There is far too much to discuss in this week’s parsha to limit oneself to a single topic, and likely, kol hamarbeh, harei zeh meshubach (all those who elaborate are to be praised) — but let’s get started and see…
Author: DRosenbach
Passaic Periodontist
Passover 2011
More important than knowing where someone is, is to know from where they come; this allows one to better gauge the person’s current position as a function of where he or she began and where he or she intends to…
Dvar Torah Metzorah: Science vs. Torah
Looking over the past couple of weeks, I see that there’s been lots said about the premise of there being some sort of battle between science and Torah. Each has its proponents, each certainly has its opponents, and there’s a…
Dvar Torah Tazria: Anatomy, Physiology and Rabbis
How fortuitous it is that I can use last week’s lengthy disagreement with Yoreh K’chetz as a springboard for this week’s Dvar Torah. Last week, Yoreh K’chetz (henceforth abbreviated YK) accused me of possessing a “mind [that] is too limited…
Dvar Torah Shmini: Slifkin
To put it bluntly, one might have described me as a big nerd when I was an adolescent, and not just because I thought it was cool to have green-tinted eyeglasses (yes, I repeat — green-tinted eyeglasses). I can say…
Purim II
The Megillah tells of the ultimate peril facing the Jewish nation under the directives put in place by Haman (Esther 3:8-11). Mordechai strongly urges Esther to beseech the king (4:8) in an attempt to save the Jews, and Esther obliges…
Purim I
R’ Daniel Z. Feldman tells a story about Disney’s Aladdin being shown at NCSY Kollel once upon a time around Purim, and here’s the Dvar Torah that was told at the time:
Dvar Torah Vayakhel: Positive Sexuality
Too often, Judaism maintains a stance on a particular issue, but that stance is overshadowed by the pervasive attitudes of other religions or other cultures. One such instance is in regard to sexuality.
Dvar Torah Ki Sisa: Deciphering the Mind
Torturous slavery. Exquisite exodus. Elaborate miracles. Divine revelation. Magnificent treachery. Unfortunately, that sums up where we find ourselves in this weeks parsha.
Dvar Torah Tetzave: Biblical Stereotyping
There’s a popular stereotype that fathers are strict, harsh, demanding, exacting and authoritarian while mothers are relaxed, mellow, flexible, carefree and altogether sweet. That may not be how it was in your family (or mine), but when that’s presented as the…
Dvar Torah Teruma: If YOU Build It
The Holy Temple in Jerusalem, which stood as two distinct structures spanning nearly ten centuries, is no longer extant, but the site of the sanctuary is considered by Jewish tradition to be the holiest site in the universe. Not only…
Dvar Torah Mishpatim: Chukim, Chukim and More Chukim
For a really long time, now, I’ve had a special fondness for Mishpatim. That’s why, in 8th grade, when Assistant Principal Rabbi Binyomin Yablok asked that each male student pick a parsha to lein (for, without motivation, it was really…
Midrash + Metaphor
As a follow-up to last week’s post and subsequent focus of argument, I was trying to think of a Dvar Torah that is so blatantly absurd in literal form that even the most right-wing, closed minded individual will be compelled…
Dvar Torah Yisro: Like a Barrel
I find it a real challenge to write the weekly divrei Torah for FrumSatire because I sense the audience has exceedingly high demands. This is not some lame yeshiva day school weekend packet for which unevocative Torah insights are all…
Dvar Torah B’shalach: Parshas Hamon
Although this week is B’shalach, I’d like to open with something from Shoftim. There’s a phrase there that may appear to stand out as odd: tamim tihiyeh im Hashem elokecha — “You shall be tamim with Hashem, your God.” (Deut.…
Dvar Torah Parshas Bo: Divine Obstruction
The concept of the Ten Plagues is a difficult one to understand, and I refer here to the theological issue that arises from what is clearly stated in the early verses of Exodus — God promises to harden Pharaoh’s heart,…
Dvar Torah Ve’eira: Tending the Flock
At the close of last week’s parsha, we saw Moses selected as God’s messenger to free the Jews from Egyptian bondage, and after an initial encounter with both the slaves and the enslaver, Moses already wants out. The future seems…
Dvar Torah Shmos: Recognition
The Rabbinic literature is replete with midrashically aggrandized personalities, serving to present things in a way that unambiguously reinforce Chazal’s overall attitude toward character traits and behaviors. Often, and perhaps too often, Biblical personalities are described with such consistent flawlessness…
Dvar Torah Vayigash: Pretending
People like to pretend — and what I’m about to discuss has nothing to do with Lady Elaine Fairchilde. And there’s nothing wrong with pretending, as long as one is not also pretending to not be pretending.
The Chanukah Presence
The current establishment of Chanukah presents really ticks me off and I’ll tell you why.
Dvar Torah Vayeshev II: Teeth, legs and Yahoo.com
In apology for my somewhat lame Vayeshev Dvar Torah, I’d like to provide an explanation: I had been suddenly worried that my original post was too racy (get that) and at the last minute, I substituted a quickly- but perhaps…
Dvar Torah Vayeshev: Yosef HaTzaddik and the Half-Blood Goblet of Azkaban
Don’t worry, I will not be drawing any parallels between this week’s parsha and Pride and Prejudice.
Devar Torah Vayishlach: Free Will and Divine Intervention
Vayishlach begins with Jacob receiving word back from his scouts that his brother, Esau, is amassing a small army and closing in for a fight. (Genesis 32:7) In response, Jacob splits his camp into two, figuring that v’haya hamachene hanishar…
Devar Torah Vayeitzei: “Boruch Shem” and Frozen Bagels
I can’t seem to arrive at Parshas Vayeitzei and read about Jacob’s angelic ladder dream without recalling R’ Mordechai Becher’s rendition of something he heard from R’ Isaac Bernstein. So here it is — it inspires me every time I…
Parshas Toldos: The Spiritual Pedometer
I was in line at the bakery some time ago behind an exceedingly wide individual, and upon his belt, which served as the horizontal height of curvature of his enormous girth, was clipped a small electronic device. Figuring there’s no…