5782 Nachas Ruach from the struggle The Parshah begins with Hashem telling Moshe בא אל פרעה and the reason is כי אני הכבדתי את לבו. It’s interesting that Moshe is being told to come to Pharaoh-כי-because Hashem hardened his heart. On the contrary, כי אני הכבדתי את לבו would be more of a reason for him not to go to Pharaoh. But it’s possible to translate the word כי as “even if” like is found in Parshas Ki Sisa 34:9 ילך נא אדני בקרבנו כי עם קשה ערף הוא וסלחת לעוננו ולחטאתנו ונחלתנו that כי there means even if....
Va'era
5782 Humble Beginnings The Parshah begins with a discussion between Moshe and Hashem. Hashem tells Moshe to go to Pharaoh and tell him to let the Jews go and Moshe responds that the Jews have not listened and certainly Pharaoh won’t either. In the middle of this dialogue, the Torah deviates and begins talking about the lineage of the Shevatim beginning with Reuven going down to Moshe and Aharon from Levi....
Shabbos HaGadol
Why HaGadol This Shabbos is called Shabbos HaGadol. The Shulchan Aruch dedicates an entire Siman to this and writes in Siman 430 שבת שלפני הפסח קורין אותו שבת הגדול מפני הנס שנעשה בו. What is the Halachic significance of קורין אותו שבת הגדול? Interestingly, the Chidah writes in his Sefer מחזיק ברכה ס' תל that on a regular Shabbos, people greet each other with שבת שלום ומבורך but on Shabbos HaGadol, the מדקדקים greet each other with שבת הגדול שלום ומבורך....
Mileches U'Machsheves
The following Shiur was given in the Chasidish Kollel in Los Angeles in 5783 (Yiddish)...
V'asu Li Mikdash
The following Shiur was given in Los Angeles at Kollel Merkaz Hatorah 5783...