Nissan: The Beginning of History

by Rav Haggai Londin, translated by Hillel Fendel

What is time? Time is our ability to delineate and mark a process. We specify a point that marks its beginning, and from there we can proceed further, until the process ends. Time is our ability to define movement and progress. The ancient world did not have such a concept. Pagan man was a pawn within meaningless circularity: birth, work, death, and then again, and then yet again, etc. Early man did notice the change of seasons, but he did not feel the need to count these periods and years; marking a beginning and ending point was not in his awareness. 

Shabbat HaGadol: Israel's Soul Redemption

by Rav Elyakim Levanon, translated by Hillel Fendel

This coming Shabbat is called Shabbat HaGadol, the Great Sabbath. Why was this name chosen? 

Most authorities tell us that it is because of the great miracle that G-d performed for Israel on the Shabbat on the first-ever Passover, which was the night of the Exodus. The Midrash recounts that G-d instructed the Israelites to set aside a lamb on the 10^th day of Nissan to use as the Paschal sacrifice on the 15^th. That year, as this year, the 10^th of the month was on the Shabbat. When the Egyptians saw the Jews tying their gods – sheep – to the legs of their beds for safekeeping, they were shocked and outraged, and demanded an explanation. The Jews proudly declared that they were going to slaughter the lamb, as G-d had commanded. Whereupon, the Egyptians were left speechless – and thus the Israelites began their departure from the practice of idol worship. 

Tzav: Vengeance as the Foundation of the Nation and Faith

by Rav Yehezkel Frankel, translated by Hillel Fendel

"Vengeance" – an important but misunderstood concept – is relevant not only to the recent Purim holiday, but also to this week's Torah portion of Tzav (Lev. Chapters 6-8), which discusses laws and procedures of sacrificial offerings. 

Vayikra: The Secret Love

by Rav Netanel Yosifun, yeshiva.co, translated by Hillel Fendel

Segula: Part 1: What is Emuna?/When Are We Called "Children" of G-d?

by Rav Hayim Avihu Schwartz, yeshiva.co, translated by Hillel Fendel

Pekudei: What Is the Worth of Shiny Gold?

by Rav Zalman Baruch Melamed, translated by Hillel Fendel

The Midrash (Sh'mot Rabba 52,2-5) tells us that when Moshe relayed to Israel G-d's command to build the Mishkan in which G-d's presence would dwell, the cynics of the generation mocked him. They said to each other: "Will G-d's presence truly dwell via the deeds of Amram's son? Can it be that a building constructed by mortal man would contain G-d's presence?" The cynics could not accept this. 

Vayakhel: Israel's Special Need For Unity

by Rav Dov Lior, translated by Hillel Fendel

This week's Torah portion of Vayak'hel describes how the various artisans executed the different activities necessary for the construction of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and the special furniture it held. These include, of course, the Menorah, Holy Ark, table, and altars. 

Something interesting stands out in this account, however. When the Holy Ark was fashioned, the Torah emphasizes that it was Betzalel ben Uri ben Hur who did it – but regarding the other items, the Torah simply says, "He made," over and over. Why does the Torah not seem to "care" who exactly made the other vessels?

From Redemption to Redemption: Purim & Pesah

by Rav Avraham Levy Melamed, translated by Hillel Fendel

Something interesting about the Jewish month of Adar: In some years there is one Adar, while in leap years, there are two consecutive Adars. This raises the question: In which Adar is Purim celebrated in leap years? The answer is: in the Adar that immediately precedes the month of Nissan, and not the earlier Adar. This is in order that Purim can be commemorated as close to Pesah as possible. 

The reason this is so important has to do with the inherent link between the Redemption of Purim and that of Pesah. To explain:

Purim: What Mordechai Discovered When He Returned to Shushan

by Rav Netanel Yosifun, translated by Hillel Fendel

Scholars of the Bible and Rabbinic writings know that the Scroll of Esther took place at roughly the same time as the beginning of the Book of Ezra. We're talking about the early days of the Persian Kingdom, when King Cyrus allowed the Jews to return to their Land and build the Holy Temple. However, not long afterwards, the Gentiles living there succeeded in persuading the king to rescind the dispensation – leading to a "construction freeze" of 18 years. Only when the Prophet Haggai arose and transmitted G-d's word to get up and resume construction did the building resume, and the Persian approval was received afterwards, retroactively.

During that period, only a small minority of the Jewish People moved back to the Land: just over 43,000 people. The others did not heed the prophetic call, and preferred to remain with the fleshpots and other enjoyments of the exile, in Shushan and elsewhere in the Persian empire. The story of the Megillah (Scroll of Esther) took place over a ten-year period, during the course of the above-stated 18 years.