All the persons coming with Jacob to Egypt, issue of his loins...sixty-six persons in all. Joseph and his two sons were already in Egypt: And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt, were two persons. This bring the tally to sixty nine people and yet the Torah insists that: All the
Should a soul bring forward a grain offering...Rashi points out that only in relation to grain offerings does the Torah use the word nefesh, soul. The poor could only afford a grain, not animal, offering. Therefore the Torah uses the word soul to teach that even so, it is as if they truly offered themselves.
This week is Shabbat HaHodesh. We remove two Torah scrolls from the ark and from the second we read about declaring new months and the Passover sacrifice. This sacrifice had to be roasted:...And they shall eat the meat on this night fire-roasted...do not eat from it... cooked in water, but fire-roasted...Maharal explains that whereas boiled
When he begs forgiveness for the sin of the golden calf, Moses opens with "Why, O LORD, should your wrath flare against Your people...Wasn't God's anger justified? How could Moses begin this way? Rashi brilliantly points out that before Moses says a word, God tells him: now leave Me be. Moses understood that God was
