Parshat Shavua

...There are things that must be kept in Sod (Secret), and if someone reveals them, he thus abuses and wastes their greatness. One who has no secrets is one who is shallow and external - but 'Israel was redeemed from Egypt in the merit of not having revealed their inner secrets' (Midrash Tehillim 114,1)...

Even though we live in a time when such animal sacrifices are not possible, one of the main lessons which is pertinent to us is that all forgiveness for wrongdoing requires true "sacrifice" on the part of the perpetrator of the sin.

The Zohar brilliantly asks: "Why was Moshe able to stand before the Divine Presence on Mt. Sinai, but not down on earth?"

We would expect to read: “when one of you offers a sacrifice.” Instead, what it says is “when one offers a sacrifice of you.” The essence of sacrifice, said Rabbi Shneur Zalman, is that we offer ourselves.

Michaelangelo may have been the greatest sculptor who ever lived, but his knowledge of Jewish anatomy was a bit off.

We would expect to read “when one of you offers a sacrifice.” Instead, it says “when one offers a sacrifice of you.” The essence of sacrifice is that we offer ourselves.