Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on פרשת וירא. We continue the discussion of last week regarding Lot. Discussed: Why does the Torah emphasize that Avrohom Avinu went back to the same hotels on his return journey from Mitzrayim? Why are some people able to achieve greatness, while others, who seemingly start out with lots of potential, stall and never advance? 

Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on פרשת וירא. Discussed: What is the message we should learn that one should attend to guests before the Shechina? The Rambam’s parameters for when we say the Torah is speaking figuratively as opposed to literally. The Abarbenal’s explanation of how to reconcile the Rambam given all the questions the Ramban asks.

Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on פרשת וירא.

Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on פרשת לך לך. Discussed: • Understanding the argument between Yitzchok and Yishmael regarding the ideal way to perform Mitzvas Bris Milah. Is it better to perform the Mitzvah as an intelligent thirteen-year-old or an innocent baby? • Understanding the story of אחר (R' Elisha Ben Avuya), a great sage who went off the Derech. The Gemara cites the Pasuk טוב אחרית דבר מראשיתו, ascribing the father's wrong Kavanah during the Bris, which affected אחר later in...

Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on פרשת לך לך.  Discussed: • What type of journey was Avrohom Avinu commanded to take? Did he go altruistically or to receive reward?   • How to understand Lot? Was he a Tzadik, who attached himself to Avrohom, following him through thick and thin, or a Rasha who unhesitatingly abandoned Avrohom and embraced Sodom?

Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on פרשת לך לך.  Discussed:  The difference in child rearing between someone observant by rote versus someone who chose it through their own conviction.  Why do we list the Avos in ascending order? Furthermore, why do we delineate them separately at the beginning of the first Bracha of Shmonei Esrei and then conclude only with Avroham?  R’ Shimon Shkup’s incredible prediction, that right before Moshiach we will see an abundance of Balei Teshuva.

Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on פרשת לך לך.

Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on פרשת לך לך.

Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on פרשת נח.  Discussed:  What is the significance of the animals becoming deviant? How can man affect the animal kingdom and why would animals be punished for their moral failings if they only operate on instinct?  The Beis Halevi explains why the Tzadik gets the Rasha's portion of his merits and vice versa.   What is the difference between Din and Cheshbon?

Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on פרשת נח.

Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on פרשת נח.

Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on פרשת נח.  Discussed:  What is the connection between the Mitzvah to build the Taivah and the Mitzvah to build the Mishkan, and how the function of Yeshivos have evolved over the years from being just a Mishkon to serving a dual purpose of a Taivah & a Mishkan. Rabbi Chaim Dov Keller Zt”l had a Vort, that you can’t be a Bar Mitzva without being a Ben Torah.  R’ Elya Meir Bloch explains that the rainbow is the symbol that Hashem won’t destroy the...

Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on פרשת בראשית. Discussed: • The Kli Yakir explains what it means that Kayin offered his Korbon, מקץ ימים, at the end of days. What was the motivation behind Kayin's Korbon, and why did Hashem reject his Korbon? • Understanding the essential concept of Korbonos. If Hashem doesn't "need" our gifts, why do we offer Korbonos? Furthermore, what is the significance of מבכרות צאנו, the first of Hevel's cattle; does it really matter to Hashem whether someone...

Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on פרשת בראשית. Discussed:   • What was the state of Adom Harishon before he ate from the Etz Hadas (Tree of Knowledge)? What changed after he sinned?  • Learning from the Parsha the way the Yetzer Hara operates, and how desire fools us.

Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on פרשת בראשית.  Discussed:  • The Netziv's introduction to Sefer Bereshis explains that Sefer Bereshis is called Sefer Hayashor and serves as the introduction to the entire Torah, teaching by example the message of Derech Eretz Kadma Latorah.  • The observation that the Torah was willing to write the pesukim of creation in ways that can be corrupted and misconstrued to support idolatry and other ideologies in order to teach us lessons in Derech Eretz.  ...

Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on סוכות.  Discussed:   The Bach teaches that there are three Mitzvos that have a special requirement to know the reason behind the Mitzvah in order to fully satisfy the obligation; Sukkos, Tefilin and Tzisis. Is there a reason why these Mitzvos are unique in this regard?  The Sefer Haikram writes that there are three basic fundamental principles of belief, and they correspond to the three Yomim Tovim of Pesach, Shavous, and Sukkos.

Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on סוכות.  Discussed:  The connection between Sukkos, Moshiach, and the end of days.  The Vilna Gaon's approach for why we celebrate Sukkos in Tishrei and not in the month of Nissan.  How the Shofar represents the power of Teshuva and why this confounds the Soton.

Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on סוכות. We continue the theme of the last Shiur.   Discussed:   Why do we pray in Avinu Malkeinu to inscribe us in the Book of Merit; either we are meritorious already or not? R' Mattisyahu Solomon asks why is Sukkos defined as Zman Simchaseinu (time of our joy), what is the source of this joy?

Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on סוכות.  Discussed:   The Vilna Gaon's answer to the famous question; why is Sukkos celebrated in Tishrei?  A second Vilna Gaon, where he explains the Mishna that compares rain on Sukkos to a servant who has water poured back in his face by his master.  A discussion on the importance of time.

Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on סוכות.

Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on יום כיפור. Discussed: • The Chinuch writes that Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur sustain the world because it enables us to gain yearly atonement. Without this gift of yearly atonement, we would be overwhelmed by the burden of Aveiros and we would never be able to perform Teshuva. • Three concepts underlying the fast of Yom Kippur 1) לפום צערא אגרא, the more pain the higher the reward, more so by Yom Kippur where the pain itself is the Mitzvah. 2) The...

Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on יום כיפור. Discussed: • R' Chaim Shmulevitz highlights the need to resolve Bein Adam Lchaveiro issues before Yom Kippur, otherwise, one cannot obtain full atonement on the day of judgment. • R' Chaim Shmulevitz writes of the severe punishments that can result from sins of Bein Adam Lchaveiro, even when the person unintentionally and only indirectly harmed the other person (as illustrated in two stories brought in the Gemara). He explains that these...

Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on יום כיפור.

Shiur from Rabbi Elimelech Kohn Ztl on יום כיפור.