THOUGHTS ON THE PARASHAH Rabbi Evan Hoffman – Congregation Anshe Sholom evanhoffman@gmail.com Parshat Shoftim – פרשת שפטים August 14, 2021 – ו אלול תשפא This essay is sponsored by Robert Silver in memory of Yaakov ben Naftali Z”L. The Royal Treasury Scripture limits an Israelite king’s ability to raise funds for the royal coffers. “Nor...
THOUGHTS ON THE PARASHAH Rabbi Evan Hoffman – Congregation Anshe Sholom evanhoffman@gmail.com Parshat Re’eh – פרשת ראה August 7, 2021 – כט אב תשפא This essay is sponsored by Eli Fink in honor of Dr. Morton Coleman. Secular Slaughter The Dual-Torah is a foundational concept in Rabbinic Judaism (Gittin 60b). The rabbis, as...
THOUGHTS ON THE PARASHAH Rabbi Evan Hoffman – Congregation Anshe Sholom evanhoffman@gmail.com Parshat Eikev – פרשת עקב July 31, 2021 – כב אב תשפא This essay is sponsored by Harriet & David Rudnick, Arnie & Ellen Bernstein, and Stanley & Vivian Bernstein in memory of Jules Bernstein Z”L; by Moshe & Chavie Wilner in memory...
THOUGHTS ON THE PARASHAH Rabbi Evan Hoffman – Congregation Anshe Sholom evanhoffman@gmail.com Parshat Va’etchanan – פרשת ואתחנן July 24, 2021 – טו אב תשפא Mezuzah for non-Jews The commandment of mezuzah is fulfilled by affixing to one’s doorposts a piece of parchment on which the first two paragraphs of the Shema have been...
THOUGHTS ON THE PARASHAH Rabbi Evan Hoffman – Congregation Anshe Sholom evanhoffman@gmail.com Parshat Korach – פרשת קרח June 12, 2021 – ב תמוז תשפא This essay is dedicated in memory of Zoltan Lefkovits Z”L. Profaning priestly emoluments The final verse of Parshat Korach reads: “You will incur no guilt through it, once you have removed
THOUGHTS ON THE PARASHAH Rabbi Evan Hoffman – Congregation Anshe Sholom evanhoffman@gmail.com Parshat Naso – פרשת נשא May 22, 2021 – יא סיון תשפא The killer kohen The Babylonian Talmud cites a ruling in the name of Rabbi Yohanan that a kohen who has killed a person may not offer the priestly blessing in the