eat the choicest cuts of meats. Ifind the accusation itself the most ludicrous. Recall that the man who ascendedMount Sinai in order to receive the Torah on their behalf and following theincident of the Golden Calf when Hashem tells Moses that he will destroy thesepeople returns to beg forgiveness for them did not eat or drink for forty daysand forty nights.   What do they think that he was making upfor lost time and opportunity? Why even give substance to this ridiculouschatter by responding to it?  We can add to the question based onanother midrash which asks, “Why did Moshe make an accounting with them whenHashem trusted him, as the pasuk says:  לֹא־כֵ֖ן עַבְדִּ֣ימֹשֶׁ֑ה בְּכׇל־בֵּיתִ֖י נֶאֱמָ֥ן הֽוּא׃    “Myservant, Moshe, is not that way; in all My house he is trustworthy” If he hasG-d’s trust, is that not more than enough testimony to his honesty?   I would suggest that Moses may have notbeen looking to defend himself. After all, he was neither the storage manager,nor the artisan, nor the seamstress. Where others might have opportunity topilfer a bit of gold here or some silk there, he had none. So perhaps inseeming to defend himself, he was really looking to avoid any accusation everbeing made against Bezalel, Aholiav and their teams of artisans and he wassetting an example to future leaders involved in any sort of public funding.   Moshe Rabbeynu’s actions teach us that aleader must avoid even the slightest hint of impropriety especially when itcomes to the public’s money and their trust.  

My son in law Moshe Alouf shared this with me this morning. A short thought on appreciating the women in our lives: A Subtle Purity: The Jewelry Still Worn In Shemot 35:22, the Torah describes the donations to theMishkan: “וַיָּבֹאוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים עַל־הַנָּשִׁים כֹּל נְדִיב לֵב הֵבִיאוּחָח וָנֶזֶם וְטַבַּעַת וְכוּמָז...”“The men came upon the women—all whose hearts moved them brought brooches,earrings, rings, and pendants…” Rashi, based on Chazal, explains “עַל הַנָּשִׁים” as “withthe women,” suggesting the men came closely following them. But the MeshechChochma (on this pasuk) notices that Onkelos translates itliterally: “while the jewelry was still on the women” (guvraya alneshaya). Why emphasize that the jewelry was still being worn? The Meshech Chochma brings in a powerful halachic framework.From the laws of Isurei HaMizbeyach, if an object is merely declared forAvodah Zarah, it's not inherently forbidden. But if any action—likeplacing it or shaping it—is done in the service of idolatry, the item becomesassur (forbidden). At the time of the Golden Calf, Bnei Yisrael (or at leastthe Erev Rav) said: “אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל”—“These are yourgods.” That plural language reflects a desire for multiple powers, and theircontributions of gold were accompanied by physical acts of creation. This couldrender any gold connected to the sin invalid for use in holy service. Enter the brilliance of the women. When Aharon askedfor their jewelry to delay the Egel, they refused to give. That goldremained pure. So when it came time to build the Mishkan, the men didn'tjust bring gold. They brought the women themselves—with the jewelry still onthem—to show clearly: this gold was never involved, never tainted. Itwas still “על הנשים”—on the women, not given over for sin. A Thought to Take With Us From this detail, we learn that not participating ina wrong is itself a form of powerful avodah. The women’s refusal to give to theEgel became the very foundation of their gift’s kosher status for theMishkan. A Story to Illustrate Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l once walked into a room fullof people discussing whether certain donations could be accepted by a yeshivadue to questionable sources. He said gently, “Sometimes the most valuable giftis not the donation itself, but the way it was held back when it could havegone to the wrong place.” Just like the gold that remained on the women until it couldbe offered to Hashem.

 Bezalel is one of the most fascinating figures in the Torah. Despite being only 13 years old, he was entrusted with the immense responsibility of constructing the Mishkan and its sacred vessels. His wisdom, connection to divine inspiration,and spiritual legacy offer profound lessons. We have given a number of classeson Bezalel over the years and they are available in podcasts. I have anaffinity towards Bezalel due mainly to my father’s admiration of him and how my dad and for generations before him were craftsmen of holy objects. You can hear more about that in the previous classes posted.     This class will explore Bezalel’s unique role through some key themes: his wisdom, and I would like to specifically explore the power of the Aleph Bet on a level joining the spiritual and the physical, his connection to Hur and the concept of Ibbur and reincarnation or the Ruach of Chur entering him at the age of 13, his approach to constructing the Mishkan which seemed to differ from Moshe’s instructions where we will review an approach from Above to Below, vs Building up Below to Above, And perhaps the personal lessons we can learn from Besalel     

The Kiyor and the Sanctification of the Mundane I recall the rabbi, Rabbi Abittan A’H, would go to Hollywood Gym in Long Beach, surrounded by weightlifters, bodybuilders, and surfers. Dressed in his white shirt, black suit pants, and all-black walking shoes, he would walk on the treadmill. Sometimes, he would even teach the people around him. He explained to us that when one keeps in mind the precept of Ushmartem et nafshotechem—the mitzvah to guard one’s health—and that maintaining physical well-being enables a person to learn Torah better and fulfill mitzvot more effectively, then even every minute spent in the gym becomes a mitzvah. It is our thoughts and intentions that convert the mundane into the holy. We see this same principle in this week’s parashah. This week, we read Parashat Vayakhel, which details the construction of the Mishkan. Among the vessels described is the kiyor—the laver used by the kohanim to wash before performing their sacred duties. The Torah first introduces the kiyor in Parashat Ki Tisa: (יז) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (יח) וְעָשִׂ֜יתָ כִּיּ֥וֹר נְחֹ֛שֶׁת וְכַנּ֥וֹ נְחֹ֖שֶׁת לְרָחְצָ֑ה וְנָתַתָּ֣ אֹת֗וֹ בֵּֽין־אֹ֤הֶל מוֹעֵד֙ וּבֵ֣ין הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ וְנָתַתָּ֥ שָׁ֖מָּה מָֽיִם׃ (יט) וְרָחֲצ֛וּ אַהֲרֹ֥ן וּבָנָ֖יו מִמֶּ֑נּוּ אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֖ם וְאֶת־רַגְלֵיהֶֽם׃ (כ) בְּבֹאָ֞ם אֶל־אֹ֧הֶל מוֹעֵ֛ד יִרְחֲצוּ־מַ֖יִם וְלֹ֣א יָמֻ֑תוּ א֣וֹ בְגִשְׁתָּ֤ם אֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ לְשָׁרֵ֔ת לְהַקְטִ֥יר אִשֶּׁ֖ה לַֽיהוָֽה׃  “Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying: Make a laver of copper and its base of copper, for washing, and place it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar. Put water in it. Aharon and his sons shall wash their hands and feet from it. When they enter the Tent of Meeting, they shall wash with water so that they do not die, or when they approach the altar to serve, to burn a fire-offering to Hashem” (Exodus 30:17-20). Later, at the end of Vayakhel, the Torah specifies the material used for the kiyor: וַיַּ֗עַשׂ אֵ֚ת הַכִּיּ֣וֹר נְחֹ֔שֶׁת וְאֵ֖ת כַּנּ֣וֹ נְחֹ֑שֶׁת בְּמַרְאֹת֙ הַצֹּ֣בְאֹ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֣ר צָֽבְא֔וּ פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד “He made the laver of copper and its base of copper, from the mirrors of the women who massed at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting” (Exodus 38:8). It is striking that the Torah specifies the source of the copper for the kiyor, a detail not mentioned for other Mishkan vessels. These mirrors, rather than being an ordinary donation, carried deep symbolic significance. The Significance of the Mirrors In ancient times, mirrors were not made of glass but of polished metal, typically copper, silver, or bronze, worked into a reflective surface. Mirrors have long been associated with beauty and self-admiration, raising an important question: Why would objects symbolizing vanity be used to construct a vessel for spiritual purification? Rashi, quoting the Midrash, provides a powerful explanation. He notes that Moshe initially hesitated to accept the mirrors, seeing them as instruments of the yetzer hara (inclination toward desire). However, Hashem instructed him otherwise: “Accept them, for they are more beloved to Me than anything else. Through these mirrors, the women of Israel ensured the continuation of the nation in Egypt. When their husbands were exhausted from grueling labor, the women would bring them food and drink, and using these mirrors, they would endear themselves to their husbands, rekindling their affection. As a result, they bore many children and strengthened the Jewish people.” These mirrors, once symbols of personal adornment, were transformed into tools of devotion, unity, and perseverance. Because of their role in sustaining Klal Yisrael, they were deemed worthy of being repurposed for the kiyor, a vessel that prepared the kohanim for avodat Hashem. Elevating the Mundane This story teaches us a profound lesson: even the most seemingly superficial objects can be sanctified and given deeper meaning. The mirrors, originally used for personal beauty, became a means of preserving Jewish continuity and ultimately became part of the Mishkan. Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky illustrates this concept with a personal story about his grandfather, Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky. After my grandfather, Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky, of blessed memory, had officially retired from his position as Rosh Yeshiva of Mesivta Torah Voda’ath and had moved to Monsey, New York, he still remained very active not only in the needs of Klal Yisrael as a whole but in discussing Torah with almost any student of Torah who would cross his threshold. One afternoon a young scholar came to speak to my grandfather and share his novella on the Talmud with him. As he sat at the table and was about to begin sharing his self-concocted discourse, my grandmother entered the room with a freshly baked piece of cake for my grandfather and the guest. Before my grandfather had a chance to thank the Rebbitzin, the young man, obviously steeped in his own thoughts, flippantly discarded her generous offering. “Tha

