Archives

בפסוק עד שהמלך במסבו נרדי נתן ריחו. “In the verse: ‘While the King was still at His table, my nard gave forth its fragrance.’” The Sefat Emet teaches that this verse hints to a spiritual [...]

הא לחמא עניא דאכלו אבהתנא בארעא דמצרים. “This is the bread of affliction that our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt.” The Sefat Emet begins by explaining that this verse introduces the theme of [...]

כל הג’ רגלים זכר ליצ”מ. All three pilgrimage festivals are a remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt. The Sefat Emet begins by stating that every festival carries within it the core [...]

במדרש ואל מי תדמיוני כו’ א”כ יאמר קדוש שאו מרום עיניכם כו’ מי ברא אלה. “In the Midrash: ‘To whom will you liken Me?’… therefore it says, ‘Holy, lift your eyes on high… who [...]

(ליל ו) מהר”ל ז”ל כתב איך רצו להשכיח התורה מבני ישראל. “On the sixth night, the Maharal wrote about how the Greeks sought to make the Torah forgotten from the children of Israel.” The [...]

(ליל א) אא”ז מו”ר זצלה”ה אמר מה שמברכין שעשה נסים על ראיית נר חנוכה. “My master and grandfather, may his memory be a blessing, said that the blessing ‘Who performed miracles’ is [...]

המצות שתקנו בחנוכה בנרות והלל והודאה. The mitzvot established for Chanukah are the lights, and the recitation of Hallel and thanksgiving. He introduces Chanukah as centered on illumination and [...]

בפסוק קטנתי כו’ ומכל האמת כו’. “In the verse ‘I am unworthy…’ and ‘from all the truth…’.” The Sefat Emet introduces his reading of Jacob’s words, focusing on the theme of truth. דכתיב [...]

בפסוק גוי וקהל גוים יהיה ממך. “In the verse: A nation and a congregation of nations shall come from you.” The Sefat Emet begins by focusing on the blessing to Jacob and reads it as containing a [...]

במ”ש לעיל פי’ עם לבן גרתי תרי”ג מצות שמרתי. As stated above: “I dwelled with Laban” — I kept the 613 commandments. The Sefat Emet explains that Jacob’s words hint that even in [...]