TMC Torah Blog - Page 3 | The Motivation Congregation

Aug. 4, 2024

Unveiling the Importance of the Hebrew Month of Av: Key Insights to Enhance Your Understanding

The Hebrew Month of Av (also Menachem Av) is the eleventh month of the civil year and the fifth month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew calendar. It is a month of 30 days and usually occurs in July–August on the Gregorian calendar. Av …

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Aug. 4, 2024

The Nine Days: The Laws and Customs

The Nine Days begin on the evening of Rosh Chodesh Av, Sunday, August 4th, at Shekiya. The restrictions of the Three Weeks remain in effect in addition to the following rules: Eating meat or chicken is prohibited. Wine is forbidden, but alcohol…

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Aug. 1, 2024

The Life and Legacy of Rabbi Shmuel Rozovsky

Rabbi Shmuel Rozovsky (1913–1979) was an extraordinary rabbi known as an expert Talmudic lecturer at the Ponevezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, Israel. He was counted amongst the great rabbis of his generation. He was known worldwide for his cl…

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July 29, 2024

Rav Moshe ben Yaakov Cordovero

Rav Moshe ben Yaakov Cordovero (1522–1570) was a central figure in the historical development of Kabbalah and the leader of a Kabbalistic school in 16th-century Safed, Ottoman Syria. He is known by the acronym the Ramak (רמ״ק). In the introdu…

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July 29, 2024

According to Ashkenazim, music is prohibited during The Three Weeks. What's the source of the prohibition, and can one listen to Acapella music?

According to Ashkenazim, music is prohibited during The Three Weeks. What's the source of the prohibition, and can one listen to Acapella music? Interestingly, we don't find any early sources explicitly prohibiting listening to music. The Mag…

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July 28, 2024

Omitting Parts of Pesukei D’zimra to Pray with a Minyan

Omitting parts of Pesukei D’zimra to pray with a minyan: As mentioned last week, one should recite Pesukei D’zimra slowly, as if counting money. Therefore, one should make an effort to arrive at the shul early enough to pray at an appro…

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July 28, 2024

Parshas Massei Summary

Moshe chronicled the Israelites' journey from Egypt as guided by God, passing through various locations from Rameses to Moav. God instructed the Israelites to dispose of all land inhabitants upon crossing the Jordan into Canaan, destroy their object…

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July 28, 2024

Parshas Matos Summary

Moshe conveyed God's commands to the Israelite tribe leaders regarding commitments (נדרים‎, often known as "vows"). Following God's instructions, Moshe led a successful attack on the Midianites. The Israelites butchered every man, including the …

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July 25, 2024

Notes and Questions on Parshas Pinchas

Why is there a small yud in Parshas Pinchas? Harass the Midianites. That's interesting. Why? What with the sidebar for Korach, Dasan, and Aviram? Can you name the daughters of Tzelofchad? What with the large nun at the end of the story of Bnos T…

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July 23, 2024

Why Was Yehoshua Chosen to be the Leader of the Jewish People?

Bamidbar Rabbah (21.14) “May the Lord, God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation” (Numbers 27:16). “Moses spoke to the Lord, saying: May [yifkod] the Lord, God of the spirits…appoint”…

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July 21, 2024

Parshas Pinchas Summary

God announced that because Pinchas had displayed his passion for God, God granted him a pact of friendship and priesthood for all time. God then told Moshe to attack the Midianites to repay them for their trickery, luring Israelite men to worship Ba…

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July 21, 2024

The 15th of Tammuz

The 15th of Tammuz marks the Yahrtzeit of famed Torah commentator Rabbi Chayim ben Attar (1696-1743), author of the Ohr HaChayim and the passing of Reb Aryeh Leib, Author of Shaagas Aryeh (1785). Rabbi Chayim ben Attar (the Ohr HaChayim) was Born i…

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July 21, 2024

The Laws and Customs of the Bein Hametzarim (The Three Weeks)

The fast of Shiva Asar B'Tamuz is on Tuesday, July 23rd, and marks the beginning of the Y'mei Bein Hametzarim, the Three Weeks. The Y'mei Bein Hametzarim, between the 17th of Tamuz and the 9th of Av, is a national mourning period over the destructi…

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July 18, 2024

What's the proper way to daven? Eyes open, closed, or looking in a siddur?

