Rabbi Avi Billet
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In Parshat Ki Seitzei we are told about a man who has two wives, one who is beloved ( ahuva ) and one who is detested ( s’nuah ) (Devarim 21:15). Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch notes that the term … more
Our parsha, Toldot, shares three stories. The first is the background to the birth of Eisav and Yaakov and the sale of the bechora (birthright); the second is in the chapter dedicated to the life of … more
Every year, Shabbos Chayei Sara is accompanied by a special Jewish gathering in Hevron, the “City of the Patriarchs.” The source for this is our parsha, in which we find Avraham … more
I’ve taught a weekly parsha class using “Ha’ktav V’hakabbalah,” the commentary of Rabbi Yaakov Tzvi Mecklenberg. As it doesn’t appear in a typical Chumash, it is … more
The verse in Yeshayahu 54:9 twice contains this curious phrase: “For this is to Me [as] the waters of Noah, as I swore that the waters of Noah shall never again pass over the earth, so have I … more
In describing the Yom Kippur service, the Torah tells us that “with this shall Aharon enter the Holy, with a bull that is ben bakar as a sin offering, and a ram as a burnt offering.” … more
The Torah reading on the first day of Rosh Hashana begins at the point when Sarah is remembered. The Talmud tells us in several places that Sarah and Rachel and Chana were all remembered on Rosh … more
I n our efforts to get closer to G-d in the days leading up to Rosh Hashana, every person employs a different strategy. Some learn the laws of Rosh Hashana, some give more charity, some pray … more
Nechama Leibowitz was fond of teaching her students to find the milah mancha , a shoresh (root noun or verb), word or phrase that appears numerous times in a given section. In Parshat Ki Savo, a … more
In this week’s parsha, Ki Seitzei, the last two verses of Chapter 21 describe a clear case. The corpse of a person executed by the court is to be hanged from a tree for a short period of … more
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