Mashiachโs origins are hidden in darknessโLot, Balak, Eglon, and Rut. From incest to idolatry to devotion, the lineage of David ha-Melech reveals light emerging through klipah. Discover how redemption begins in the cracks of fear, impurity, and hidden holiness.
What will bring the final geulah? This deep Torah essay explores Mosheโs test at the rock, Miriamโs well, and the true path to redemption: humble, unified prayer. Learn why only through the collective tefillah of Klal Yisrael can the wellsprings of Torah reopen and Mashiach come.
What Was So Wrong With Lavan? It is written (Bereshit 3:1): ืึฐืึทื ึธึผืึธืฉื ืึธืึธื ืขึธืจืึผื ืึดืึนึผื ืึทืึทึผืช ืึทืฉึธึผืืึถื ืึฒืฉึถืืจ ืขึธืฉึธืื ืึฐืึธ ืึฑืึนืงึดืื (And the Nachash was more arum than all the animals of the field which Hashem G-d had made). What is the meaning of ืขึธืจืึผื [arum]? The Bechor Shor says it means that he spoke…
A Generation that is Entirely Innocent or Entirely Guilty: R' Yochanan taught (Sanhedrin 98a): ืืื ืื ืืื ืื ืืื ืืืืจ ืฉืืืื ืืืื ืื ืืืื ืืืื. ืืืืจ ืฉืืืื ืืืื ืืืชืื (ืืฉืขืืื ืก, ืื) ืืขืื ืืืื ืฆืืืงืื ืืขืืื ืืืจืฉื ืืจืฅ ืืืืจ ืฉืืืื ืืืื ืืืชืื (ืืฉืขืืื ื ื, ืื) ืืืจื ืื ืืื ืืืฉ ืืืฉืชืืื ืื ืืื ืืคืืืข ืืืชืื (ืืฉืขืืื…
Mashiach and the Mechanics of Rebuke: A little over a year ago, we published a d'var Torah entitled To Rebuke or Not to Rebuke: That is the Question. In that article, we explained what happens to someone who receives rebuke from someone who is unfit to rebuke. In short, instead of arousing within the rebukee…
How Machloket Not for the Sake of Heaven Serves a Higher Purpose In last few articles from The Shoemaker Report we have taken the time to explain teachings from the Zohar ha-Kadosh and from the Vilna Gaon that state unequivocally that one of the worst sins we could become involved in, chas v'shalom, is the…
The Secret of the Erev Rav (Part 3) In the past two issues of The Shoemaker Report, we examined the origins and characteristics of the souls of the converts who accompanied the Jewish People when they left Egypt in the days of Moshe Rabbeinu. This group, known collectively as the Erev Rav ('mixed multitude'), is…
The Secret of the Erev Rav (Part 2) In last week's article, The Erev Rav Also Went Up With Them, we learned a number of important points related to the Erev Rav and their relationship to B'nei Yisrael. First, the worship of the golden calf was instigated by a group of converts from Egypt known…
How the Mishkan Was Built In what is perhaps his most well-known lesson in Likutei Moharan, R' Nachman of Breslov explains the importance of looking for, and finding (!), the good points in every Jew, even in someone we might consider a rasha (see L.M. 282). He also teaches there the necessity of looking for…
The Meaning Behind the Miracles of Chanukah Three kinds of intelligence [ืฉึตึผืืึถื, seichel] are capable of illuminating the mind of man. The lowest level corresponds to what each and every one of us is capable of achieving on his own provided that he goes through a normal step by step learning process. Of course, it…
We know the story. Balak hired Bilaam to curse Yisrael but was unsuccessful because Bilaam was permitted only to speak blessings upon Yisrael. Nevertheless, Bilaam devised a plan, which he knew that if it succeeded, destruction would come upon Yisrael from Hashem himself (see Sanhedrin 106a for details). The succinct summary is provided in Bemidbar…
In last weekโs article, we reviewed the six main attributes of the parah adumah (disgraced, unblemished soul, occupied fully with Torah, a tzaddik who exhibits true shiflut, yet despised by the nation) and challenged the reader to see the connection between those attributes and the suffering servant of Yeshayah 52:13-53:12. As a follow up to…