This class was given in the morning. Some of the introductions given list night are eliminated as they are familiar with them in this class. Additionally, some things were added. 

 “Where is Moshe?” Tetzaveh  We will divide the class into four parts   Each will take us deeper into the perasha   1. We will begin by focusing on the power of speech and how words create spiritual realities.  2. If in fact words create reality, how does that relate to tefilah and my words?   3. Peeling away the top layer – Why is Moshe’s name missing ?  4. Peeling away some more layers – What is the Tikun – the repair in Moshe’s name missing?    Final Takeaways – What Do We Walk Away With? Through our journey in Parashat Tetzaveh, we uncovered deep layers of meaning—how words create reality, the power of tefillah, the hidden presence of Moshe, and the ultimate tikun (repair) in his name being omitted. Now, let’s bring it home.  1. Speech is Power—Use it Wisely.  o Our words are not just sounds; they shape the world.  o Whether it’s Moshe’s plea (“erase me from Your book”), Yaakov’s curse, or the Spies’ negative report, we see again and again that words have real consequences.  o We must ask: What world are we creating with our speech? Are we building or destroying?  2. Tefillah Works—Even When We Don’t See It.  o We learned that every prayer is heard—whether answered immediately, saved for the right time (like Moshe’s 515 prayers unlocking Esther’s salvation), or redirected in ways we don’t understand.  o If Chizkiyahu could overturn a decree of death, and if a simple salesman’s prayer could override the nation’s needs, imagine what our tefillot can do.  3. Hashem is Present—Even When Hidden.  o Moshe’s absence in Tetzaveh reminds us that hidden does not mean gone.  o Just like Hashem’s name is missing in Megillat Esther, Moshe’s name is missing here—but his presence is deeply felt.  o In life, we don’t always see Hashem’s hand clearly, but He is guiding everything behind the scenes.  4. Moshe’s Name Missing is Not a Punishment—It’s the Ultimate Praise.  o We saw how Moshe was a tikun (rectification) for Noach, who remained passive during the Flood.  o Noach accepted the decree; Moshe fought for his people, even at the cost of his own existence.  o By omitting Moshe’s name in Tetzaveh, the Torah highlights that he wasn’t erased—he transcended self.  5. The Greatest Legacy is to Share Torah.  o Noach kept his knowledge to himself, but Moshe taught, led, and fought for his people.  o Torah is meant to be given over, like olive oil that lights the Menorah.  o What we learn, we must share. Whether through words, actions, orinspiration, we are part of the chain.  Bringing It into Our Lives   Are we mindful of the power of our speech?  Do we pray with the belief that every tefillah matters?  Do we see Hashem’s hand, even when it seems hidden?  Do we fight for others, or do we stay silent like Noach?  Are we passing on Torah, or are we keeping it to ourselves?  

 The Heart Before the Wisdom – TESAVEH :   Understanding “חכמי לב” and “רוח חכמה”  Why the Double Language?     In Shemot 28:3, Hashem commands Moshe:     “וְאַתָּ֗ה תְּדַבֵּר֙ אֶל־כׇּל־חַכְמֵי־לֵ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִלֵּאתִ֖יור֣וּחַ חׇכְמָ֑ה…”  “You shall speak to all the wise-hearted, whom I have filledwith a spirit of wisdom…”     The phrasing is curious. If Hashem is filling them withwisdom, why are they already called “wise-hearted” (חכמי לב)” beforehand? Andif they are already wise-hearted, what does Hashem’s filling add?     This suggests a process: wisdom doesn’t appear out ofnowhere—it must begin with something inside the person. What does that teach usabout how we acquire wisdom?     The Malbim makes a crucial distinction:   • A chacham (wise person) followswisdom, but still struggles with his yetzer hara.   • A chacham lev (wise-heartedperson) has fully internalized wisdom, so there is no inner conflict—his wisdomfills his entire being.     The Torah is teaching that Hashem does not simply grantwisdom randomly. First, a person must be a chacham lev—someone whose heart isalready oriented toward wisdom. Only then does Hashem grant an even deeperruach chachmah—a divine spirit of wisdom.     Rabbeinu Bachya reinforces this idea:   • The artisans making the garmentsweren’t just craftsmen; they needed deep kavanah (intentionality).   • If their hearts weren’t alreadyattuned to the sacred purpose of the garments, no amount of technical skillwould be enough.     This is why Ohr HaChaim emphasizes Moshe’s personalinvolvement. He had to handpick those whose hearts already had wisdom becausetechnical ability wasn’t enough—there had to be devotion and understanding.     To understand this deeper, let’s look at a powerful storyfrom the Dubno Maggid as told over by Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky      Once, the Maggid was giving an inspiring sermon, filled withwisdom and passion. Among the listeners were a few maskilim (members of theEnlightenment movement), who were unmoved by his words.     After the speech, one of them approached him mockingly.  “Rabbi, the sages say that ‘words from the heart enter theheart.’ You clearly spoke from your heart—so why didn’t your words affect me atall?”     The Dubno Maggid smiled and answered with a parable:      Asimple man once visited a blacksmith and saw him using a large bellows. Withjust a few squeezes, the flames roared higher and hotter. The man was amazed.“This tool can make a fire instantly!” he thought.      He ranto buy a bellows for himself, excited to create a roaring fire at home. Thatnight, he set up some logs in his fireplace and pumped the bellows with all hismight—but nothing happened. The logs remained cold and lifeless.      Frustrated,he returned to the blacksmith and shouted, “This thing doesn’t work! My firenever started!”      Theblacksmith laughed. “You fool! A bellows can only fan a fire—it can’t createone. If there’s no spark, all the blowing in the world won’t help!”     The Maggid turned back to the maskil and said: “If there’sno spark in the heart, even the strongest words won’t ignite anything.”        This is exactly what the Torah is teaching us about wisdom.   • Hashem fills people with ruachchachmah—but only if they are already chachmei lev.   • Wisdom doesn’t begin with divineinspiration; it begins with a spark, a passion, a desire to learn.   • Once that exists, Hashem fans theflames, filling a person with a higher, divine wisdom.        This idea perfectly aligns with the Gemara’s principle:     “לעולם יעסוק אדם בתורה ובמצוות אפילו שלא לשמה, שמתוך שלא לשמהבא לשמה.”  “A person should always engage in Torah and mitzvot, even ifnot for the purest reasons, because through doing so, he will ultimately reachpure intentions.” (Pesachim 50b)     Hashem doesn’t demand perfection from the start. He looksfor those who begin the process—those who make the effort even before theyfully feel it.   • If a person waits for inspirationbefore engaging in Torah or avodat Hashem, they may never start.   • But if they take the firststep—even if their heart isn’t fully engaged yet—Hashem will fill them with aruach chachmah over time.   • Just like the Chachmei Lev had afoundation of wisdom before Hashem filled them with even greater wisdom, wemust create the beginning of wisdom through action, even if it’s initially “lolishma.”     Rabbi Abittan often quoted The Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 16)which teaches:     “אחרי הפעולות נמשכים הלבבות.”  “The heart fo

 Kavana & Meditation on the Permutation of Hashem's Name for Adar (ההיו)  Remember Adar is the time when we increase our joy  It is also said to be a lucky month   In Adar we celebrate Purim   The sign of Adar is Pices The permutation of Hashem’s Name for the month of Adar is ההיו (Heh, Heh, Yud, Vav), derived from the final letters of the words עִירֹ֔ה וְלַשֹּׂרֵקָ֖ה בְּנִ֣י אֲתֹנ֑וֹ(Bereishit 49:11).   

