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כל חלב לד'

All the choice parts for Hashem. (3:16)

Concerning all offerings, all the choicest parts are to be offered to Hashem on the Mizbayach, Altar. Rambam (at the end of Hilchos Isurei Mizbayach) writes that this idea applies to everything across the board: the choicest, the best, is to be designated exclusively for ruchniyos, spirituality. Among the examples that are given is the idea that the shul in which one davens, prays, should be more impressive, fancier than his home. David Hamelech lamented the fact that he lived in a palace made of cedar wood, while the holy Aron, Ark, was ensconced in a tent. It should be…

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“And Hashem said to Moshe, ‘Stretch out you hand over the sea, that the waters will come back upon Egypt.'” (14:26)

It seems unnecessary for Moshe to have stretched out his hand across the waters in order to return the sea to its natural position.  Once the purpose of the miracle had been fulfilled and its effect confirmed, would the waters not have “returned” to their original state on “their own”? Horav Mordechai Gifter, Shlita, derives a remarkable insight from this pasuk.  We have become so accustomed to believing in the concept of “nature” that we fail to realize that teva, nature, is actually a neis, miracle. The natural order of creation and the functioning of the world has license to…

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“You shall not eat any abomination….For you are a holy nation to Hashem, your G-d.” (14:3,21)

The Torah has prohibited particular groups of animals from human consumption. If one studies the various commentaries, it is apparent that one of the aims of the dietary laws is to avoid transferring an animal’s instincts to man via its consumption. Man was originally destined to be vegetarian. It was only after the mabul, flood, when his nature changed, that Hashem granted him permission to eat meat.  Safeguards, however, were determined that would avoid inadvertently strengthening man’s animalistic nature as a result of the consumption of meat. The general principle is that the closer an animal’s nature and habits are…

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“And speak to the rock.” (20:8)

Horav Leib Eiger, z.l., related that when he was a young boy studying with his grandfather, Horav Akiva Eiger, z.l., the  Nesivos, Horav Yaakov, z.l., m’Lissa, once came to visit. It so happened that the Chasam Sofer, z.l., Rav Akiva Eiger’s son-in-law, was also visiting at the time. Rav Akiva Eiger was overjoyed with his distinguished guests. Thus, he asked his rebbetzin to prepare a suitable meal for them. He asked a student from the yeshivah to serve the guests. During the meal, Rav Akiva Eiger asked the Nesivos to honor them with a discourse in Halachah. Rav Yaakov lectured impressively…

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זכור את אשר עשה לך עמלק

Remember what Amalek did to you. (25:17)

It is a positive command to blot out the memory of Amalek mitachas ha’Shomayim, from beneath the Heavens. On a purely cursory level, one would be hard-pressed to explain what it was about the war with Amalek that earned him and his descendants the ignominious title of archenemy of the Jews. It is not as if Amalek drowned Jewish babies (as did the Egyptians), bathed in their blood, and subjected our entire nation to captivity and persecution for over two centuries. He attacked us as we commenced our journey to Eretz Yisrael. Definitely not a good thing, but does it…

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