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5781 Luchos Shniyos This week we read the Shirah of Haazinu. Rashi along with others learn that the obligation in the Pasuk ועתה כתבו לכם את השירה הזאת is referring to Shiras Haazinu. But the Gemara in Sanhedrin 21b learns from that Pasuk the obligation of כתיבה ספר תורה which would seem to mean that השירה הזאת in the Pasuk is referring to כל התורה כולה. The Rambam manages to explain both that really the Shirah in the Pasuk refers to Haazinu, it’s just that one can’t write פרשיות פרשיות and therefore one is required to write the whole Torah so ממילא we see that there is a Mitzvah to write the whole Torah....

Have Mercy and Be Happy with us We say in the davening on Rosh Hashanah ותשמח במעשיך חמול על מעשיך that Hashem should have compassion and mercy on us and that Hashem should be happy with us. These two statements seem to be a contradiction. We begin saying that we are unworthy when we ask חמול על מעשיך but then we immediately say ותשמח במעשיך to be happy with us, which sounds like we are claiming to be worthy and good people?...

5782 Like Grain and a Grapevine In the Haftorah for Shabbos Shuva, the Pasuk says ישבו ישבי בצלו יחיו דגן ויפרחו כגפן-Tranquil will be those who sit in its shade, they will refresh themselves like grain and blossom like the grapevine. The Pasuk refers to someone doing Teshuva as refreshing themselves like grain and blossoming like the grapevine. What is the significance of these two fruits that they are used to describe someone who does Teshuva?...

5781 Celebration for a Birth The Kiddush this week was sponsored by Uriel (A.K.A Grant) Rosenbaum in honor of the birth of his daughter, Michal Nechama. The Minhag to celebrate the birth of child. However one could ask that it’s an odd thing that we celebrate the birth of a child being that בית שמאי and בית הלל had a debate for two and a half years if נח לו לאדם שלא נברא or נח לו לאדם שנברא and they came out that it would be better for man to not have been created....

5781 The Kiddush this Shabbos was sponsored by Reb Aryeh Leib Reich for the upcoming Yahrzeit of his father. Death Gives Meaning The Jewish people tend to give more time to commemorating Yahrzeits than to celebrating births. The reason could be because death is really what qualifies living as the Gemara Brachos 5a says יצר הרע מתגבר עליו יזכיר לו יום המיתה. Remembering that life has an end encourages us us to focus on what’s important....