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Illuminations #186, Tevet, 5779, Parshat Vayigash
Illuminations #186, Tevet, 5779, Parshat Vayigash Torah Gems After all the hardships that Yosef caused his brothers he finally admits to them who he is....
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Illuminations #185, Tevet, 5779, Parshat Mikeitz
Illuminations #185, Tevet, 5779, Parshat Mikeitz Torah Gems “Did I not speak unto you saying, ‘Do not sin against the child?'” (Beresheet 42:22)...
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Illuminations #184, Kislev, 5779, Parshat Vayeishev
Illuminations #184, Kislev, 5779, Parshat Vayeishev Torah Gems ‘Reuven heard, and he rescued him from their hand. He said, “We will not strike...
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Illuminations #183, Kislev, 5779, Parshat Vayishlach
Illuminations #183, Kislev, 5779, Parshat Vayishlach Torah Gems The verse states, “Save me please from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Eisav.”...
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Illuminations #182, Kislev, 5779, Parshat Vayetzei
Illuminations #182, Kislev, 5779, Parshat Vayetzei Torah Gems The Torah tells that when Yaakov was ready to lie down to sleep, “He took...
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Illuminations #181, Kislev, 5779, Parshat Toldot
Illuminations #181, Kislev, 5779, Parshat Toldos Torah Gems In this week’s Parsha, Parshat Toldot, we read about the birth of twin boys to Yitzchak and...
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Illuminations #180, Cheshvan, 5779, Parshat Chaya Sarah
Illuminations #180, Cheshvan, 5779, Parshat Chaya Soro Torah Gems In Rav Pam’s will, he requested for his beloved children and precious students who would want to do something for...
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Illuminations #179, Cheshvan, 5779, Parshat Vayeirah
Illuminations #179, Cheshvan, 5779, Parshat Vayeira Torah Gems In the beginning of this week’s Parsha, Avrohom Avinu was visited by three angels. Avraham...
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Illuminations #178, Cheshvan, 5779, Parshat Lech Lecha
Illuminations #178, Cheshvan, 5779, Parshat Lech Lecha Torah Gems Towards the end of the Sidra Hashem promises Avraham that Sarah his wife will...
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Illuminations #177, Cheshvan, 5779, Parshat Noach
Illuminations #177, Cheshvan, 5779, Parshat Noach Torah Gems “These are the generations of Noach. Noach was a completely righteous man in his generation”...
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Illuminations #176, Tishrei, 5779, Parshat Bareishit
Illuminations #176, Tishrei, 5779, Parshat Bareishit Torah Gems When the pesukim describe the purpose of the sun and moon, the Torah first mentions...
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Illuminations #175, Tishrei, 5779, Parshat Ha’azinu
Illuminations #175, Tishrei, 5779, Parshat Ha’azinu Torah Gems “And for the sin that we have sinned before You by showing contempt for parents...
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Illuminations #174, Tishrei, 5779, Parshat Vayeilech
Illuminations #174, Tishrei, 5779, Parshat Vayeilech Torah Gems “And for the sin that we have sinned before You by showing contempt for parents...
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Illuminations #173, Elul, 5778, Parshat Nitzavim
Illuminations #173, Elul, 5778, Parshat Nitzavim Torah Gems Last week’s parasha ended off with all the curses that will befall our nation if we do not follow...
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Illuminations #172, Elul, 5778, Parshat Ki Tavo
Illuminations #172, Elul, 5778, Parshat Ki Tavo Torah Gems When the farmer brought the first fruit to the Bet Hamikdash he was given a prescribed...
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Illuminations #171, Elul, 5778, Parshat Ki Teitzei
Illuminations #171, Elul, 5778, Parshat Ki Teitzei Torah Gems “You shall surely send away the mother bird, and the fledglings take for yourself,...
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Illuminations #170, Tammuz, 5778, Parshat Devorim
Illuminations #170, Tammuz, 5778, Parshat Devorim Torah Gems In this week’s Parshah, we find Moshe Rabbeinu rebuking Klal Yisroel for the sins they committed in the desert, one of...
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Illuminations #169, Tammuz, 5778, Parshat Matot – Masai
Illuminations #169, Tammuz, 5778, Parshat Matot – Masai Torah Gems Two tribes asked Moshe to grant them permission to remain on the east...