What's the proper way to daven? Eyes open, closed, or looking in a siddur? The Gemara Yevamos (105b) teaches that one should face his eyes downward while davening, based on a verse in Melachim (1- 9:3). The Tur and Shulchan Aruch (95:2) also…

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July 18, 2024

Three Weeks Laws and Customs

The days between Shiva Aser B'tamuz and Tisha B'av are referred to as "Ben Hametzarim" (the dire straits) based on the verse in Eichah (1:3). Shibbolei Haleket (263) references the verse in Daniel (10:2), which says, "Daniel mourned for three weeks…

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July 17, 2024

Arba'ah Turim

The passing of Rav Yaakov ben Asher (the Tur) (1348) Rav Yaakov ben Asher, son of Rav Asher ben Yechiel (the Rosh), was one of the most prominent Torah scholars in medieval Europe. His classic work on Jewish law, named the Tur, also known as…

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July 17, 2024

The first printed edition of Sefer HaChinuch, 1523, is published.

The first printed edition of Sefer HaChinuch, 1523, is published. The Sefer HaChinuch was composed in the Middle-Age Spain, c.1255 – c.1285 CE. The Sefer HaChinuch ("Book of Education") is an anonymous work written in thirte…

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July 17, 2024

Parshas Balak Summary

Balak, the king of Moav, was concerned about the Israelites' victories and asked the prophet Bilam to curse them. God told Bilam not to curse the blessed Israelites. Despite Balak's offers of wealth, Bilam initially refused to act against God's com…

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July 16, 2024

Exploring the mechanics of curses and unraveling the intentions behind Bilam's actions.

Parshas Balak, Or HaChaim (23/8) Exploring the mechanics of curses and unraveling the intentions behind Bilam's actions. To understand the matter properly, we must first discuss the condition of the person or people subjected to a curse. If…

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July 15, 2024

The obligation of saying Pesukei D'Zimra every day. (17)

Pesukei Dezimra, or "Verses of praise," are a group of prayers recited during Shacharis. They consist of various blessings, psalms, and sequences of other Torah verses. Two sources mention the obligation of saying Pesukei D'Zimra every day.&nbs…

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July 12, 2024

The Haftarah for Parshas Chukas

The Haftarah for Parshas Chukas, sourced from Shoftim (11:1-33), is deeply connected to our parsha as elucidated by the Levush (549:1). Our parashah concludes with Moshe's triumphant battle against the people of Amori. The Jews emerged victor…

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July 10, 2024

Chodesh Tammuz Yahrtzeits (From YY)

1. First Bobover Rebbe/Reb Yonah Minsker2. Mike Tress3. Lubavitcher Rebbe/Rav Shneur Kotler4. Rabbeinu Tam/Baal Haflaah5. Maaseh Merkavah6. Yonatan Netanyahu/Sreifas HaTalmud7. Rav Gedalia Schorr/Lev Simcha8. Imrei Noam9. Klausenberger Rebbe10. ⁠Reb…

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July 8, 2024

Reciting Karbonos (16)

After Birchas Hashachar, we recite Karbonos. The Gemara in Megillah relates that Avraham asked Hashem how Klal Yisrael would achieve forgiveness once the Beis Hamikdash is destroyed if we can no longer bring Karbonos. Hashem replied, when Klal Yisra…

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July 7, 2024

What Is the Haftorah, and Why Do We Read It?

The Avudraham (Shachris Shabbos, page 189) explains why we read the Haftorah each week: "It was decreed that the Jews could no longer read from the Torah, so the rabbis established to start reading from the Neviim instead." Tosfos Yom Tov (Megillah-…

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