Shows / Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Episodes
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
The Importance Of Giving Thanks
The name of the Jewish people is derived from the naming of Judah, 4th son of Leah. She realized that she was supposed to only have three sons but had a 4th…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Defending Against A Fraudster
Jacob learns how to defraud people from Lavan. He uses this knowledge to defend himself against Lavan. When he feels that he is in danger of becoming like…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Why Lavan Was Dangerous
Lavan was a deceiver but not a liar. He would use words in a way that would confuse the person who was negotiating with him. Like when he switched Leah for…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
The Rise & Fall Of Empires
Jacob's ladder has a lot of symbolism. One of the most significant is that it shows the rise and fall of nations. And it foretells that the Jewish nation will…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Beware Of Fake Friends
Lavan pretends to be a friend of Jacob, but he is not. He does everything in his power to cheat Jacob & become wealthy in the process. As he is doing so, he…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Why We Take Actio
The highlight of the month of Kislev is the festival of Hanukah. It is a celebration of the victory of the Hasmoneans against the Hellenists. They did not take…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Don't Be Blind To Reality
Isaac was blind to Esau's faults. He didn't see that Esau could not be the leader of the next generation. Rebecca was the realist in this matter. She knew that…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Freedom Within The Law
The Torah is against anarchy, as shown by the flood, and totalitarianism as shown by the story of the Tower of Babel. The Torah wants us to live in society…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Beare Of The Snake
The snake enticed Eve to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He did so by using language that sounded good but was really deceitful. This is the…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Celebrating Freedom
We celebrate the holiday of Sukkot and tomorrow we will be celebrating the holiday of Simhat Torah. We celebrate even more with the return of the hostages to…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
United In Torah
Sukkot is a happy holiday. It is the close of the holiday season for month of Tishri. We start off very serious asking God for forgiveness for our sins. God…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
God Is In Charge
On the holiday of Sukkot we realize how dependent we are on God. That we should strive to make our lives better but that, in God is in charge
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
The Need For A Secure Border
The Torah is very clear that we need a secure border to prevent idolatrous ideas from entering our nation. That is why the Torah is clear what type of stranger…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
The Purusit of Justice
The pursuit of justice is a very important concept. While we may never achieve true justice, it does not mean that we do not try. The best that we can…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Corruption Destroys Whatever It Touches
The Torah against the danger of corruption. No matter the reason corruption will destroys whatever society it afflicts. We should avoid it whenever possible.
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
How Moses Saved The Jews
The difference between Moses and Korach was that Moses did not want the job of being a leader but did it because he had to.
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Korach's Misunderstanding
Korach made his power grab based on a misinterpretation of the state that "You will be Holy." The statement goes on to say that the Jews will be holy if they…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Tzitzit & Leaveing Egypt
When we read about the commandment of Tzitzit we are told that it is to remind us to follow God's commandments. And that it is a reminder that the commandments…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Humility & Leadership
A great leader does not lead because he wants to but because he has to. And after he has accomplished what he set out to do he willingly gives up his office.
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
A Lesson In Humility
When Moses was at the burning bush he was commanded to take his shoes off. One of the reasons was he should feel the rough stones so that when he spoke to the…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Stand Up & Be A Man
The Torah relates that when Moses saw the Egyptian task master beating a slave, he looked around and did not see a man. Meaning he saw lots of people but no…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Listen To Your Elders
The reason that the Tribe of Levi was not enslaved was because Levi was still alive when Pharaoh tricked the Jews into becoming slaves. He told his descendants…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Don't Expect Gratitude
The lesson of the statement that there arose a Pharaoh who did not know Joseph, or that after all the good that Joseph did for Egypt, when it suited them, the…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Mistreating Your Fellow
Treating Your Fellow - The 10th of Tevet is the anniversary of the Babylonians laying siege to Jerusalem, the beginning of the end of the 1st Temple. The…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Stand Up For Your People
Simon & Levi come under criticism for their actions in defending their sister Dina. But Jacob understands that they did not commit their deeds our of malice…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Jacob's Blessings
Before his death, Jacob blesses his sons and gives us insight on the future of the Jewish people. Especially Judah. He notes that the royalty will stem from…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
A Parent's True Life
The portion hints at the love of a parent by pointing out that Jacob only truly lived the 34 years he was with Joseph. 17 before Joseph was sold into slavery…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Don't Be Influenced By Others
Jacob makes a special effort to bless Joseph's sons because they were born and raised in the capital of Egypt. Joseph was able to raise them so that they were…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Leadership is Not Inherited
Jacob blesses Ephriam over Menashe, even though Menashe is the oldest. This is to teach that leadership is earned, not given, Just because one is the son of a…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Choose a Good Neighborhood
When the family arrives in Egypt Joseph has them settle in Goshen, away from the center of Egyptian society. He does this so that they can build a Jewish…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
What's In A Name?
Greek culture regarded beauty above all, regardless of behavior. The torah emphasized moral and ethical behavior about all else. It is not surprising that the…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Saying Halel on Hanukah
Halel is a prayer that we recite on days that we acknowledge God's help. We say it on Hanukah, Israel Independence Day and Jerusalem but on Purim. The reason…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Make The Routine Special
We usually overlook the things that are done routinely. The truth is that is what is most important. The routine should be viewed as special. Without the…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Leadership Issues
We see that Judah becomes the leader of the family, not Joseph. This is why the royal line of David is through Judah. Joseph was the leader of Egypt, but as we…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Stand Up For Your Rights
When Joseph decrees that Benjamin to remain in Egypt as a slave, Judah challenges his decree. This was a major event. But it shows that we have to stand for…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Make The Miracle Known
The commandment to light the Hanukah candles is very strong. We have to make sure that our Hanukkiah are visible to all. The reason is that we have to…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Transitioning Power
The Haftorah this week has to do with David handing the power over to Solomon. The connection to the portion is clear since Abraham is handing leadership over…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Unity On Moral Principles
At the end of the portion this week Isaac and Ishmael come together to bury their father, Abraham. they put their differences aside to perform this duty. This…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Marriage Before Love
The Torah states that Isaac first married Rebecca and then he loved her. For a marriage to work the love between husband & wife has to grow over time. Romance…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Caring For The Stranger
Eliezer's is sent to find a suitable wife for Isaac. He arrives in Haran and Rebecca offers him and his 10 camels water. He realizes that she is the only one…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Be Legal And Above Reproach
The Torah makes it a point that Abraham bought the burial site for Sarah and himself. That even though he was offered the site for free, he wanted everyone to…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
Passing the Leadership Baton
Before the Torah mentions the death of Sarah, we read of the birth of Rebecca. This is to teach us that there is always the next generation and that our duty…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
The Limits of Compassion
We learn that Abraham's major trait was compassion. This was a major reason that God chose him to be the father of the Jewish people. But sometimes compassion…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
How To Deal With Adversity
Lot's daughters took drastic measures because they thought the world was destroyed. Later they found out that they were wrong in their actions. Instead of…
- Shlomo's Thoughts On The Torah
God's Hand In The World
Israel Independence Day is on Iyar 5, this year it will be celebrated on May 14. It occurs during the Omar, a period of mourning over the loss of the Bar…