 In Parshat Mishpatim, the Torah presents us with a profound duality regarding healing. On one hand, we read in Exodus 21:18–19 that when a person is injured, not only must the perpetrator compensate for the loss of work and the cost of a doctor’scare, but the verse concludes with the phrase “וְרַפֹּ֥א יְרַפֵּֽא” (“and he shall heal”).   Two weeks ago we read in BeShalach 15:26, Hashem Himself declares, “כי אני ה’רופאך”  “For I am Hashem, your Healer.” (Its interesting that we end the Aliyah in each Perasha with those words)    These two declarations are not redundant; they reveal two distinct modalities of healing. The Torah grants human physicians’ explicit permission to heal, while at the same time assuring us that ultimate, complete healing comes only from Hashem. In today’sclass we will explore these themes in depth. We will consider the subtle linguistic nuances—such as the difference between dotted and undotted letters in the Hebrew word for healing—and examine the mystical significance of the 27 letters of our holy alphabet. We will also incorporate the visionary insights of Rav Kook regarding human effort, Divine mercy, and the central role of Shabbat in restoring the cosmic order.  

The Garbage Truck Miracle – R’ Paysach Krohn - As retold ED  In my neighborhood of Kew Gardens, New York, there was a terrible snowstorm just before Purim. The roads were blocked, sanitation services weren’t running, and for days, the garbage wasn’t picked up. A few nights after Purim, at 2:00 in the morning, Rabbi Kalman Epstein—a brilliant Torah scholar—was awake learning when he suddenly heard the sound of a garbage truck outside. Seeing his kitchen filled with black garbage bags, he grabbed them and ran outside. As he handed the bags to one of the sanitation workers, the man looked at him and asked, “Excuse me, sir, are you a rabbi?” Rabbi Epstein was taken aback. That was the last thing he expected from a sanitation worker at 2:00 in the morning. “Yes, I am,” he answered. “Rabbi, can I ask you a question?” Rabbi Epstein nodded, curious about what was coming next. The man sighed deeply. “My mother passed away a few hours ago. She wasn’t religious, and neither are my siblings. They want to cremate her. But I know she wouldn’t have wanted that. She wasn’t observant, but she always lit Shabbat candles. We didn’t always keep kosher, we didn’t always keep Shabbat, but I know she would have wanted a Jewish burial.” His voice broke. “Rabbi, what should I do? I haven’t even told my siblings yet.” Rabbi Epstein, wise and quick-thinking, said, “Listen to me carefully. It’s 2:00 in the morning. At 9:00 AM, call a Jewish funeral home. Tell them your mother passed away and arrange for the burial. Once everything is in place, call your siblings and tell them, ‘Mom passed away, and the funeral is set for 2:00 PM this afternoon.’ If everything is already arranged, they won’t argue.” The man followed his advice. Later that day, at 1:00 PM, he called Rabbi Epstein. “Rabbi, you’re a genius! I did exactly what you said. I called the funeral home, arranged everything, and then told my siblings. They didn’t resist—they just showed up at 2:00 for the funeral. Thank you so much.” Rabbi Epstein said, “I’m happy it worked out.” But the man hesitated. “Rabbi… I have to ask you for one more favor. You’re the only rabbi I know. Would you come and say a few words at my mother’s funeral?” Rabbi Epstein had never met this woman. He hadn’t even known of her existence until the night before. But he was a tzaddik, so he agreed. “People Reap in Death What They Sow in Life” At the funeral, Rabbi Epstein spoke with deep emotion. “People reap in death what they sow in life. This woman, though not fully observant, had a connection to Hashem. She lit Shabbat candles. That small act was her bridge to Judaism. And so, Hashem ensured that she merited a proper Jewish burial.” Afterward, Rabbi Epstein went home. The burial took place elsewhere. That was the end of it—or so he thought. The next day, he had to be in Lakewood. The man, Theodore, lived far out in Suffolk County—160 miles from where Rabbi Epstein was. Despite the distance, Rabbi Epstein made the long journey just to visit him and offer comfort. He tried to follow up with him afterward, but Theodore never returned his calls. Then, two weeks later, Rabbi Epstein once again heard the garbage truck outside in the middle of the night. He ran outside and asked the workers, “Is Theodore here today?” They looked at him, confused. “Who’s Theodore?” “What do you mean? He was here two weeks ago, at 2:00 AM.” One of the workers replied, “Rabbi, Theodore never works here. He’s based in Suffolk County—80 miles from here. That night was the only time he ever worked in the city. We were short-staffed because of the snowstorm, so they sent in extra hands. But he’s never been here before.” Rabbi Epstein was stunned. The entire sequence of events—the timing, the snowstorm, the uncollected garbage, the extra shift—was all orchestrated by Hashem so that this woman would receive the burial she deserved. Midah K’neged Midah—A Connection Through Fire I loved this story. The hashgacha pratis, the divine orchestration, was breathtaking. That summer, I shared it at Camp Monk, where my rebbe, Rabbi David Cohen, was in attendance. Afterward, Rabbi Cohen approached me. “Paysach,” he said, “this story is much deeper than just hashgacha pratis. Think about it—what’s the essence of the story?” I thought for a moment. “It’s about Hashem guiding events to give her a proper Jewish burial,” I said. Rabbi Cohen shook his head. “It’s much more than that. Tell me—how did this woman connect to Hashem?” “Through lighting Shabbat candles.” He nodded. “Exactly. She made a connection to Hashem through fire. And in return, Hashem made sure that the fire of cremation did not harm her. Midah k’neged midah.” I got chills when he said that. Even now, as I retell this story, I feel it again. Hashem repays every act, every mitzvah, measure for measure. A woman who lit candles to bring the holiness of Shabbat into her home was spared from the flames of destruction. That is Hashem’s justice. That is His love. And that is the power of

