March 16, 2025 | 16 Adar, 5785 - Shushan Purim | Torah Portion: Vayakhel, Exodus 35:1-28:20 | Haftorah: Parshas Parah: Ezekiel 36:16-38
Torah Portion
This Week: Vayakhel
Purim
Celebrate the Hidden Miracles
TorahMedia Audio
Recent Additions
Torah Portion & Holidays
The Symbolism of the Half Shekel Donation – Part One
These divrei Torah were adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi Yissocher Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Series on the weekly portion: #1241 The ...read more
We Revel in Reality
Purim is called by the name Yom HaKippurim… Zohar
Purim and Yom Kippur, two seemingly opposite days, are really related to each other, ...read more
Bad Good
AT FIRST IT might not seem that there is very much connecting this week’s parsha and Purim, other than the fact they are both on the same day ...read more
Haftorah Commentary – Parshas Ki Sisa
Melachim I 18:1–39
Hashem’s Boundless Mercy
We know that Hashem’s attributes of mercy and compassion reach far beyond our human ...read more
What’s Bad is Good
This week we read parshas Ki Tisa. The central happening of this parsha is the chait ha'egel {the sin of the golden calf} and the ensuing ...read more
Forged With Love
"Hashem passed before him and proclaimed..."(34:6)
After shattering the Tablets in reaction to witnessing Bnei Yisroel worshipping the Golden ...read more
Dazzled by the Light
A strange thing happened after Moses brought down the second set of tablets from Mount Sinai. The people took one glance at him, and they had to ...read more
Higher than Sinai
In the aftermath of the sin of the Golden Calf, Moshe's mortality is transformed to immortality as -- anthropomorphic as it may sound -- he gets ...read more
Brighter is the Result
Now you shall command the Children of Israel that they should take for you pure, pressed olive oil for illumination, to kindle the lamp ...read more
Eternal Mishkan
I will sanctify the Ohel Moed and the mizbe’ach…I will dwell among the Bnei Yisrael…that they shall know that I am Hashem their G-d Who took ...read more
Other Articles
Chapter 2, Law 4(a) – Speech: Expressions of the Soul
A person should always accustom himself to keeping silent (lit., 'should increase his silence'). He should speak only of matters of wisdom or ...read more
Chapter 6, Mishna 6: The 48 Ways: 30-31: The Big Picture
Torah is greater than priesthood and kingship, for kingship is acquired with 30 qualities, priesthood is acquired with 24, whereas the Torah is ...read more
Chapter 2, Law 3(d) – The Anger of Sadness
There are certain character traits which a person is forbidden to accustom himself in, even in moderation. Rather, he must distance himself to ...read more
Chapter 6, Mishna 6: The 48 Ways: 28-29: Love of G-d
Torah is greater than priesthood and kingship, for kingship is acquired with 30 qualities, priesthood is acquired with 24, whereas the Torah is ...read more
Chapter 2, Law 3(c) – Anger and Self-Worship
There are certain character traits which a person is forbidden to accustom himself in, even in moderation. Rather, he must distance himself to ...read more
Chapter 6, Mishna 6: The 48 Ways: 26-27 – Impacting Others — and Ourselves
Torah is greater than priesthood and kingship, for kingship is acquired with 30 qualities, priesthood is acquired with 24, whereas the Torah is ...read more
Modim: The Essential Need for Thanks
Last class, we continued reviewing the final bracha of Shemoneh Esrai and briefly discussed prayer tips for Modim, the seminal expression of ...read more
Chapter 2, Law 3(b) – Arrogance vs. Self-Awareness
There are certain character traits which a person is forbidden to accustom himself in, even in moderation. Rather, he must distance himself to ...read more
Chapter 6, Mishna 6: The 48 Ways: (23-25) Accepting Our Limitations
Torah is greater than priesthood and kingship, for kingship is acquired with 30 qualities, priesthood is acquired with 24, whereas the Torah is ...read more
Chapter 2, Law 3(a) – The World Isn’t Big Enough
There are certain character traits which a person is forbidden to accustom himself in, even in moderation. Rather, he must distance himself to ...read more
