by Rabbi Pesach Wolicki | f 1, 2024 | Psalms
In verse 5 of Psalm 137, the psalmist declares that he would lose his strength should he ever forget Jerusalem. Now, in verse 6, he says that he will lose the ability to express himself as well. In fulfillment of the sentiment of this verse, numerous Jewish customs...
by Rabbi Pesach Wolicki | f 27, 2023 | Psalms
Psalm 137 is a lament over the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of Israel. The psalmist responds to the sarcastic taunting of his captors who ask the exiled Jews to “sing a song of Zion.” (Psalms 137:3) After stating in the previous verse that he cannot bring...
by Rabbi Pesach Wolicki | f 20, 2023 | Good and Evil, Psalms
In Psalms 125:2, Jerusalem is presented as a metaphor for the people of Israel, and the mountains that surround Jerusalem are a metaphor for God who protects His people. The previous verse in Psalm 125 uses similar imagery regarding those who put their trust in God....
by Eliyahu Berkowitz | f 12, 2023 | Jerusalem Day, Psalms, Temple
I try to avoid politics when learning the Bible, but let’s face it, David was a king, a political figure of the first degree. Jerusalem was his capital but, first and foremost, he intended it to be the permanent home of the Temple. Though King David bought the...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 9, 2023 | Fear of God, Holiness, Israel, Prayer, Psalms, Purity, Temple
By Rabbi Avraham Norin The Ariel Center is a small museum, hidden within the winding alleyways of the Old City of Jerusalem. Out of all the incredible museums Jerusalem has to offer, this one has a special place in my heart. The museum’s focus is the First...