 EDITORSNOTES One of the most significant contributors in assisting mein learning how to deliver a speech or lecture was Rabbi Paysach Krohn, thewell-known fifth generation Mohel and modern-day Maggid and author. Rabbi Krohnimpressed upon me the importance of story telling in sharing ideas and gettingthem to stick. Often someone who hears a story will give over the story withits message and that’s the first step in lilmod ulelamed, in our requirement tolearn and teach. Stories with their emotional hook touch our hearts and oursouls and encourage us to ponder their life lessons. My father z’l, would tellover his grandmother’s memories of sitting in the great synagogue in Baghdadfor hours at a time on Shabbat day hearing Rav Yosef Haim, the Ben Ish Chaideliver his derasha which often ran three hours and by weaving in anecdotes andstories he held onto the attention of a crowd of countless men, women andchildren.     Whenever I hear a good story, I take the time to writeit down and file it away for use later on. And often the act of writing it outhelps me to remember it.  Each winter Shabbat, during lunch and before we praymincha gedolah, I have the opportunity to give an hour-long class. I typicallyprint out notes on Friday afternoon and prepare the class in my mind on Fridaynight. This past Friday night I had prepared a class on Har Sinai and thecontrast with Har Sabor and Har Carmel based on the teachings of the ShvileiPinchas and on notes from Rabbi Yosef Farhi. But as we read the Torah thatmorning, I looked at the crowd which included a group of ninth graders on aShabbaton that weekend and reconsidered. I instead recalled a five minute talkgiven the day before by my friend Rabbi Ariel Mizrahi on jealousy, pulled somevolumes of the Talmud, the Ben Ish Chai and Ohr HaChaim on the Perasha and withHashem’s help wove it into an hour long class with the help of stories and B’H,the kahal was very involved and pleased. The secret was in the stories.       This morning I hear Rabbi Paysach Krohn tell a storywhich he heard from Rabbi Chanoch Ehrentreu z’sl. Rabbi Ehrentreu who passedaway a few months ago, served for many years as the Av Bet Din, the head of theLondon Bet Din in Great Britain. The Rabbi was a leading authority in all areasof Jewish law, with particular expertise in the fields of Medical Ethics,Conversions and Kashrut. After hearing the story, I played it again and wroteit down. In the story he mentioned a number of Rabbis and as I did not knowthem, I googled each to get a better understanding of the players.      But as often happens, when googling the players, Hashemdirects me to a link where the story I just spent time writing down is told inmore detail and that’s exactly what happened this morning.  And I would like to share it with you. I also liked thestory as it has to do with Telz and our synagogue through one of its mostimportant families, grandchildren of Rav Mordechai Gifter, z’sl, form RoshYeshiva of Telz in Cleveland, has a direct connection with this ancientLithuanian town.       Last night I spoke about Mishpatim being the portion ofbring the world into balance. We see the symbol of judgement as the scale. TheZohar for Mishpatim focuses on the concept of reincarnation and if you havetime to listen to the class, one can see that the goal of gilgulim seems to beto bring people, souls and creating into balance. Rabbi Abittan would often saythat it’s not necessary to rely on a gilgul to accomplish this, its part of ourevery day lives. Unfortunately, being within the painting doesn’t allow us tostep back and see the entire painting although we are sometimes given aglimpse. It’s these hints that should build our Emunah and bitachon, our faithand trust reminding us that Hashem is guiding our lives always.    So with respect to Rabbi Krohn, here is the much longerversion of the story as told by Rabbi Hanoch Teller.    SOMEONEonce observed that in the yeshivah of Telz,[1] the concept of“adequate” was anathema to the students. To the connoisseur, adequacy isinsulting.    This lofty standard was not unique to the yeshivah, founded in1875. It pervaded that famous Lithuanian town where fear of Heaven wascardinal, chessed was the breath of life and Torah study was…everything. After the turn of the century, the Jews in the majorityof European towns -- even those with a dominant Jewish population -- wereirreligious and often anti-religious in outlook and practice. But Telz was a“college town” whose central focus was the yeshivah. Rabbi Akiva Eigercommented about the Telzers, “Even the wagon drivers are as full of Torah as apomegranate is of seeds.”    ONETelzer wagon driver considered the possibility of the venerable RoshYeshivah stumbling late at night through Telz’s dark alleys soappalling that he insisted on sleeping on the bench where the RoshYeshivah learned. When the Rosh Yeshivah would a

Resurection of the Dead and Mount Sinai and Why Yitro Arrives 

Datan and Abiram and the splitting of the sea 5779  This Saturdaynight is our dad’s Yahrzeit. It’s hard to believe that it’s been five years. Idrove by the Aventura hospital yesterday and it literally felt like yesterday,pulling in and out of that parking lot at all hours of the day and night, as weall kept him continuous company. On the other hand, we’ve been blessed so muchin these last five years with children, grandchildren, great grandchildren andeven great great grandchildren, ken yirbu, that every minute can be counted. Sowas it yesterday or long ago? Time is so strange.  When the rabbistell us that no one feels the loss of a loved one as much as a spouse, one canreally understand what they meant and see how the loss weighs on that spouseeven after so much time passes. Sitting with my mom on Shabbat, we spoke of mydad. Sixteen hour workdays were not unusual for Joe R Bibi, in fact they werethe norm. Between the office, the factory, the synagogue, the school, thesenior citizen’s center, the Torah center and whatever else came his way, hewas a diligent worker, always there to serve and do for others, and nevercomplained about the work load. It really was a seven day job. He worked withhis head, but also worked with his hands, blessed with the ability to repairand fix so many things. They called him a community leader, but he referred tohimself as a community worker toiling on behalf of the kahal, but tremendouslyblessed for having been given the opportunity. He never shied away from lendinghis shoulder to lighten the burdens of others even when the weight of it all wouldhave crushed a normal person. He often scarified on the altar of service of hisown blood, sweat and tears.    What wasremarkable is that he was a very powerful person, physically and with apresence, but he never demanded from others and he never demanded from us. Henever pressed us into service verbally. He never told us what to do or requiredthat we join this or that. He did set a model of what it was to volunteer andtaught by example. Eventually each of us in our own way followed that exampleand through us my dad truly lives on. It’s heartwarming to hear people dayafter day share their memories of him and of what it was like to work with himand how inspired they were seeing such dedication and self-sacrifice.     On Mondaymorning we were reviewing the reading of the first portion of this week’sPerasha. Many of us are familiar with the verse which tells us that theChildren of Israel went out chamushim which we see also in the book of Joshuameans that they were armed. Many of us are also familiar with Rashi who quotesthat this word indicates a fifth; and that is only a fifth of the people leftEgypt. Four fifth who didn’t want to leave lost their lives during the plagueof darkness. Now although some commentaries vehemently disagree with this, wecan certainly understand why many didn’t want to leave and often expressed adesire to return.    With Egyptdecimated, the people realized that there was a country filled with resourcesand supported by the Nile which was ripe for taking over. Crossing into Canaanwas beyond their wildest dreams. How does one find water, food and shelter fortwo million people? Why search for a new land, when they had a land they knewfor the previous two centuries and which could be theirs for the taking?     And if we couldimagine leaving anyone behind, who would we leave? Who were the worst two guysfrom the moment Moses first encountered them beating on each other before hehad to flee to Midian? Who were the two who caused trouble time and again inthe desert? Who were the brothers behind each rebellion? And who in factremained behind in Egypt with Pharaoh in the palace while their brothersmarched out of Egypt and sat at the edge of the Red Sea? They were none otherthan Edward G Robinson and Frank DeKova – I mean Datan and Abiram!     Week after weekand year after year, in enlightening shiurim, Rabbi Pinchas Friedman, mayHashem bless him, forces us to look atwhat we think we know with very different eyes.     We see thatafter the nation has departed Egypt and made a U Turn in the desert, The Torahquotes Pharaoh 14:3 as saying to “ Bnei Yisrael, ‘They are confined in theland; they are closed in by the midbar.” The question is how will Pharaoh be able tosay such a thing to Bnei Yisrael after they have already left his realm and hispresence? Targum Yonatan explains that we are being informed that Pharaoh isaddressing members of Bnei Yisrael who remained behind in Egypt, namely Datanand Abiram.    The Machzor BetYisrael for Pesach, presents a fascinating idea in the name of the Midrash.Datan and Abiram originally remained in Mitzrayim with Pharaoh; they were notwith Bnei Yisrael when the sea split for them. Afterwards, however, when theywitnessed the miracle of the splitting of the sea, and how the waters fell backupon the Egyptians, they reg

We'll focus on the two pesukim which detail the ladies playing musical instruments, singing and dancing and explore the spiritual power of their actions against the strongest of negative forces in the world and based on the Shelah HaKadosh, how we in our lives can battle and overcome those forces as well. This class is based primarily on the explanations of the Shvilei Pinchas   וַתִּקַּח֩מִרְיָ֨ם הַנְּבִיאָ֜ה אֲח֧וֹת אַהֲרֹ֛ן אֶת־הַתֹּ֖ף בְּיָדָ֑הּ וַתֵּצֶ֤אןָכׇֽל־הַנָּשִׁים֙ אַחֲרֶ֔יהָ בְּתֻפִּ֖ים וּבִמְחֹלֹֽת׃   Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, picked up a hand-drum, and all the women went out after her in dance with hand-drums.   וַתַּ֥עַן לָהֶ֖ם מִרְיָ֑םשִׁ֤ירוּ לַֽה֙  כִּֽי־גָאֹ֣ה גָּאָ֔ה ס֥וּס וְרֹכְב֖וֹ רָמָ֥הבַיָּֽם׃  And Miriam chanted for them: Sing to HASHEM for He has triumphed gloriously; Horse and driver He has hurled into the sea.   

