Yitro 5773

There is a famous Midrash based on 19:17 saying that Hashem lifted Mt. Sinai on top of Bnei Yisroel and He threatened them to accept the Torah or they will destroyed. The Kli Yakar explains that Bnei Yisroel was never forced to accept the Torah; they had already agreed to accept anything Hashem told them to do (19:8). Rather, Hashem was telling them that not keeping the Torah will be as if one is dead in this world. Keeping the Torah guarantees life in this world and the next world.

Bo 5773

This week's parsha contains one of the most famous Rambans in the Torah. The Ramban explains how important remembering the Exodus is. Since Hashem does not do supernatural miracles for every generation, we are to have a constant reminder of the Exodus and transmit it to our children. When we do a mitzvah such as mezuzah, we are acknowledging our belief in Hashem and He being the Creator of the world and that He also took us out from Egypt.

Va'era 5773

Hashem punishes the evildoers of the world by means of "Middah Kineged Middah"- measure for measure. The Midrash Tanchuma goes through every single plague and explains how Hashem punished the Egyptians measure for measure. For example, the 4th plague of wild animals was brought upon the Egyptians because they had ordered the Jews to bring back lions and bears from the wild in order to be used for sport. The wild animals were also completely removed from Egypt so that the Egyptians got no benefit from their skins.

Shemot 5773

"The Jews groaned because of the labor and they cried out"(2:23). Why the double language of crying out and groaning? The Kli Yakar explains that the posuk is differentiating between two groups in Bnei Yisroel: those who cried to Hashem due to the labor and those who cried to Hashem as complainers. Hashem only answered those who cried out due to the labor. We must learn to pray to Hashem with sincerity and with no sign of discomfort.