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Illuminations #168, Tammuz, 5778, Parshat Pinchos
Illuminations #168, Tammuz, 5778, Parshat Pinchos Torah Gems The passuk in our Parshah tells us that the sons of Korach did not die...
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Illuminations #160, Iyar 5778, Parshat Behar – Bechukotai
Illuminations #160, Iyar 5778, Parshat Behar – Bechukotai Torah Gems The parsha States, “And Hashem spoke to Moshe on Har Sinai, saying: Speak...
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Illuminations #159, Iyar 5778, Parshat Emor
Illuminations #159, Iyar 5778, Parshat Emor Torah Gems “They shall be holy to their God, and they shall not desecrate their God’s Name.” (21:6)...
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Illuminations #158, Iyar 5778, Parshat Acharei Mot-Kedoshim
Illuminations #158, Iyar 5778, Parshat Acharei Mot-Kedoshim Torah Gems Found in Parshas Acharei-Mot is the reading of the Yom Kippur service. “For on this day...
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Illuminations #157, Iyar 5778, Parshat Tazria-Metzora
Illuminations #157, Iyar 5778, Parshat Tazria-Metzora Torah Gems It is an accepted practice among Chazal and the interpreters of the Torah to derive meaning from...
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Illuminations #156, Nissan 5778, Parshat Shemini
Illuminations #156, Nissan 5778, Parshat Shemini Torah Gems “And Aharon was silent” (Vayikra 6:3). Aharon was greatly praised for remaining silent when his...
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Illuminations #155, Nissan 5778, Parshat Tzav
Illuminations #155, Nissan 5778, Parshat Tzav Torah Gems A very great principle is derived from this procedure: “The Cohanim eat and thereby the...
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Illuminations #154, Nissan 5778, Parshat Vayikra
Illuminations #154, Nissan 5778, Parshat Vayikra Torah Gems Sefer Shemos is referred to as Sefer HaGeula, Book of Redemption, since in this sefer we became free people. In his introduction to Sefer Shemos, the Ramban poses the...
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Illuminations #153, Adar 5778, Parshat Vayakhel – Pekudai
Illuminations #153, Adar 5778, Parshat Vayakhel – Pekudai Torah Gems From Moshe’s presence they took the entire gift that the Children of Israel had...
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Illuminations #152, Adar 5778, Parshat Ki Tisoh
Illuminations #152, Adar 5778, Parshat Ki Tisoh Torah Gems Moshe Rabeinu ascended to the Heavens to receive the Torah and remained there for forty...
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Illuminations #151, Adar 5778, Parshat Tetzaveh
Illuminations #151, Adar 5778, Parshat Tetzaveh Torah Gems We learn that the Mishkan was built so that Hashem would have a place to “rest” down here...
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Illuminations #150, Adar 5778, Parshat Terumah
Illuminations #150, Adar 5778, Parshat Terumah Torah Gems There is a beautiful insight from Rav Eliyahu Diskin, shlita. Chazal (Sanhedrin 104b) reveal that the...
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Illuminations #149, Shvat 5778, Parshat Mishpatim
Illuminations #149, Shvat 5778, Parshat Mishpatim Torah Gems The Parashah this week is about the obligation of studying Torah, which also applies to a student who is having difficulty learning....
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Illuminations #148, Shvat 5778, Parshat Yitro
Illuminations #148, Shvat 5778, Parshat Yitro Torah Gems The Parsha States: “Moshe told his father-in-law all that Hashem had done to Pharaoh and to the...
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Illuminations #147, Shvat 5778, Parshat B’shalach
Illuminations #147, Shvat 5778, Parshat B’shalach Torah Gems “Then Moshe and Bnei Yisrael chose to sing...this is my God and I will make a Beis HaMikdash for him” (15:1,2). After experiencing...
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Illuminations #146, Shvat 5778, Parshat Bo
Illuminations #146, Shvat 5778, Parshat Bo Torah Gems This week’s Parsha brings the mitzvah of Tefillin. One of the things we think about when...
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Illuminations #145, Tevet 5778, Parshat Va’eira
Illuminations #145, Tevet 5778, Parshat Va’eira Torah Gems The Pasuk says, “This was the Aaron and Moshe to whom Hashem said, ‘Take the children of Israel out...
