Insight on the ParashaParashat Bereshit
29 Tishrei 5787 · October 10, 2026
In this week’s Parasha we learn that Hashem told Adam and Chava they cannot eat from the Etz Hada’at. However, before Hashem tells them what not to eat from, Hashem tells them they can eat from all the trees in the Garden. What is the need to point out what they are allowed to eat from if it is obvious? If they know what they should not eat from, then obviously everything else is allowed?
Rav Zalman Sorotzkin was once called to a city for a Din Torah. Someone from the city started working in a business that belonged to the city, and the city wanted him to stop. When Rav Zalman came to the city, he found out that the person they were blaming used to be a city worker himself, and they had not paid him for so long that he had to find a different way to make money and support his large family. Rav Zalman used this week’s Parasha to tell them that they treated him wrong: the same way Hashem first told Adam what is allowed, they should have given him a correct way to make a parnassa. Only when there is a clean way for the man to make his parnassa are you allowed to tell him what not to do.
We are learning an important lesson in how to deal with people and especially our children. We must always teach people what is allowed, the positives, and only afterwards give over what is not allowed. When a child understands that so many things are allowed and nice, he can understand and accept how some things are not allowed.
Dedicated l’iluy nishmat Yehuda Ben HaRav Michael a”h
Insight on the ParashaParashat Chukat & Balak
12 Tamuz 5786 · June 27, 2026
In this week’s Parasha we learn about the different donations people had to give from their crops every year. The Torah, when mentioning the gifts, adds that this is the Covenant of Salt that Hashem made with the Kohanim. It seems that the Torah is making a connection between the power of salt and the Terumah and Maasrot that we have to give. What lesson is there for us to take out of this?
Rav Moshe Sternbuch explains that salt has a very special quality: when a person adds salt to their food, it brings out the taste of whatever they are eating. Money on its own does not get a person anything. However, when we take Tzedakah from the money we made and give it to those in need, we are adding flavor to our money.
The Torah is teaching an important lesson in how to really enjoy our money. We think the more we can spend on ourselves the better. However, we have to know that there must be some meaning to the money as well. When we infuse the money with purpose by giving the proper amount of Tzedakah, we are enabling ourselves to get the full flavor out of our money.
Dedicated l’iluy nishmat Yehuda Ben HaRav Michael a”h
Insight on the ParashaParashat Shelach
28 Sivan 5786 · June 13, 2026
In this week’s Parasha we are taught about the Mitzvah of separating Challah from our dough. When the Torah speaks about this Mitzvah, we are told to separate Challah like we separate Terumah from the grain. Rav Moshe Sternbuch questions the connection between Challah and Terumah.
Technically, the Mitzvah of separating Challah is the last of the Mitzvot a person does with the grain that he harvests. By then he has already given Terumah, Maaser, and all other donations, and he might no longer be overly enthusiastic. The Torah connects the Mitzvah of Challah to Terumah, the first of his donations, to teach us to be just as enthusiastic about giving Challah as we are when we give Terumah.
There are many times that we do one Mitzvah numerous times, and at some point we get tired of it. We don’t do the Mitzvah with the same enthusiasm as the first time. The Torah is teaching us that we have to work on ourselves to be excited in doing any Mitzvah, no matter how many times we have already done it.
Dedicated l’iluy nishmat Yehuda Ben HaRav Michael a”h
