Comments for Geshmack Torah

Comment on Apps by ellanewman

ellanewman — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:16:45 +0000

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gtorah/id416028931?mt=8 – Thank you for the suggestion, please feel free to download the app while we try and set up a mobile view of gTorah

Comment on Links by meir zev mark

meir zev mark — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 20:06:42 +0000

Give a look at http://emunahspeak.blogspot.com/. You may want to consider adding it to your links.

Comment on Apps by Hershele

Hershele — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 21:44:57 +0000

I think it would be helpful to have a mobile view as well of ur site.

Comment on And You Shall Teach Your Children by Garnel Ironheart

Garnel Ironheart — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 19:02:39 +0000

It’s interesting to note that there are two mitzvos which, according to some Chazal, never happened but “drosh u’kabel sachar.” The other is the Ir Hanidachat. In both cases there are impossible conditions attached to fulfilling the mitzvah yet we still learn all about them. The Ir HaNidachat can be seen as the societal equivalent of the ben sorer u’moreh. A society needs to ensure that all its communities are on side with its moral positions and encourage movement in that direction.

Comment on Personal agendas by Jeff

Jeff — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 17:47:03 +0000

Not sure if I agree that Yehoshua’s motive to not become a leader was a positive character trait. To say that a person can be affected negatively by a positive character trait is problematic if not illogical. I would suggest the possibility that there was a midah deeper and more profound than humility that motivated Yehoshua.

Comment on Pesach 5633 Second Night Second Ma’amar–What is the Matza for? by Moshe David

Moshe David — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 13:42:28 +0000

Very nice. Thank you! Good Yom Tov.

Comment on Matza and Maror – chalk and cheese by Netanel

Netanel — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 19:01:48 +0000

@ Somehow Frum

It’s a machlokes if they did or didn’t eat matza in Egypt, but Maharal says that it’s not mistaber from Tanach or Chazal.

Comment on Acharei Mos 5632 Second Ma’amar–What is life’s reward? by Moshe David Tokayer

Moshe David Tokayer — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:41:26 +0000

Well done!! Yashar Ko’ach. Ahh, isn’t the Sfas Emes gevaldig?

Comment on Links by breindyreiss

breindyreiss — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 23:04:31 +0000

breindyreiss@gmail.com I am the one who suggested contacting theshmuz.com

Comment on Links by breindyreiss

breindyreiss — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 23:01:57 +0000

I would like to suggest that you link to Rabbi Shafier’s theshmuz.com where there are over 200 shmuzin to download for free. video and audio on the parsha (45 minutes)
as well as free 5 minute “bursts of inspiration” and much more. Membership is for free

contact me at the website above for further information. This website is a good shidduch for you and should be posted at a link

Comment on Lord–I need a miracle! by G.Beer

G.Beer — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 17:04:38 +0000

excelent! your words are simply written yet the idea behind is deep, I am allways happy to read clear and wonderfull Divray Torah. as they say by you :”Well Done”!!

Comment on Lord–I need a miracle! by Moshe Sharon

Moshe Sharon — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 13:36:50 +0000

In Parsha Tzav, we can understand that when we face difficult times, it’s not a punishment; it’s G-d helping us to achieve that cleansing that removes the impurities from our souls. Why does G-d consider the sin offering as being the “Holy of Holies?” Because when we Jews repent with a broken heart and ask HaShem to help us to live a life of righteousness, we fulfill the purpose of creation. More at http:moshe-sharon-wordsmith.com

Comment on Perceiving the Divine and the Kamikaze Trolls by DANIEL

DANIEL — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:55:34 +0000

thanks thanks a lot for suc ha wodnerful torah explanation i would love ot read it every week and i am proud of our jewish websites and all who have made for us reading fo regular torah and torha messages avaialble every weekly for us

Comment on Why do we bring Korbanos? by Dov Kramer

Dov Kramer — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 16:02:19 +0000

See Abarbanel, who understands Rambam with a nuance (although not what Rambam seems to be saying): The main accomplishment of karbanos, the increased relationship with our Creator, is accomplished more directly through prayer. We were commanded to bring karbanos rather than, or along with, prayer–even though prayer is more primary–because we were so accustomed to relating to deities through animal offerings, that not using such a vehicle would lead to bringing animal offerings to to false deities instead.

Giving of oneself to G-d is important, but kind of impossible. Yes, we can give things up, but what does this do for G-d? What would be the point of “giving” if there was no added value to the recipient? Is the illusion of “rayach nichoach” enough to give this sacrifice value?

