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5782 This Shabbos marks the last of Dovid Bogupulsky’s wonderful tenure here in our shul. When a person relocates, he must ensure that he is not merely moving on; rather, he is moving forward, using his previous experience and resultant gains to accomplish more and more. This idea is expressed by Moshe (דברים א:ו) as per the מדרש’s interpretation of the statement, “רַב־לָכֶ֥ם שֶׁ֖בֶת בָּהָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה”. Even though בני ישראל were being told to leave הר סיני, they were meant to keep in mind the גדולה and שכר they had attained throughout their Sinai experience....

5782 Celebrating and Embracing Mystery The Parshah begins with the Parah Adumah and says זאת חקת התורה. Rashi says לפי שהשטן ואומות העולם מונין את ישראל לומר מה המצוה הזאת ומה טעם יש בה לפיכך כתב בה חקה גזירה היא מלפני ואין לך רשות להרהר אחריה. Although the way the אפר of the Parah Adumah functions is a חוק, we nevertheless could and should ask why it takes a חוק to remove טומאת מת....

5783 Yahrzeit - Flowers and Fruit The Kiddush this Shabbos was sponsored by Mr. Frank Menlo in honor of his mother, Bluma Bas Reb Ephraim, on her first Yahrzeit. In the Gemara, there is a concept of אם למקרא and אם למסורת. In today’s times, it’s more אם למקרא as people are more learned and they can teach מקרא. But in the olden days, women were primarily the ones who preserved the מסורה, the אם למסורת....

5783 Names Based on Behavior The Parshah begins with a list of the leaders of each שבט and the Pasuk opens with ואלה שמותם. After it lists all the names, the Pasuk repeats and says אלה שמות האנשים אשר שלח משה. What is the Torah coming to teach us by repeating the words אלה שמות האנשים? The purpose of the repetition could be hinting to that which the Gemara Sotah 34b says regarding the names of the מרגלים that these names listed were not really their real names rather they were given על שם the מעשה as the Gemara says אמר רבי יצחק דבר זה מסורת בידינו מאבותינו מרגלים על שם מעשיהם נקראו....

5783 Aufruf The Kiddush was sponsored by the Gutfreund family in honor of the Aufruf of their son. Celebrating an Aufruf this Shabbos is perfect timing because the beginning of the Parshah discusses the Leviim, as the Pasuk says והיו לי הלוים which the Gutfreund family are. But this Chosson happens to be a Bechor as well so he would be special regardless. The wedding will take place this coming week, Parshas Shelach which says היש בה עץ and the Chosson will be marrying the daughter of Rabbi Yehuda Baum (בוים in Yiddish means tree) and we wish them that it should be a בנין עדי עד and a בית נאמן בישראל....