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בֹּ֖א אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה כִּֽי־אֲנִ֞י הִכְבַּ֤דְתִּי אֶת־לִבּוֹ֙ וְאֶת־לֵ֣ב עֲבָדָ֔יו לְמַ֗עַן שִׁתִ֛י אֹתֹתַ֥י אֵ֖לֶּה בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃ Then יהוה said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh. For I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his courtiers, in order that I may display these My signs among them, וּלְמַ֡עַן תְּסַפֵּר֩ בְּאׇזְנֵ֨י בִנְךָ֜ וּבֶן־בִּנְךָ֗ אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁ֤ר הִתְעַלַּ֙לְתִּי֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וְאֶת־אֹתֹתַ֖י אֲשֶׁר־שַׂ֣מְתִּי בָ֑ם וִֽידַעְתֶּ֖ם כִּי־אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ and that you may recount in the hearing of your child and of your child’s child how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and how I displayed My signs among them—in order that you may know that I am יהוה.” The concept of a hardened heart, influenced by Divine intervention, is grappled with by countless commentators and myriad meforshim. After all, how do we reconcile a Divinely hardened heart with free-will? Rashbam- during all the preceding plagues we do not find that G’d had told Moses that it was He Who had stiffened Pharaoh’s heart. However, since we have reached the stage where Pharaoh himself had said that “G’d is just whereas he and his people are the sinners,” (9,27) and still he had reneged and sinned deliberately, a phenomenon which must have seemed incomprehensible to Moses, G’d explains the psychology behind this, i.e. that it was not as hard to understand, as He Himself had to stiffen Pharaoh’s resolve causing him to renege. ואת לב עבדיו, as we are told in 9,34. Ramban . “The reason I hardened their hearts is that I might set in their midst these signs that I wish to do among them so that the Egyptians will know My power, but not in order that I can punish them more on account of this hardening of heart, and also that you and all Israel should recount during the coming generations the power of My deeds, and you shall know that I am the Eternal, and whatsoever I please, I do in heaven and in earth.” Ohr HaChaim  G'd means that Moses would realise as of now that He had indeed hardened Pharaoh's heart. Even the most obstinate person would have broken down by now if he had experienced what Pharaoh had endured during the last seven plagues.  Only intervention by G'd could have accounted for his continued refusal to let the Israelites depart. G'd did not, of course, interfere outright with Pharaoh's free will; Some explain that Divinity only influenced Pharaoh’s physical resilience, as Hashem did not want to score a definitive knockout in the early rounds.  The way my rabbi explained  Freedom of choice  50/50 As one increases so must the other Guy comes up to you  Knife or gun  Money or your life  Free choice ?  Not really  But what if you were a kung fu master.  Disarm before he knows  Now free choice  He has power  You have equal  The plagues removed free choice  Hardening the heart restored it.  All in all, the natural order was changed, and the imposition on Pharaoh’s free-will rarely occurs to the rest of humanity. What troubles us, however, is the juxtaposition of Hashem’s request that Moshe once again beseech Pharaoh, followed by the words בֹּ֖א אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה כִּֽי־אֲנִ֞י הִכְבַּ֤דְתִּי אֶת־לִבּוֹ֙ , “because I will harden his heart.” Aren’t those two separate thoughts? Shouldn’t the command be “go to Pharaoh because I want him to free My people”? From the word flow it seems that Hashem’s hardening of Pharaoh’s heart was a reason forMoshe to go to Pharaoh. Was it? Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky tells us: Here’s a more dynamic and dramatic way to retell this story verbally, designed to captivate your audience: “Let me tell you a story a friend of mine once shared. Years ago, he visited an amusement park with his family. You know the type—cotton candy in the air, kids running wild, and rides screaming with adrenaline. Among the attractions stood a haunted house. Not your average haunted house, though—this one was legendary. Picture it: pitch black inside, with just enough dim light to catch the gleam of monstrous eyes and grotesque faces. Shadows danced as if they were alive, and eerie sounds echoed from deep within. The kind of place that made your heart pound before you even stepped through the door. Now, outside this terrifying lair, there was a massive warning sign. You know the drill: ‘Not for children under 12.’ ‘Not for those below a certain height.’ ‘Not for anyone with high blood pressure, a weak heart, or, frankly, common sense.’ My friend took one look at that sign and thought, no way was he letting his kids even look at this thing, let alone step inside. But then he saw the line forming. And it wasn’t just any line. No, no. This line was filled with guys who looked like they could chew nails for breakfast—tattooed, leather-jacketed motorcyclists, each one towering at six feet or more, shoulders as wide as the turnstiles. They stood there, arms crossed, waiting to prove they weren’t afraid of anything. And then, in the mid

From Artscroll on the Malbim  https://www.artscroll.com/Books/9781422610732.html?srsltid=AfmBOops6Qu_nLdJTiU056CFe6pJiPNw3W8aSIdf2QAboWwdtbVDAZlY וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ God spoke to Moses and said to him, “I am יהוה. https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.6.2 וָאֵרָ֗א אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֶל־יִצְחָ֥ק וְאֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֖ב בְּאֵ֣ל שַׁדָּ֑י וּשְׁמִ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה לֹ֥א נוֹדַ֖עְתִּי לָהֶֽם׃ I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as El Shaddai, but I did not make Myself known to them by My name יהוה. https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.6.3 Until now every time that Hashem spoke to Moshe, the Torah had stated 'vayomer Elokim, 'and God said.' Here, for the very first time, the Torah uses the phrase 'vayedabeir Elokim,' 'and God spoke.' This shift in language, as will be explained, marks the elevation of Moshe's prophetic level from a level that until this point had been comparable to that of the other prophets.  From now on, however, Moshe's prophetic experience would begin its ascent to the highest possible level, to that of the 'Prophet of Torah,' level forever distinguishing Moshe from all other prophets. Among the differences between 'dibur' ('speaking') and 'amirah' ('saying') is that dibur refers to the act of speaking, especially to speaking at length,' while amirah refers to the mes-sage, oral or otherwise imparted. When the Torah, therefore, states that 'Hashem spoke (va yedabeir) to Moshe saying (leimor)...,' the term 'va'yedabeir' implies that Hashem spoke to Moshe at length, revealing to him all the Torah's kabbalistic secrets and elaborating upon all the halachic particulars that were to comprise the unwritten, oral tradition. See Menachot 29b, wherein Rabbi Akiva is recorded as having derived 'heaps upon heaps' of Torah laws from every jot and crownlike frill atop the letters in the Torah scroll. 'Leimor,' on the other hand, refers to the exact wording of the statements that Moshe would inscribe in the Torah scroll. The verses of the Torah would serve as the amirah containing — in 'shorthand' form — all the vast information conveyed to Moshe through 'dibur.' Much as in English the phrase giving a 'speech' means to converse at length. Understanding the above helps us understand why the phrase 'Hashem spoke to Moshe saying...' is used only in regard to Moshe, and not in regard to any other prophet. Only Moshe, as the Prophet of the Torah, heard 'dibur,' Hashem actually speaking, fully explaining the Torah's mystical, esoteric secrets as well as all of its complex halachic details.  The sole exception, 'And Hashem spoke to Yehoshua saying... (Yehoshua 20:1), does not disprove the rule, because the verses that follow are essentially a repetition of halachos which appear in the Five Books of Moses Communication Amirah is sometimes used in Tanach allegorically, describing for example the nonverbal messages of inanimate objects (e.g., Iyou 38:35; Mishlei 30:16) whereas dibur always refers to actual vocalized speech (Malbim's commentary to Toras Kohanim, Siman 3). Simply put, the phrase 'God spoke to Moshe and said,' is no redundancy. Rather, the verse is pointing out not only what Hashem said to Moshe, but that Hashem said it via 'dibur,' clear and instructive speech. TWO LEVELS OF PROPHECY As we explained in Parashas Vayeitzei, Moshe's elevated level of prophecy is indicated as well in a subtle shift in the verse's verb choice: 'I appeared to Auraham, Yitzchak, and to Yaakou...but My Name, Hashem, was not known to them.' The Zohars contrasts the two verbs used in this verse, 'appearing' as opposed to 'knowing': Hashem 'appeared to them,' a prophetic experience limited by visualization, but 'was not known to them.' Moshe's prophecy, via the 'aspeklaria me'ira,' the 'radiant prism,' brought him to the higher level of knowing, beyond that which any picture can describe. TWO NAMES OF HASHEM Our verse begins by referring to God as 'Elokim' and ends with 'I am Hashem,' which, as the Zohar explains, indicates the elevation of Moshe's prophecy to a new and higher level: The name Elokim signifies God as working within nature through hidden miracles, which had been Hashem' s way of relating to the Jewish People ever since the time of the Patriarchs and until now, The Four-Letter Name of Hashem, the Tetragrammaton, 10 indicates Hashem's essence as totally above and beyond nature, pertorming miracles as novel as the creation of the world itself. This miraculous mode of running altairs was to be Hashem's way of relating to Moshe and to his generation, starting now. Informing Moshe of this new state of affairs served to answer Moshe's question 'why have you done evil to this nation?' (Shemos 5:23). Moshe thought that the redemption from Mitzrayim would come about through hidden miracles in a seemingly natural fashion like the dawning of a new day, and that as such it would arrive and grow gradually. Moshe therefore assumed that his mission to Pharaoh would result in at least some sligh

