With summer approaching (at least, in the northern hemisphere, where most of our students and tutors are located), we’re thinking about Rambam’s advice as to how one might achieve fulfillment of the mitzvah to love God: by contemplating “His commandments and sayings and actions, until we comprehend and take full pleasure in comprehending…” (Sefer Hamitzvot,…
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In a few short days, we will celebrate the giving of the Torah at Har Sinai – a momentous, defining moment for the Jewish people. As Rambam highlights in the introduction to his commentary on the Mishna, however, that moment was the beginning of a process: “Know that every mitzva God gave to Moshe, our…
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It’s Tuesday and almost Shavuot, which means it’s a great time for a #TuesdayTorahTutorsTidbit about Megillat Rut.Real Torah, from real TorahTutors sessions. A preteen TorahTutors student has been delving into Megillat Rut with her tutor.They noticed many examples of chesed (kindness), a central theme in the Megillah that is one of the reasons offered for…
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This week, we bring you a somber – but hopeful – timely Tuesday TorahTutors tidbit; real Torah, from real TorahTutors sessions. A TorahTutors student and tutor discussed some of the traditional practices designed to commemorate or memorialize the Temple. A famous example is the matzah-maror sandwich eaten at the Pesach seder, just like Hillel used…
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The approach of Mother’s Day in the US reminds us of some different perspectives on motherhood that a TorahTutors student encountered in her studies of Biblical women. Devorah, the prophetess and judge, is not known as a biological mother at all; her marital status is unclear, and tradition preserves no information about any children she…
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We’re back from Pesach with a new Tuesday TorahTutors tidbit! Real Torah, from real TorahTutors sessions. A TorahTutors student learned three different ways to translate a phrase in Vayikra 19:26 (part of this week’s Torah portion in Israel). Most literally, lo tochlu al hadam translates as “don’t eat on the blood” – a translation that…
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A TorahTutors student learned a timely passage at the end of the first chapter of Mishna Brachot. After discussing the timing and manner of reciting Shema morning and night, as well as the various blessings the surround its recitation, the Mishna (1:5) states that the Exodus from Egypt should be mentioned at night (and not…
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A TorahTutors student working on Hebrew language learned that the word ???? (mimenu) can have different meanings. First, the prefix might mean “from” or it could be comparative, implying “more than” or “less than.” To further complicate matters, the suffix might be singular third person masculine (him/it) or it could be first person plural! For…
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Bava Metzia 30b notes that there are certain situations in which a person may not be obligated to return a lost item; for instance, if the finder is elderly and taking care of the item would somehow infringe on his dignity. However, Rabbah states that if the elderly person “struck it” – i.e., the lost…
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A TorahTutors student studying the story of King David learned that the prophet Shmuel needed a lot of guidance to arrive at the son of Yishai he was supposed to anoint. When he first saw Eliav, the oldest, Shmuel felt sure that was the one – until God reminded him that (as some might put…
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