Thinkingaboutme.org

9 years of Parasha articles. 

spanish Noach

By Yosef Farhi | Oct 17, 2012

 Mensaje de una paloma Tras cuarenta días de lluvias, Nóaj envió a un cuervo y luego a una paloma  para verificar si las aguas del diluvio habían subsistido. La paloma regresó a Nóaj con una ramita del olivo en el pico. El Talmud (Eruvín 18b) explica que con esto la paloma quería transmitirle a Nóaj…

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breishit

By Yosef Farhi | Oct 10, 2012

    I VERSES ME The nature of people is that there are a couple of voices inside us, a few different emotions. When we decide the way we feel or how we would like to think, this means that we just chose one of the many things going on inside us that we prefer to…

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HAAZINU

By Yosef Farhi | Sep 27, 2012

     WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT YOUR PARENTS LOVE YOU? Have you ever noticed how many people today just do not “feel loved”? I always wondered as to exactly why humanity feels this way. A feeling that was never felt before to this degree. The Chida in Rosh David writes a beautiful explanation on the…

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VAYELECH 2012

By Yosef Farhi | Sep 20, 2012

      A REFUND ON TIME The days in which we presently find ourselves are days in which we all look for merits. However, R. Y. T. Salant, in B’er Yosef, helps us understand something about this from the famous story of R Preida.  (Eiruvin 54b) The Talmud begins with the passuk in our Parasha:ועתה כתבו…

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NITZAVIM 2012

By Yosef Farhi | Sep 13, 2012

     WRONG SIDE OF THE BED As Chaikel, the water carrier, was going about his daily chores, he was stopped by the Baal Shem Tov. “How are you doing?” the tzaddik asked. “Rabbi, what do you want me to say,” Chaikel groaned. “Life is so difficult and bitter. Every single day, I’ve got to walk…

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NITZAVIM – SPANISH , 2012

By Yosef Farhi | Sep 13, 2012

El Shofar: abriendo el paso hacia nuestra verdadera identidad Me gustaría compartir tres asombrosas enseñanzas de nuestros Sabios acerca del shofar que se toca en Rosh Hashaná y unirlas mediante un concepto fundamental que deseo transmitir. En primer lugar, ¿por qué se utiliza el cuerno de un carnero y no el de algún otro animal? Los…

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ENGLISH KI TAVO 2012

By Yosef Farhi | Sep 6, 2012

SMALL CHANGE In the days of Elul, everyone claims that they want to change. Change is scary because it involves struggle. It means acknowledging that the way I presently think or feel or perceive is flawed. It means that every day I have to stick to the new commitment that took me only a few…

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SPANISH KI TAVO 2012

By Yosef Farhi | Sep 6, 2012

      Escala de valores Para indicar cuándo un pecador es considerado un verdadero Baal Teshuvá, el Talmud nos da un ejemplo: Si se abstiene de pecar por segunda vez cuando se encuentra con la misma mujer en el mismo lugar y hora que pecó en el pasado (Iomá 86b ). Esta es una prueba bastante sorprendente.  ¿Realmente un Baal Teshuvá necesita…

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english ki tetze 2012

By Yosef Farhi | Aug 31, 2012

PARTY PLANNERS The Mesillat Yesharim writes in the very beginning that a person in this world is always at battle. There is always a war, whatever you do and wherever you go. The reason why we are not conscious of this is because we are living in a trance. We get used to thinking that…

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spanish – ki tetze

By Yosef Farhi | Aug 31, 2012

Organizadores de eventos El Mesilat Yiesharim escribe al comienzo, que en este mundo la persona se encuentra en una continua batalla. En todo lo que uno hace y a todo lugar donde va, siempre hay una batalla. El motivo por el cual no somos conscientes de ello, es porque vivimos en un trance. Estamos acostumbrados…

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english SHOFTIM 2012

By Yosef Farhi | Aug 23, 2012

A SPECIAL MONTH The well known acronym of the month אלול   isאני לדודי ודודי לי  – I am to my Beloved and my Beloved is to me. The sign of the zodiac for this month is a virgin. This month is a month of immense love between G-d and His People.  The custom to say…

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spanish SHOFTIM

By Yosef Farhi | Aug 23, 2012

Un mes especial Las conocidas siglas del mes de אלול son: אני לדודי ודודי לי – Yo soy para mi Amado y mi Amado es hacia mí. La virgen es el signo del zodíaco que representa el mes. Se trata, entonces, de un mes de amor intenso entre Di-s y Su Pueblo. La costumbre de…