This week Hashem tells Moshe to inform the B’nai Yisrael, that the good times will soon come. לָכֵ֞ן אֱמֹ֥ר לִבְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָה֒ וְהוֹצֵאתִ֣י אֶתְכֶ֗ם מִתַּ֙חַת֙ סִבְלֹ֣ת מִצְרַ֔יִם וְהִצַּלְתִּ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵעֲבֹדָתָ֑ם וְגָאַלְתִּ֤י אֶתְכֶם֙ בִּזְר֣וֹעַ נְטוּיָ֔ה וּבִשְׁפָטִ֖ים גְּדֹלִֽים׃ Say, therefore, to the Israelite people: I am יהוה. I will free you from the labors of the Egyptians and deliver you from their bondage. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and through extraordinary chastisements. https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.6.6 וְלָקַחְתִּ֨י אֶתְכֶ֥ם לִי֙ לְעָ֔ם וְהָיִ֥יתִי לָכֶ֖ם לֵֽאלֹהִ֑ים וִֽידַעְתֶּ֗ם כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹ֣הֵיכֶ֔ם הַמּוֹצִ֣יא אֶתְכֶ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת סִבְל֥וֹת מִצְרָֽיִם׃ And I will take you to be My people, and I will be your God. And you shall know that I, יהוה, am your God who freed you from the labors of the Egyptians. https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.6.7 וְהֵבֵאתִ֤י אֶתְכֶם֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָשָׂ֙אתִי֙ אֶת־יָדִ֔י לָתֵ֣ת אֹתָ֔הּ לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם לְיִצְחָ֖ק וּֽלְיַעֲקֹ֑ב וְנָתַתִּ֨י אֹתָ֥הּ לָכֶ֛ם מוֹרָשָׁ֖ה אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you for a possession, I יהוה.” https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.6.8 It did not mean much. “ וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר מֹשֶׁ֛ה כֵּ֖ן אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹ֤א שָֽׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה מִקֹּ֣צֶר ר֔וּחַ וּמֵעֲבֹדָ֖ה קָשָֽׁה׃ {פ} But when Moses told this to the Israelites, they would not listen to Moses, their spirits crushed by cruel bondage. https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.6.9 Next Hashem tells Moshe to tell Pharaoh to let the Jews out. Moshe responds with a reply filled with deductive reasoning. “ וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר מֹשֶׁ֔ה לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר הֵ֤ן בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֹֽא־שָׁמְע֣וּ אֵלַ֔י וְאֵיךְ֙ יִשְׁמָעֵ֣נִי פַרְעֹ֔ה וַאֲנִ֖י עֲרַ֥ל שְׂפָתָֽיִם׃ {פ} But Moses appealed to יהוה, saying, “The Israelites would not listen to me; how then should Pharaoh heed me, me—who gets tongue-tied!” https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.6.12 Our sages explain  See Rashi quoting (Genesis Rabbah 92:7). that this is on of ten “kal v’chomer” instances in the Torah. It is an example of reasoning used to logically come to halachic conclusions. ( eg. If a weightlifter can not lift the stone, surely a child can not!) The problem is, that the reasoning seems flawed. “The Children of Israel did not listen toMoshe from shortness of breath and hard work. ”  Although the Siftei hahamim give a detailed explanation I would like to share what I saw from Rav Mordechai Kamenetzky asks  Pharaoh did not suffer from either of those shortcomings! If the weightlifter with a broken back, can’t lift a stone, it plays no role in telling us whether or not a child can.) So what was Moshe’s logical refutation to G-d’s command? Yesterday 23 Teves, was the Yahrzeit the great Gaon, Rabbi Mordechai Gifter z”l. The Rabbi was the great father of a close friend of mine and when her son asks me halachic questions I often ask him what would your great grandfather say.  As a student at the Telshe Yeshiva in Europe he developed a strong relationship with one Europe’s foremost scholars of that era, Rav Mordechai Pogramanski z”l. He used to relate on a story Rav Pogramanski would share with his students. A disheveled man was touring the Louvre with a group of tourists. As they passed Rembrandt’s works the man looked at everyone and yelled, “Sour milk!” Puzzled, everyone thought he was crazy. He repeated it again. “It looks like sour milk!” They moved on and passed the Mona Lisa. Again he screamed, Sour milk!” This went on a few more times until a wise man looked at the fellow. “Let me see your glasses.” The critical man gave them to him. “What did you have for breakfast?” he asked. “Why cereal and milk,” he answered. The wise man laughed. Look at your glasses! They are speckled with milk! No wonder everything you look at appears as sour milk! Moshe knew that Jews inherently believe. However the suffering of hard work and the evil treatment of Egyptian masters tainted their faith.  But hard work alone does not taint faith. It is only when it is exasperated by the torment of the taskmasters, and their cruel taunts. How much more so, he figured, would Pharaoh be inattentive of the command thatHashem is in charge, and the Jews should be let free.  If hard work stains the thought process, blocking the beauty of Hashem’s word to filter through, how much more so does the idolatry and heresy of Pharaoh impede them from penetrating! We look at Hashem’s creation. We go to synagogue. We hear mussar. We read the prophets. But somehow it does not get through. The words are beautiful. Those who hear them can be inspired.  But so many impediments block our vision and our hearing. Our lifestyles. Our desires. Even our work. If we’d open our eyes we would see so much holiness! But only if their glasses are not tainted with sour milk. זה אחד מעשרה ק'ו שבתורה. רוצה לומר, שאל תאמר דהאי איך ישמענ