The issue of G-d benefitting from our actions is complex; the standard approach is that G-d is the essence of good, and being good means doing things for others, which is why G-d created those “others” (us). Since it is not the ultimate good if the recipient doesn’t deserve that good (“nahama d’kisufa”), He gave us commandments through which we can “deserve” that good.

As physical beings, giving of our physical selves is a primary means of expressing our relationship with others. By commanding that we bring physical offerings, G-d combined both. Because we are fulfilling his commandment by bringing them, they have real value. And because we are giving up of ourselves, it allows us our relationship with Him to grow.

Comment on As the Lord said to Moses by Dovid Heigh

Dovid Heigh — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 14:57:03 +0000

Very nice chidush!

Comment on Is there a “right” way to get to the Torah? by nina

nina — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 13:24:27 +0000

great one neli!!!

love the new look of the website!

aml serena xxx

Comment on Pubs, Climbing Ladders and Divine Retribution by joshwaxman

joshwaxman — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 14:20:43 +0000

I actually posted about this Rashi regarding yored this morning. Very interesting Gur Aryeh, though I wouldn't agree that Rashi would deliberately change the text of the midrash in this manner.

kol tuv,
josh

Comment on Deserving Honor by Arzei

Arzei — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 19:38:48 +0000

Love your questions. Please keep it up. Let me know if there are still any problems.

1: a) Seder Olam perek 4 says Moshe was made into a King. The Gem Zvachim Daf 102a says Moshe was King. The Targum Yonosan (according to Meam Loez), and Ibn Ezra say that this pasuk in Devarim 33:5 is the source to the aforementioned Chazal. I'm not holding in Shas to see if anyone argues whether Moshe was not a Melech, so if you see anything please let me know. (I saw one Achron in the Meam Loez that said that Moshe wasn't really a King, rather he was sort of a King- Tzida Lederech)
b) See Rambam Melachim 1:3 and Chinuch mitzvah 493 that quote the midrash saying how Yehoshua was also made into a Melech (This is a machlokes Tanaaim). From Yehoshua being Melech we would actually then learn Hilchos Melachim from him. Yehoshua was from shevet Ephraim. so we see that if Moshe was indeed Melech there would be no reason to differentiate between Moshe and Melachim from Malchus bais David.

2: Sorry for not being clear in my Dvar Torah. The Mitzvah (Tos. Sota 41b and Maharsha Kiddushin 32b) Avraham did was Hachnassas Orchim. The Gem. in Shabbas 127a says that doing Hachnassas Orchim is greater than accepting the Schinah and therefore Avraham was able to tell Hashem to please wait for him while he dealt with the Melachim. Same thing applies by the case with Rav Gamliel and Rav Yehoshua. In regards to Moshe eventhough I said Yisro made the feast, nonetheless the Maharsha in Shabbas 127 says that Yisro was an Orach and the people (Aharon and Elders) went to do Hachnassas Orchim. Thus if Moshe did serve, he was serving for Hachnassas Orchim at a meal with Talmidei Chachamim, which is a mitzvah which would include the Shechina.

There is still a question on the Gemarah in Kiddushin though, as I mentioned in the vort, but what I heard was that there might be a difference between the meal that Yisro made which was totally for Hashem, whereas the meal that Rav Gamliel made for his son's wedding was not totally for Hashem.

Comment on Deserving Honor by Tzaphnas Paneach

Tzaphnas Paneach — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 07:45:48 +0000

Sorry, but a few basic questions:
1) You provide insufficient evidence that indeed moshe was:
a) appointed king as opposed to moshe being the speaker and melech referring to hashem
b) If we establish that he was the king, does the halacha of mechila apply to all kings or just kings that are miBeis David (meaning kings with the backing of the brachos of yaakov, ie- miShevet Yehuda)?
2) Why do you assume there is a mitzvah to serve at a meal that has the shechina? Which mitzvah is there in kovod haShchina (and I suspect you will suggest kiddush hashem, but that is a bit difficult because avraham left the shechina to take care of guests. If indeed there was a mitzvah of kiddush hashem in greeting the shechina then 1) Haosek bimitzvah patur min hamitzva (which can be refuted by saying it is similar to talmud torah, but that depends on how you learn that sugya, so possibly not a good comaprison) 2) Since we know that kiddush hashem is the greatest (need to establish this as true, but can't write everything in a small post), he never would have left to deal with his guests

Comment on Talk About a Funny Pregnancy by Avreich @ B.Y.

Avreich @ B.Y. — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 22:41:45 +0000

Yossi,
Thank you for your comment. If you notice, in my other post ("'Gender'ally Speaking," which I refer to in the beginning of this one) I wrote about all this at length, and even quoted that Chida (though not that which he says about Osnas).
Author.