Category: Vayikra

Vayikra Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Tazria – Metzora (5762)

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Parshas Tazria – Metzora (5762)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

In our sedra we have the signs for a “metzora”, a white discoloration appears on the skin.  The order being snow, the brightest, followed by sheep’s wool, plaster and the inner membrane of an egg.  A thought of the significance might be as follows.  White obviously signifies pure of sin.  The ‘metzorah’ is a Divine message that the individual has digressed.  Whiteness is observed on his body and calls out: “Why aren’t you white, pure of sin?”

The four shades represent four major areas of tests.  Snow, our contact with outside environment.  The phenomenon of beautiful white snow is a purity in the outside.  Plaster, the tests we have in the confines of privacy.  The white plaster calling for purity in privacy.  The sheep represents our outwards animalistic tendencies, the natural instincts we have to control.  Look, the sheep is an animal, yet white and pure.  The egg membrane, the internal pure white.  This is the internal tests of our mind and heart.

Hashem should have ‘rachmanus’ on Clal Yisroel.
Have a wonderful Shabbos and a wonderful Chodesh.

Vayikra Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Tazria – Metzora (5762)

Bs”d
Parshas Tazria – Metzora (5762)
by Mordechai Dolinsky
In our sedra we have the signs for a “metzora”, a white discoloration appears on the skin.  The order being snow, the brightest, followed by sheep’s wool, plaster and the inner membrane of an egg.  A thought of the significance might be as follows.  White obviously signifies pure of sin.  The ‘metzorah’ is a Divine message that the individual has digressed.  Whiteness is observed on his body and calls out: “Why aren’t you white, pure of sin?”

The four shades represent four major areas of tests.  Snow, our contact with outside environment.  The phenomenon of beautiful white snow is a purity in the outside.  Plaster, the tests we have in the confines of privacy.  The white plaster calling for purity in privacy.  The sheep represents our outwards animalistic tendencies, the natural instincts we have to control.  Look, the sheep is an animal, yet white and pure.  The egg membrane, the internal pure white.  This is the internal tests of our mind and heart.

Hashem should have ‘rachmanus’ on Clal Yisroel.
Have a wonderful Shabbos and a wonderful Chodesh.

Chagim Pesach Vayikra Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Tzav – Shabbos HaGadol (5762)

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Parshas Tzav – Shabbos HaGadol (5762)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

In the Medrash (10:6) of our parsha there is a Chazal that the attire of the Kohanim is atonement for sins equivalent to the sacrifices.  The message is that what we wear is an integral part of serving Hashem.  In every generation there is a form of dress that identifies us as Clal Yisroel, the nation of Torah observant Jews.  We should embrace that form of dress to identify ourselves with our loyalty to Hashem.

On Shabbos HaGadol we are recipients of great spiritual gifts.  In its week we are recipients of the most important date of the calendar for the acquisition of Emunah; the night of the seder and rest of Pesach.  The night of the seder and Pesach are our source of faith.

It is absolutely crucial to prepare during the next few days.
Study the Haggadah—Learn Chazal and Medrashim pertaining to Yetzias Mitzrayim—Get ample rest in order to utilize every moment of the night of the seder until dawn.

Have a wonderful Shabbos and we should be zocheh to see the Geulah Sh’layma Bikarov.

Vayikra Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Vayikra (5762)

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Parshas Vayikra (5762)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

In the beginning of the parsha Rashi brings the Chazal explaining the terminology of Vayikra as an expression of love and admiration which is used by the “malachai hashores”.   Why was this parsha which deals with sacrifices designated for this lesson?  When bringing a sacrifice one must feel like one is giving his live.  Likewise one must exert all the efforts in positive communication in all circumstances.

Remember to start now to relate to yetzias mitzrayim reading Chazal and related material.  Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Vayikra Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Vayikra (5762)

Bs”d

Parshas Vayikra (5762)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

In the beginning of the parsha Rashi brings the Chazal explaining the terminology of Vayikra as an expression of love and admiration which is used by the “malachai hashores”.   Why was this parsha which deals with sacrifices designated for this lesson?  When bringing a sacrifice one must feel like one is giving his live.  Likewise one must exert all the efforts in positive communication in all circumstances.

Remember to start now to relate to yetzias mitzrayim reading Chazal and related material.  Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Vayikra Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Tzav – Shabbos HaGadol (5762)

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Parshas Tzav – Shabbos HaGadol (5762)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

In the Medrash (10:6) of our parsha there is a Chazal that the attire of the Kohanim is atonement for sins equivalent to the sacrifices.  The message is that what we wear is an integral part of serving Hashem.  In every generation there is a form of dress that identifies us as Clal Yisroel, the nation of Torah observant Jews.  We should embrace that form of dress to identify ourselves with our loyalty to Hashem.

On Shabbos HaGadol we are recipients of great spiritual gifts.  In its week we are recipients of the most important date of the calendar for the acquisition of Emunah; the night of the seder and rest of Pesach.  The night of the seder and Pesach are our source of faith.

It is absolutely crucial to prepare during the next few days.
Study the Haggadah—Learn Chazal and Medrashim pertaining to Yetzias Mitzrayim—Get ample rest in order to utilize every moment of the night of the seder until dawn.

Have a wonderful Shabbos and we should be zocheh to see the Geulah Sh’layma Bikarov.