Some people simply never learn. For nearly a year, Pharaoh was relentlessly struck by one devastating plague after another, yet he stubbornly refused to let the Jewish people leave Egypt. Time and again, during each plague, he begged Moshe to intervene and put an end to the calamities afflicting his land. Though he made repeated promises to release the Jews, he never truly admitted fault or took responsibility. Each time disaster struck, Pharaoh implored Moshe to stop the suffering—but his stubbornness remained unshaken. וַיִּקְרָ֨א פַרְעֹ֜ה לְמֹשֶׁ֣ה וּֽלְאַהֲרֹ֗ן וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַעְתִּ֣ירוּ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְיָסֵר֙ הַֽצְפַרְדְּעִ֔ים מִמֶּ֖נִּי וּמֵֽעַמִּ֑י וַאֲשַׁלְּחָה֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם וְיִזְבְּח֖וּ לַיהֹוָֽה׃ Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Plead with יהוה to remove the frogs from me and my people, and I will let the people go to sacrifice to Hashem .” Sometimes he would offer unrestricted freedom, only to renege when the plagues ceased. Never, except on one occasion, did Pharaoh admit that G-d was correct and he was corrupt. That exception was the plague of hail. In fact, the plague of hail was so powerful that evenHashem Himself categorized it in a unique way. Moshe quoted Hashem to Pharaoh כִּ֣י ׀ בַּפַּ֣עַם הַזֹּ֗את אֲנִ֨י שֹׁלֵ֜חַ אֶת־כׇּל־מַגֵּפֹתַי֙ אֶֽל־לִבְּךָ֔ וּבַעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ וּבְעַמֶּ֑ךָ בַּעֲב֣וּר תֵּדַ֔ע כִּ֛י אֵ֥ין כָּמֹ֖נִי בְּכׇל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ For this time I will send all My plagues upon your person, and your courtiers, and your people, in order that you may know that there is none like Me in all the world. https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.9.14 Why did Hashem consider the hail a more powerful act than His turning water into blood, or delivering pestilence, or wild animals or frogs?  True, the hail did miraculously contain a fire ensconced in the ice, but all the plagues had miraculous attributes to them. Turning the Nile into blood is not an everyday occurrence either! What characteristic did the hail have to label it “all my plagues?” Even more troubling is Pharaoh’s response. After the plague strikes Egypt  וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח פַּרְעֹ֗ה וַיִּקְרָא֙ לְמֹשֶׁ֣ה וּֽלְאַהֲרֹ֔ן וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֖ם חָטָ֣אתִי הַפָּ֑עַם יְהֹוָה֙ הַצַּדִּ֔יק וַאֲנִ֥י וְעַמִּ֖י הָרְשָׁעִֽים׃ Thereupon Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron and said to them, “I stand guilty this time. Hashem is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.9.27 What caused Pharaoh to utter those submissive words at this particular time? Didn’t he already see blood, frogs, pestilence, boils, wild animals, and a host of different miraculous misfortunes that befell his people? What was so special about the fire and ice that fell from the heavens that charred even this man’s cruel temper? Being that I furnish hotels, Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky reminded me of an interesting story.  one of America’s wealthiest and most prominent families during the Gilded Age, was infamous for its internal feuds. William had a contentious relationship with his aunt, Caroline.  Caroline was the reigning queen of New York high society and fiercely protective of her social standing. She maintained the famous “Four Hundred”—a list of New York’s elite families, which she deemed the only ones worth associating with. William’s father, John, was snubbed by Caroline and excluded from her inner circle, which deeply offended William. This feud sowed the seeds of bitterness between William and Caroline. In 1890, William inherited over 100 million dollars, his father’s vast fortune, becoming one of the wealthiest men in America. However, his disdain for Caroline and his general frustration with American society led him to relocate to England, where he became a British citizen and later a peer, earning the title Viscount. Before leaving New York, William sought a way to spite his aunt. He decided to demolish his family mansion, which stood next to Caroline’s grand residence on Fifth Avenue, and replace it with something that would disrupt her genteel lifestyle. In 1893, William built a Hotel on the site of his former mansion. It was a luxurious, 13-story hotel, towering over Caroline’s home at 350 Fifth Avenue. It had 530 rooms, 350 baths, and a whopping 970 employees. The Hotel catered to the new wealthy elite—industrialists and financiers whom Caroline often dismissed as vulgar “new money.” The hotel was seen as a deliberate affront to Caroline, whose home was now overshadowed by the bustling activity of a high-end hotel. It was an audacious move, as Fifth Avenue was still a residential area at the time. Caroline, never one to back down, responded by encouraging her son, John(William’s cousin), to build his own rival hotel. In 1897, John constructed a Hotel, an equally opulent structure, right next to the cousins. The two buildings stood side by side, separated only by a narrow alleyway, symbolizing the bitter divide between the two branches of the family. Realizing the potential for profit, Williams manager brought the t

 The interaction between manand the **Nachash (serpent)** in the Garden of Eden is a pivotal moment in theTorah that introduces confusion and inconsistency into the world. Here's how itunfolds:     ### **The Temptation**  In Genesis 3, the Nachashtempts Eve to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, despite God'scommand not to do so. The Nachash convinces Eve that eating the fruit will makeher like God, knowing good and evil.     ### **The Consequences**  When Eve eats the fruit andgives some to Adam, they both become aware of their nakedness and feel shame.This marks the introduction of **sin and moral confusion** into the world.Before this event, Adam and Eve lived in a state of innocence and clarity. The yetzerhara (evil inclination) now becomes internalized.      The Talmud and Midrashelaborate on the Nachash's role in introducing confusion. The **yetzer hara**is seen as a force that causes people to rationalize sinful behavior,convincing them that what is wrong is actually right. This inner conflict leadsto inconsistency in thoughts and actions.     In Kabbalistic thought, theNachash represents a cosmic force of chaos and deception. By tempting Eve, theNachash brings about a spiritual dissonance that affects all of humanity,leading to a struggle between good and evil within each person.  I would like to begin wherewe left of last week:     Chava's decision to eat fromthe Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, after being tempted by the Nachash,introduces confusion and moral ambiguity into the world. This act represents amoment of weakness and inconsistency, as she wavers from God's command.     - **Consequences**: Heractions lead to the introduction of sin and the yetzer hara (evil inclination)into humanity, resulting in a lasting struggle between good and evil withineach person.     The rabbis tell us that thisspiritual impurity of the Nachash became a part of her first child Kayin andextends into his prodigy.      As we read last week, Themidwives, Shifrah and Puah, defied Pharaoh's order to kill the Hebrew newborns,showing unwavering commitment to preserving life. Similarly, Batya, Pharaoh'sdaughter, defied her father's decree by rescuing and raising Moses, a Hebrewbaby.     - **Steadfastness**: Thesewomen exemplified moral clarity and steadfastness, choosing to act according totheir principles, even in the face of potential consequences. Their actionswere guided by a strong sense of justice and compassion.     We also mentioned that we seethis moral clarity embodied in Moshe in the first three stories      The Egyptian beating Datan  Datan and Aviram fighting  Rescuing the daughters ofYitro      While Chava's actions broughtabout moral confusion and an internal struggle, the actions of the midwives andBatya brought about clarity and righteousness. They acted with unwaveringcommitment to their beliefs, showcasing the power of steadfastness.     Chava's story reminds us ofthe potential consequences of wavering from moral clarity and succumbing totemptation. It highlights the importance of maintaining steadfastness in ourfaith and actions.     These contrasting narrativesoffer valuable lessons on the significance of consistency, moral clarity, andsteadfastness in our lives.     At the beginning of thismonth, we delved into the kavanot, the thoughts one should have transitioningfrom Kislev to this dark and cold month of Tevet and in attempting to bring thelight of Hanukah into the darkness of Esav’s month and into our lives     This Shabbat we will announceRosh Hodesh Shevat. Shevat is a very powerful month. Shevat is when wecommemorate the Yahrzeit of my Rabbi and my father. Three of my dad’s siblingspassed away in Shevat along with my uncle Hymie Gindi. But Shevat is powerfulas a transition for the Jewish people. Rosh Hodesh is next Thursday.      I recall that we used to sayjust as Tu BeAb breaks the judgement of the summer and brings us into theHoliday season, the same of Rosh Hodesh Shevat which breaks the din of thewinter and brings us into the Pesach Holiday season with something every twoweeks until summer      RH  Tu Bishvat  Rosh Hodesh  Purim or Purim Kattan in leapyear   RH  Pesach   Shevii  RH  Lag BaOmer   We can add Yom HaAtzmaut and   Yom Yerushalayim   RH  And Shavuot through 13th     Understand Rosh ChodeshShevat     We have discussed many timesthat the Kavana   The thought one must have inMUSAF   Each month different      Crucial   Mekadesh Yisrael ve RashaiChodashim  Must visualize Hashems name     And each month we visualize abit differently &n

וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ God spoke to Moses and said to him, “I am יהוה. https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.6.2 וידבר אלהים וגו'. צריך לדעת מה דיבר אלהים. גם הודעת אני ה' אחר שכבר אמר לו למעלה זכרון השם ואמר לו (ג טו) זה שמי לעלם.  וידבר אלוקים אל משה, G'd spoke sternly to Moses, etc. Why did the Torah not tell us what G'd said? Besides, why did G'd refer to Himself as י־ה־ו־ה after He had already told Moses who He was in 3,15? At that time He had added: 'this is My name forever!' Why then did He have to tell Moses at this juncture אני ה׳? https://www.sefaria.org/Or_HaChaim_on_Exodus.6.2.1 אכן להיות שדיבר משה לפני אל נורא ואיום דברים שאינם מהמוסר ובפרט לפני מלך גדול, ודבר זה נמשך לצד שהראה לו פנים צוחקות פנים שמחות הרשומים בשם הוי'ה, לזה הראהו ה' פנים של מורא שהם בחינת הדין הרשומים בשם אלהים, והוא אומרו וידבר אלהים אל משה. ושיעור אומרו וידבר אלהים הוא כי הכתוב יגיד שהיה ה' מדבר כל הדברים האמורים בפרשה בבחינת שם אלהים שהם פנים המפחידים ומרעידים את הנדבר אליו. Inasmuch as Moses had spoken in an unseemly manner in the presence of the Almighty, something that he never would have dared to do if G'd had not previously shown him His smiling face as represented by the attribute י־ה־ו־ה, G'd had to show him a different attribute i.e. אלוקים before answering him in detail. The Torah introduces this chapter (from verse 2) by letting us know that G'd spoke in His capacity as the attribute of Justice, i.e. אלוקים. https://www.sefaria.org/Or_HaChaim_on_Exodus.6.2.2 ואומרו ויאמר אליו אני ה' פירוש על דרך אומרם (ברכות ל':) במקום גילה שם תהא רעדה, נתכוון לומר לו כי הגם כי הראהו מדת הרחמים בדברו עמו לא מפני זה יסיר מסוה הפחד וידבר בלא מורא מלכות שמים, וזה לך האות כי ה' הוא האלהים שהרי הוא מדבר עמו בפנים הנוראים והבן: When G'd appears to make a turnabout at the end of our verse and refers to Himself as the attribute of Mercy this is in line with the principle expressed in Berachot 30 that 'wherever there is גלה, joy in one's relationship with G'd, there must be רעדה, fear or dread, simultaneously.' Although G'd had previously displayed His attribute of Mercy this did not mean that man should not display an appropriate degree of trepidation when facing Him. https://www.sefaria.org/Or_HaChaim_on_Exodus.6.2.3 עוד ירצה על זה הדרך וידבר אלהים פי' דבר אתו משפט ומה הוא המשפט כי טענו טענה הנשמעת ואמר אני ה' פי' איך אתה מייחס לי מדה רעה ב'מ ותאמר אלי למה הרעתה והלא אני ה' ומדתי מדת החסד והרחמים וטוב אני לכל, וכמו שכן אמר הנביא (איכה ג') מפי עליון לא תצא הרעות כי אם הטובות, ומה שאמר שם והטוב הוא על בחינת פרט טוב אחד שהוא להיות אדם צדיק לא יגזור ה' דבר כן אלא ביד כל אדם לבחור בטוב. ותמצא שבכל פעם שיזכיר ה' זכרון תשלום הרע לעושי רשעה ידקדק לומר (ש'א כד) כי מרשעים יצא רשע וכן הוא אומר (ידמי' ב') תיסרך רעתך, (ישעי' ס'ד) ותמוגנו ביד עונינו, (איוב ח׳:ד׳) וישלחם ביד פשעם, מה שאין כן הטוב (תהלים פ'ה) ה' יתן הטוב, (שם קמ'ה) טוב ה' לכל, ומעתה לו יהיה שעברה צרה על ישראל מי יודע אם היו חייבין כן ועונם גרם או לצד הקודם לתשלום גזירת העינוי, או לצד קצת מהם שלא האמינו כראוי וכדומה, והנך רואה כי הזקנים חזרו לאחוריהם ולא הלכו עם משה לפני פרעה כאומרם ז'ל (שמו'ר פ'ה) והקפיד ה' עליהם באופן כי מהם יצא להם דבר זה, ואיך הוציא מפיו דברים נכרים לומר למה הרעתה. Our verse may also be understood thus: וידבר אלוקים, G'd spoke to Moses on matters of justice. Since G'd wanted Moses to know that his argument had been heard and considered, He added: אני השם. The use of this attribute at this juncture is equivalent to G'd asking Moses: 'how could you attribute to Me a negative virtue such as being the originator of harm befalling My people? My outstanding characteristic is the sttribute of חסד, love, mercy, etc.' Even the prophet Jeremiah has already made it plain that evil never originates with G'd (compare Lamentations 3,38: 'Evil does not originate from G'd (but only Good).' The letter ו in front of the word והטוב in the verse in Lamentations refers to the fact that G'd does not interfere if a person wants to be good or evil. These decisions are up to each individual. It is up to man to choose good rather than evil. When you study the Bible you will find that whenever G'd mentions that the wicked are being remembered when they receive their deserts, the Bible underlines that the evil they are being punished for is of their own making. Compare in this respect Samuel I 24,13: 'Wicked deeds come from wicked men.' Jeremiah 2,19: 'Your evil deeds will cause you to be disciplined.' Isaiah 64,6: 'You have made us melt because of our iniquities.' There are many more similar quotations in the Bible. In view of this what gave Moses the right to assume that the Israelites' additional hardships were not due to something they had done themselves? It is also possible that the Israelites had not yet been adequately punished for whatever they had been guilty of prior to Moses' appointment. Perhaps some of the people had even become guilty of lack of faith after Moses had accredited himself as their prophet and leader. Your best proof that

He said to Abram, 'Know with certainty that your children will be strangers in a land which is not theirs — they will serve them, and they will afflict them — four hundred years.' (Bereishis 15:13) The 'Covenant Between the Pieces' between God and Avram demonstrated the power of offerings, brought with proper intent, to keep the Jewish people on the level at which they would deserve to retain control over Eretz Yisrael. The climax of this covenant was God's announcement to Avram that, nonetheless, before his descendants would be able to enter the Land, they would first have to go through a purifying process of exile to bring them up to the necessary level. This would have three distinct stages, each one more difficult than the one before: First, 'Your children will be strangers in a land which is not theirs,' without specific suffering, but subject to the whims of the local rulers. This stage would begin with Yitzchak Avinu himsel, who had strife with the Philistine king and his people, something that never happened to Avraham. The experience of being strangers would take away something of their sense of freedom, prompting them to turn their minds toward awareness of God, since they would perceive the limits of their own power. Next, 'They will serve them.' After the deaths of the sons of Yaakov, the Jews in Egypt began to work for Pharaoh, first willingly as part of a general work tax imposed by the government, and afterward through coercion. Slavery would weaken their tendency to pursue material possessions as an end, and make them more spiritual in that aspect of their themselves. The last stage would be, 'They willaffict them,' this time phrased in terms of what the Egyptians would do to them, since it would be imposed on them involun-tarly. This suffering would help them to conquer the desire for physical pleasures, reaching the level of true sacrifice for God. SEE MALBIM

What does it mean that Yaakov Never Died? Didnt we embalm and bury him? Was that a body double? What does Emet - Truth have to do with immortality?  What is the significance of swearing under the thigh?