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Rav Yitzchak Elchanan: Words That Come From The Heart

One time the wicked czarist regime issued an edict that threatened dire consequences for the entire Jewish community. In an effort to have this decree rescinded, Rav Yitzchak Elchanan organized a delegation of the most distinguished Jews of Kovna to plead for mercy from the Czar's minister.

Tags: Parsha, Portion of the Week, Prayer, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Spiritual Growth, The Foundation Stone

Avraham ben Mussa: Lishon Harah

The 21st of Adar is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Avraham ben Musa (1660-1733). Born to Rav Shlomo in Tutiuan , Morocco , he moved to Saly , Morocco some time before 1706, and was

Tags: Parsha, Portion of the Week, Prayer, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Spiritual Growth, The Foundation Stone

Haftarah Ki Tisa Part Five

“Obadiah went toward Ahab and told him, so Ahab went toward Elijah.” It doesn't say that Obadiah went to Ahab, but rather that he went toward Ahab. This implies that all Obadiah did was turn in the direction of Ahab but Ahab was there.

Tags: Haftarah, Haftarot, Ki Tisa, Kings, man & man

Haftarah Ki Tisa Part Three

Why did Obadiah think that Ahab would kill him if Elijah disappeared? Would the King not trust his servant that Elijah had appeared only to disappear? After all, Elijah had been successfully hiding for almost 3 years.

Tags: Haftarah, Haftarot, Ki Tisa, Kings, Prophecy

Haftarah Ki Tisa Part Eight

“Elijah said to the people, “I have remained a prophet of God by myself, but the profits of the Baal or 450 men.” We asked why Elijah claims to be the only prophet remaining to God. We also asked why Elijah seems to ignore the prophets

Tags: Good & Evil, Haftarah, Haftarot, Ki Tisa, Kings

Haftarah Ki Tisa Part Six

“Ahab sent among all the children of Israel and he gathered the prophets to Mount Carmel.” Why is it that Ahab "sent among the children of Israel," but he "gathered the prophets to Mount Carmel?" It seems that he only had to send

Tags: Haftarah, Haftarot, Ki Tisa, Kings

Haftarah Ki Tisa Part Four

“Elijah said, 'As God, Master of Legions, lives, before Whom I have stood, today I will appear to him!” Why does Elijah refer to God in this statement as “Master of Legions?” Why does he insert the phrase, “before Whom I have stood?”

Tags: Haftarah, Haftarot, Ki Tisa, Kings, Prophecy

Haftarah Ki Tisa Part Ten

“They took the bull that he gave them and prepared it, and called out in the name of the Baal all from the morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was neither sound nor response, and they danced by the altar that he made.”

Tags: Haftarah, Haftarot, Ki Tisa, Kings, Pesach, Prophecy

Haftarah Ki Tisa Part Nine

“Elijah said to the people, “I have remained a prophet of God by myself, but the prophets of the Baal or 450 men. Let them give us two bulls; let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it, and put it on the wood, but not apply fire; and I will

Tags: Haftarah, Haftarot, Ki Tisa, Kings

Siftei Tzaddik Terumah The Kerashim – The Planks

The 30th of Shevat is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Shmuel Abba of Horedneka [Horodenka] (1895). Son of Rav Baruch of Vishnitz, the Imrei Baruch The town of Horodenka sits on the Dneister River

Tags: Parsha, Portion of the Week, Prayer, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Spiritual Growth, The Foundation Stone

Divrei Shmuel: Yitro

The 19th of Shevat is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Shmuel Weinberg of Slonim, the Divrei Shmuel (1916). Grandson of Rav Avraham of Slonim, the Yesod HaAvodah. He was succeeded

Tags: Parsha, Portion of the Week, Prayer, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Spiritual Growth, The Foundation Stone

Shemen HaMaor: Bo

The 2^nd of Shevat is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Mansour BenSHimon, author of Shemen HaMaor (1998) Know that the “Sword of God” is represented by the letters “Y” “V” (Magen Avraham 473:29)

Tags: Parsha, Portion of the Week, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Spiritual Growth, The Foundation Stone

Rav Hirsch: Shevat II

On the Jewish field, no seed ripens for the owner alone, no Jewish tree blossoms for the proprietor alone. How to achieve spiritual ends with human means, how to ennoble and dedicate

Tags: Parsha, Portion of the Week, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, The Foundation Stone, Tu Bishvat

Tu Bishvat – Day 1

The Kedushat Levi (Likkutim page 477) offers the following thoughts about the month of Shevat: Tu Bi’shevat is the beginning of the preparation for Pesach, which, in turn, is the preparation for the

Tags: Tu Bishvat

Rav Hirsch: Shevat I

In the Jewish land, where the Divine law has full scope, nothing was supposed to germinate or blossom or ripen without bringing the Jew obligations as well as enjoyment. A

