The 4 Special Parshiyot
Every year prior to Purim there are two special Torah readings on the preceding Shabbatot and two special readings in the weeks that follow. These are known at the “Arba pashiyot”, the four special readings. Join Rabbi Dr. Stuart Fischman as he explores each one, explaining their contexts and why each is significant unto itself.
The 4 Special Parshiyot: The 4 Special Parshiyot
Hello Everyone,
The Gemarah in masechet Megillah teaches that between the Shabbat preceding the month of Adar and the Shabbat preceding the month of Nisan we read four portions of the Torah which relate to the those particular weeks. These are the “Four Parshiyot.”
Today we will discuss the first of these special parshiyot, the parsha known as “Parashat Shekalim.” This reading commemorates the fact that when the Temple exists, on the first day of Adar people would be reminded to send their half-shekel coins to the Temple. These coins would collected and used to pay for the sacrifices brought in the coming year ( which began on the first day on the month of Nisan).
The 4 Special Parshiyot: The 4 Special Parshiyot
Hello Everyone,
Today we will discuss the second of the “Four Parshiyot”- פרשת זכור.
פרשת זכור is perhaps the most meaningful of these four special readings from the Torah because of the stark and uncompromising word with which it begins; “זכור”- “Remember!”
There is much in our history which we need to remember. My father z”l never said much about his experiences in the Holocaust but he did say once that he was afraid that its horrors would be forgotten.
So we have a mitzvah to remember and another prohibition against forgetting what was done to us by a nation named Amalek about 2500 years ago. We will talk about Amalek and the relevance of Amalek to our experiences.
The 4 Special Parshiyot: The 4 Special Parshiyot
Hello Everyone,
This evening we will learn about the פרה אדומה,the Red Heifer, the ashes of which are so necessary for so many of the Torah’s mitzvot regarding purity of the individual.
The 4 Special Parshiyot: The 4 Special Parshiyot
Hello Everyone
Today we will discuss the fourth of the four “special parshiyot.” This is פרשת החודש which is the mitzvah to have calendar built from lunar months . This is the basis of our calendar which is actually a hybrid lunar/solar calendar.
We will talk about the Jewish calendar in this session.
Rabbi Dr. Stuart Fischman graduated from Yeshiva University in 1980 and the dental school of Columbia University in 1985. In 1989 he began studying and teaching at Yeshivat Hamivtar and now studies and teaches at Yeshivat Machanaim in Efrat. He has rabbinic ordination from Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg.