In the Torah scroll, the aleph of the word “וַיִּקְרָא” is written smaller than the other letters. Why? Rashi writes that the word “וַיִּקְרָא” connotes ..
Written by Rabbi Moshe Kormornick
Why did the Torah choose this particular spot to teach us the vital lesson of the little ‘alef’? There are a number of good reasons for that. Firstly, this is not only ..
Written by Rabbi Eliezer Chrysler
Elisha ben Avuya was a great Mishnaic master who infamously turned heretic later in his life. After his demise he was simply known as Acher, other one. There is one episode ..
Written by Rabbi Aryeh Dachs
The word “vayikra”, meaning “He (G-d) called him (Moshe)” indicates the special relationship Moshe had with G-d. But when it came to writing the Torah, in his humility, ..
Written by Rabbi Daniel Leeman
Parashas Vayikra – Act Speedily with the Poor This week’s sedra sees us start the book of Vayikra. Now that the Mishkan is complete (in the previous Parashas ..
Written by Daniel Sandground
Our sages teach us in Pirkei Avot (Ethics of Our Fathers 1:2) that the world continues to exist on the merits of Torah study, avodah, and acts of kindness. Avodah ..
Written by Rafi Jager
Of all the karbanos introduced in this week’s parsha, the only one that does not require the sacrifice of an animal is the karban mincha, an offering of flour ..
Written by Rafi Jager
From a linguistic perspective, the removal of even one letter from a word in Lashon Hakodesh will alter the meaning of that word. The first word of this week’s ..
Written by Eli Gaventa
Rashi [quoting the gemarra] raises a contradiction early on in our sedra (1:3). The pasuk tells us ‘if an olah is his sacrifice…he is to offer it up (‘yakriv ..
Written by d fine