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RE'EH 2012

By Yosef Farhi | Aug 14, 2012

   LACK OF OPTION “C” ראה אנכי נותן לפניכם היום הברכה והקללה…  See that I put before you today the blessing and the curse.  The blessing, when  you listen to the Mitzvoth of Hashem, your G-d, which I command you; the curse, if you do not listen to the Mitzvoth… Our rabbis teach us that G-d…

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EKEV 2012

By Yosef Farhi | Aug 9, 2012

 HIGH HEELS והיה עקב תשמעון את המשפטים האלה ושמרתם ועשיתם אתם ושמר ה’ אלקיך לך את הברית ואת החסד אשר נשבע לאבותך  And, the result will be, when you adhere to these laws and do them, Hashem your G-d will keep the covenant and the kindness which he swore to your Forefathers. The word עקב…

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vaetchanan 2012

By Yosef Farhi | Aug 1, 2012

  GOOD INTENTIONS ואהבת את ה’ אלקיך בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך ובכל מאודך    You shall love your G-d with all your heart… The word heart in Hebrew is לב  with only one letter  ב . Here, the Torah says to love G-d with all your לבב, which implies to love Him with both hearts. The good…

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spanish vaetjanan

By Yosef Farhi | Aug 1, 2012

 ¿QUIÉN REALMENTE QUEMÓ EL TEMPLO SAGRADO? En el párrafo “Najem”, recitado en las plegarias de la tarde de Tisha Be´av, recordamos la destrucción y reconstrucción del Bet HaMikdash de la siguiente manera: “Tú lo encendiste en llamas y con llamas Tú habrás de reconstruirlo” (כי אתה באש הצתה ובאש אתה עתיד לבנותה וכו’). También el Midrash cita esta declaración –…

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DEVARIM /TISHA BAV 2012

By Yosef Farhi | Jul 24, 2012

CHOOSING LAST WORDS The Midrash elaborates on the name of the last book of the Torah . Devarim, from the root word Devorah, bee. . Just as a bee dies after it stings, so, too, he who delivers words of rebuke: To teach you that when someone rebukes the Jewish Nation, even rightfully so, he…

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SPANISH – DEVARIM

By Yosef Farhi | Jul 24, 2012

 Meticulosas últimas palabras Toda su vida Moshé reflexionaba acerca de cómo y cuándo reprender al pueblo Judío. Finalmente, utilizó el modelo del patriarca Iacov para llevar a cabo esta tarea sumamente delicada; reprendiéndolos el último día de su vida. Devarim proviene de la misma raíz que devorá, una abeja. Así como la abeja muere después…

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MATTOT/ MASEI spanish

By Yosef Farhi | Jul 18, 2012

Discutir por discutir נקום נקמת בני ישראל מאת המדינים אחר תאסף אל עמך (לא:ב) Véngate de los Midianitas, y luego (morirás y) te reunirás con tu nación en el Mundo Venidero… ¿Por qué le fue ordenado a Moshé vengarse de los Midianitas y no de los Moabitas? Puesto que los Moabitas combatieron contra los Judíos…

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PARASHAT MATTOT/ MASEI 2012

By Yosef Farhi | Jul 17, 2012

FOR ARGUMENT’S SAKE נקום נקמת בני ישראל מאת המדינים אחר תאסף אל עמך ( לא :ב)  Take revenge for the Jews  from the Midianites, and then you will (die and) be gathered to your People (in the Next World)… Why was Moshe to take revenge on the Midianites and not on the Moabites? The Moabites…

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pinchas 2012

By Yosef Farhi | Jul 10, 2012

LEADERS OF TOMMOROW People look around, and ask out loud or to themselves – who will become the great leaders of the Jewish people of the next generation? Who will guide and lead the community? Some people look towards those who are sharp tongue or from prominent families. Others look towards those with high I.Q.,…

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Pinjas SPANISH

By Yosef Farhi | Jul 10, 2012

Recompensa bien merecida Di-s nos pregunta: “¿Quién me ha precedido y debo recompensarlo?” – ¿Quién Me ha elogiado antes de que Yo le diera el alma? ¿Quién circuncidó a su hijo antes de que Yo le diera un hijo? ¿Quién colocó una Mezuzá en la puerta antes de que Yo le diera una casa? ¿Quién…

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BALAK 2012

By Yosef Farhi | Jul 3, 2012

  EXPRESSIONS OF LOVE Most people agree that there are 613 mitzvot in the Torah. However, the definition of the word mitzvah has different meanings in the eyes of different people. Some people believe, mistakenly, that the word mitzvah means a good deed. This is a serious and grave mistake, for this would imply that mitzvoth…