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Illuminations #144, Tevet 5778, Parshat Shemot
Illuminations #144, Tevet 5778, Parshat Shemot Torah Gems The Parsha starts off by recounting the names of every one of the original group of...
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Illuminations #143, Tevet 5778, Parshat Vayechi
Illuminations #143, Tevet 5778, Parshat Vayechi Torah Gems Zevulun will dwell on the shores of the sea … Yissachar is a bony donkey that crouches between the...
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Illuminations #142, Tevet 5778, Parshat Vayigash
Illuminations #142, Tevet 5778, Parshat Vayigash Torah Gems What is Bechirah, free will, and how can it be that Hashem lets us have free will, yet everything...
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Illuminations #141, Kislev 5778, Parshat Mikeitz
Illuminations #141, Kislev 5778, Parshat Mikeitz Torah Gems In the Pasuk it says, “It happened at the end of two years to the day and Pharaoh...
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Illuminations #140, Kislev 5778, Parshat Vayeishev
Illuminations #140, Kislev 5778, Parshat Vayeishev Torah Gems In this week’s Parshah,Yaakov sends Yosef to check on his brothers who went out to pasture their flock. The Torah tells us...
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Illuminations #139, Kislev 5778, Parshat Vayishlach
Illuminations #139, Kislev 5778, Parshat Vayishlach Torah Gems Chazal teach that a talmid chacham is allowed to possess an eighth of an eighth of...
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Illuminations #138, Kislev 5778, Parshat Vayeitzei
Illuminations #138, Kislev 5778, Parshat Vayeitzei Torah Gems When Yaakov Avinu came to Charan, he realized he had passed Har HaMoriah (the place where the Akeida was and where the Beis Hamikdash would stand) and had...
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Illuminations #137, Cheshvan 5778, Parshat Toldot
Illuminations #137, Cheshvan 5778, Parshat Toldot Torah Gems The Pasuk says “Now sharpen if you please your gear, your sword, and your bow, and go out...
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Illuminations #136, Cheshvan 5778, Parshat Chayei-Soroh
Illuminations #136, Cheshvan 5778, Parshat Chayei-Soroh Torah Gems The Medrash relates an incident where Rabbi Akiva’s students were losing their focus during the lecture....
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Illuminations #135, Cheshvan 5778, Parshat Vayeira
Illuminations #135, Cheshvan 5778, Parshat Vayeira Torah Gems “Hashem had caused sulfur and fire to rain on Sedom and Amora- by Hashem from Heaven.” The name Hashem signifies divine...
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Illuminations #134, Cheshvan 5778, Parshat Lech-Lecha
Illuminations #134, Cheshvan 5778, Parshat Lech-Lecha Torah Gems In Parchas Lech Lecha we begin the happenings of our Forefathers. The Torah goes to great lengths to relate to...
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Illuminations #133, Cheshvan 5778, Parshat Noach
Illuminations #133, Cheshvan 5778, Parshat Noach Torah Gems Although the first passuk of our parshah starts off by stating that Noach was a tzaddik...
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Illuminations #132, Tishrei 5778, Shabbat Chol Hamoed
Illuminations #132, Tishrei 5778, Shabbat Chol Hamoed Torah Gems The Gemara relates a rather interesting story (Bava Metzia 85a): “There was once a calf...
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Illuminations #131, Tishrei 5778, Shabbat Yom Kippur
Illuminations #131, Tishrei 5778, Shabbat Yom Kippur Torah Gems The Gemara relates a rather interesting story (Bava Metzia 85a): “There was once a calf...
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Illuminations #130, Tishrei 5778, Parshat Ha’azinu
Illuminations #130, Tishrei 5778, Parshat Ha’azinu Torah Gems Chazal relate to us the following penetrating story (Yoma 87a): There was once a butcher who pained...
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Illuminations #129, Elul 5777, Parshat Nitzavim – Vayeilech
Illuminations #129, Elul 5777, Parshat Nitzavim – Vayeilech Torah Gems “See I have placed before you the life and the good and the death and...
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Illuminations #128, Elul 5777, Parshat Ki Tavo
Illuminations #128, Elul 5777, Parshat Ki Tavo Torah Gems The simichut-juxtiposition of seemingly unrelated parshiot in the Torah is often explained by Rashi or other meforshim as a hint to a...