Tags: Jewish Holidays, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Shevat, The Foundation Stone, Tu Bishvat

Tu Bishvat – Day 2

Rabbi Tzaddok HaCohen of Lublin: The Book of Creation (Sefer Yetzirah) teaches that the month of Shevat was created with the letter “Tzaddik”. This teaches us that one should focus

Tags: chassidus, Chassidut, Kabbalah, Midrash, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Talmud, The Foundation Stone, Tu Bishvat

Shemot: The Hand that Grew

“And she sent her maidservant.” The literal meaning can be that Pharaoh’s daughter, Bitya, sent her maidservant to lift the basket with Moshe from the Nile. The Pardes Yosef suggests

Tags: Bible, Parsha, Portion of the Week, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, The Foundation Stone

Shemot- Thoughts From The Past

http://blog.thefoundationstone.org/2013/01/07/which-attribute/

Rambam: Shemot: Barriers to Teshuva

Hilchot Teshuva 6:3: A person may commit a great sin or many sins causing the judgment rendered before the True Judge to be that the retribution administered to this transgressor

Tags: Parsha, Portion of the Week, Prayer, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Spiritual Growth, The Foundation Stone

Rambam: Shemot: God’s Speech

The Guide of the Perplexed, Volume I, Chapter 65: When we speak of the Torah being created it is meant to signify that His speech, that is ascribed to Him is created. It was ascribed

Tags: Parsha, Portion of the Week, Prayer, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Spiritual Growth, The Foundation Stone

Dubno Maggid: Shemot II

We differentiate between the righteous who were born with higher souls and those who were not but worked hard to perfect themselves in order to achieve their righteousness.

Tags: Parsha, Portion of the Week, Prayer, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Spiritual Growth, The Foundation Stone

Dubno Maggid: Shemot I

The 17th of Tevet is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Yaakov Krantz, Dubnow Maggid (1741-1804). Born in a province of Vilna, Jacob ben Wolf Kranz showed exceptional homiletical and Kabalistic

Tags: Bible, Parsha, Portion of the Week, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, The Foundation Stone

Rambam: Shemot: Killing the Egyptian

The 20th of Tevet is the Yahrtzeit of Rabbeinu Moshe ben Maimon, the Rambam (1135-1204). Born at Cordova, Spain, the Rambam received his rabbinical instruction at the

Tags: Maimonides, Parsha, Portion of the Week, Prayer, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Rambam, Spiritual Growth, The Foundation Stone

Vayechi-Honoring the Deceased: One

The Sages describe the Mitzvah of escorting and burying the dead as Levaya – which is related to the word Malveh – one who lends money or an object to another. The Malveh – lender – expresses

Tags: Chesed, Escorting the Dead, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, The Foundation Stone, Trust

Vayechi-Jacob’s Farewell-Baruch Shem Kivod Malchuto IV

“And Jacob called his sons, and he said, “Gather and hear.” When Jacob asked them to gather, he was referring to physically gathering. When he asked them to hear, he was addressing

Tags: Mishpatim, Prayer, Shema, Vayechi

Vayechi-Sefer Chasidim: Escorting the Dead 4

When a student dies, one who analyzed and probed the halachic rulings of his rabbi, the rabbi will come to meet him in the World to Come. And so we read in the Talmud, “Ravina Said, “When I

Vayechi-Sefer Chasidim: Escorting the Dead 3

When Abraham wanted to buy a burial place for Sarah, :Abraham accepted Ephron’s terms. Abraham paid out to Ephron the money that he had mentioned in the presence of the children of

Categories

Rav Yitzchak Elchanan: Words That Come From The Heart

Avraham ben Mussa: Lishon Harah

Haftarah Ki Tisa Part Five

Haftarah Ki Tisa Part Three

Haftarah Ki Tisa Part Eight

Haftarah Ki Tisa Part Six

Haftarah Ki Tisa Part Four

Haftarah Ki Tisa Part Ten

Haftarah Ki Tisa Part Nine

Siftei Tzaddik Terumah The Kerashim – The Planks

Divrei Shmuel: Yitro

Shemen HaMaor: Bo

Rav Hirsch: Shevat II

Tu Bishvat – Day 1

Rav Hirsch: Shevat I

Tu Bishvat – Day 2

Shemot: The Hand that Grew

Shemot- Thoughts From The Past

Rambam: Shemot: Barriers to Teshuva

Rambam: Shemot: God’s Speech

Dubno Maggid: Shemot II

Dubno Maggid: Shemot I

Rambam: Shemot: Killing the Egyptian

Vayechi-Honoring the Deceased: One

Vayechi-Jacob’s Farewell-Baruch Shem Kivod Malchuto IV

Vayechi-Sefer Chasidim: Escorting the Dead 4

Vayechi-Sefer Chasidim: Escorting the Dead 3

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