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BALAK SPANISH

By Yosef Farhi | Jul 3, 2012

  Bilam y Avraham: dos extremos del espectro La Mishná famosa en Avot nos enseña que todo aquel que tiene un ojo malo, altivez de espíritu, y un fuerte deseo de buscar el placer y el materialismo, es discípulo de Bilam. Por el contrario, quien tiene un buen ojo, espíritu humilde y autocontrol, es discípulo de…

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HUKAT ENGLISH

By Yosef Farhi | Jun 26, 2012

   CHOOSING G-D’S CHOICE There is a strange scene in this week’s parasha that we must not overlook. G-d assigned Moshe a difficult job – to be the one to tell his older brother, Aharon, that on that very day he was to die and not enter theLandofCanaan. Understandably, Moshe had a hard time coming to…

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Jukat- SPANISH

By Yosef Farhi | Jun 26, 2012

Eligiendo la elección Divina En la Parashá de esta semana se relata una extraña escena que no debemos pasar por alto. Di-s le asignó a Moshé la difícil tarea de avisarle a su hermano mayor, Aharón, que habría de morir aquel día y no ingresaría a la Tierra de Israel. Es de entender, que a…

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KORAH – 2012

By Yosef Farhi | Jun 19, 2012

JUST A REMINDER Some of the most important things in life – we overlook. Not because they are not important to us, but because it is so obvious that they are important that we think that there is no importance in thinking about them! There are parents who know that spending ten minutes a day…

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koraj – spanish

By Yosef Farhi | Jun 19, 2012

 Eliminando los celos Recientemente conocí a un hombre de noventa y cinco años que aparentaba ser mucho más joven. Quedé tan impresionado de su energía física y emocional, que no pude resistirme a pedirle el secreto de su longevidad. Feliz de revelármelo, el vigoroso nonagenario saltó de su asiento y comenzó entusiasmado a contarme sus…

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SHLACH 2012

By Yosef Farhi | Jun 12, 2012

GLASSES OF ANXIETY The story of the Spies is one of the greatest mysteries of the Torah. The punishment resulting from their report was from the harshest possible, with ramifications felt until the present day. Instead of being allowed to enter the Land of Canaan immediately, Bnei Yisrael had to remain for forty years in…

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B'HALOTCHA

By Yosef Farhi | Jun 6, 2012

       WHO IS TESTING WHO? The Mishna in Avot teaches us:  Ten tests was our patriarch Avraham tested and he withstood all of them – to show the depth of his love (to G-d)… Ten tests our fathers tested G-d in the desert, as it is written: “And they tested me ten times,…

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NASO 2012

By Yosef Farhi | May 30, 2012

 BLESSINGS OF LOVE Notice the language of the brachah recited before Birkat Kohanim, the blessing given by the kohanim to the rest of the congregation. It is utterly unique: “וצונו לברך את עמו ישראל באהבה …and He commanded us to bless His people, Israel, with love“. In no other blessing before a mitzvah do we…

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SHAVUOT 2012

By Yosef Farhi | May 22, 2012

 G-D’S TORAH AND HIS APPROACH The Sifri (Devarim שמג) relays the following Midrash: Before G-d came to Mt.Sinaito give the Torah to His People, He approached the nations of the world, one by one, and offered them the Torah. He first approached the nations of Esav. Esav’s descendants responded by first asking G-d what is…

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BEHUKOTAY ENGLISH

By Yosef Farhi | May 15, 2012

   A TORAH EDUCATION …אם בחקתי תלכו…ונתתי גשמכים בעתם   If you follow my statutes…I will provide you with rain at the appropriate time… Rashi explains that this verse teaches us about “toiling in Torah study” (שתהיו עמלים בתורה). Indeed, as the Chazon Ish ( ק”א ח”א ס י’ב ) points out, all the brachot in the…

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BEHUKOTAY – SPANISH

By Yosef Farhi | May 15, 2012

   Sobre los estudiantes de… Torá אם בחוקותי תלכו… ונתתי גשמיכם בעתם… Si habréis de seguir Mis estatutos… os proveeré de lluvias en el momento apropiado… Rashí explica que este versículo nos enseña a esforzarnos por el estudio de la Torá (שתהיו עמלים בתורה). De hecho, el Jazón Ish señala (ק”א ח”א ס י”ב) que todas…

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BEHAR – ENGLISH

By Yosef Farhi | May 8, 2012

  PRAYING FOR A BRAINSTORM Many people wonder why their minds drift during prayers. Why on earth does the imagination start running on turbo at these particular times? The sad joke is: When you need a real brainstorm, just start your prayers. Can something be done in order to assure that our minds be under our…

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