The Taste of Pesach

The day after Pesach is a special date on our calendar, similar to the day after Shavuot and the day after Sukkot. There is a term that we apply for these days: it is called Isru Chag. It comes from the Hallel Psalms, where we refer to the way in …

The Essence of Our Passover Seder

What is the essence of the Passover Seder? Within the Haggadah, we read the words of Rabban Gamliel, who teaches: ā€œKol shelo amar sheloshah devarim ellu bapesach, lo yatza yedei chovato.ā€ This means that in order to fulfill one’s obligation in the Maggid section—the central part of the Haggadah—you need …

When Appearances Matter

The portion of Pekudei is extraordinary. Nearly the entire parsha is devoted to presenting a balance sheet to us. In the last few parashiyot, we learnt how Hashem had instructed Moshe to take contributions from the people, then to build the Mishkan – the sanctuary in the wilderness – to …

The Torah is speaking to you

This powerful message emerges out of the very first word of Parshat Tetzaveh, and that word is ā€œVe’attahā€ – ā€œand youā€. Hashem was addressing Moshe. And, as is well-known, Tetzaveh is the only portion of the Torah outside of the book of Bereshit which doesn’t mention Moshe’s name. Every time …