Vayikra Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Vayakheil – Pekudei – Parshas HaChodesh (5762)

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Parshas Vayakheil – Pekudei – Parshas HaChodesh (5762)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

The situation here in Eretz Yisroel, and for that matter, worldwide, is frightening and stressful.  It demands of us to be inspired to sincerely connect ourselves with Hashem making sure that our ways are consistent with the will of Hashem.  It calls for an awakening which is not in line with the mentality of our times.  May we all have the strength.

Have a wonderful Shabbos, a good Chodesh, and may we see the yeshuos for the Clal and the Prat.

Vayikra Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Emor (5761)

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Parshas Emor (5761)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

In perek 23:24 Rashi mentions that “zichron truah” alludes to the saying of the psukim for Zichronos and Shofros and doesn’t mention Malchios.  Food for thought—I’m sure that there is something beautiful and deep here for the taking.

Today is Lag B’Omer and because of its widespread and elaborate celebration here in Eretz Yisroel it takes on so much more significance. Some say the special meaning of this day goes back to Bayis Sheini when Klal Yisroel was harrassed by the Romans and with great mesiras nefesh successfully repelled them.

It is amazing—on this day that the passing of the 24,000 talmidim of Rabbi Akiva stopped, is the very day that his great talmid R’ Shimon Bar Yochai was niftar.  This is very puzzling.

According to some opinions he wasn’t really niftar on this day. Rather, this was the great day that R’ Akiva embarked on the illustrious task of transmitting the Torah to R’ Shimon. It was the day that R’ Akiva exhibited his tremendous strength to stand up and overcome the grief of losing 24,000 talmidim.  There is tendency to overlook this aspect of the whole episode.  R’ Akiva surely had an intimate connection with all of his talmidim.  They wouldn’t have been called talmidim just because they were enrolled in his Yeshiva.  Just the very thought is mind-boggling; how R’ Akiva survived having experienced so many personal tragedies.  To be able to put the pieces together and continue was just amazing.

An important lesson lies in the great fires; through hashgacha pratis Lag B’Omer is celebrated mainly through the lighting of huge fires. Great fires teach us of the strength that comes from inspiration. The lifting of our spirits provides us with the power to overcome every possible obstacle and gives us the insight to proceed and understand situations and people in the right light.

We should all be zocheh to ‘light up’ and ‘enlighten up’.

Vayikra Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Acharei – Kedoshim (5761)

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Parshas Acharei – Kedoshim (5761)
By Mordechai Dolinsky

In our sedra we have the avoda of Yom Kippur and the parsha of ‘arayos’ which seemingly aren’t really related.  As it turns out this is the portion read on the holiest of days. On this day that is most dedicated and devoted to teshuva it is surely understandable that we read from the Torah an area that poses such a prominent and difficult test to Klal Yisroel and the world at large.

This week we also read parshas Kedoshim Tihiyu—as it is a double sedra.  It is puzzling that the break between aliyos is not between the two parshios.  There is a message here—that there is a strong connection in the subject matter between the two.

Rashi explains that Kedoshim pertains specificially to matters of arayos.  By exercising care not to transgress this area of sin, we are creating a kedusha within ourselves.  This is a tremendous new insight and perspective.  Keeping away from sin we would say should leave us at the most at “square one”, nothing accomplished, nothing achieved, just saved from a blemish.

This is truly a secret of the universe, success in overcoming temptation in this area is creating, building and accomplishing.  The Medrash Rabba in our sedra (23:9) explains that all the awesome miracles that transpired to Yosef HaTzaddik, putting him in the royal position he was in, all came about from his abstaining from sinning with the wife of Potifar.  The Medrash shows in detail how each organ and part of his body was blessed from its specific test.

This lesson has specific significance to us in this generation that we have been exposed to difficult tests in this area.  HaShem has presented us with a tremendous opportunity for accomplishment.  It is inspiring to know that every attempt to exercise self-control brings concrete growth and unlimited blessings.

Vayikra Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Vayikra (5761)

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Parshas Vayikra (5761)
By Mordechai Dolinsky

The Chazal had grounds to presume that the time of fulfillment of the mitzvah of retelling the miracles of Yetzias Mitzrayim starts from the beginning of Nissan, and it is only from a special limud that we know that the technical mitzvah is confined to the night of Pesach.  From this we can see that the two weeks prior to Pesach is also a time one can soak in the emunah.  It is therefore very beneficial to devote time every day to connect to the Yetzias Mitzrayim.  One should set aside time to study medrashim and read material on this subject.

With our parsha of VaYikra we are entering the world of korbonos.  As we find with many areas of the dinim of the Torah even though they are a “gezairas hakasuv” there are many lessons we can derive from them.  There is an aspect of the laws of the korban olah which I am amazed by that I would like to share.  We find in Mesechtas Tomid (31) the Torah prescribes a definite order of how the body of the slaughtered bull is dissected.

We start with the head – then to the four bottoms of the legs (front and back) – then to the two front forelegs – this is followed by the hind right leg – the chest – the right side – the left side – the rump – and then the hind leg.  The reason for this order surely has great significance and I will leave it presently as food for thought.

We also find an interesting order in the sequence of how the blood is circulated to the body.  The four major arteries spread out to the right side of the brain, the right hand, the left side of the brain and the left hand and to the lower part of the body and the two feet.  On the return trip the right side of the brain together with the right hand, the left side of the brain, then the left hand, and the lower part of the body including the two feet.  There is likewise some interesting significance to this.
Have a wonderful Shabbos.

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