By Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron בס”דלשכנו תדרשו The Beacon of The Land of Israel In this painting we see 26 flames [quite clearly indicative of the numerical value of Tetragrammaton -”ner havaya nishmat adam”], seven candles [as in the Menora], and the central candle has eleven “roots” [apparently indicating eleven sefirot – … Read more
By Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron בס”דלשכנו תדרשו This parsha describes Yosef, even in his bondage in Egypt, as a “successful man.” The Midrash translates the word for “successful/matzliach” as “jumping in joy.” This translation is based on the interpretation, found in Breshit Raba 86, 4, of the verb root “tzalach” to refer … Read more
By Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron בס”דלשכנו תדרשו And Yakov brought Yitzhak to Hebron and Buried Him [There] In this painting we see a hall very similar to Yitzhak’s Hall in Maarat Hamachpela in features such as the ceiling, the chandeliers, an d of course the monuments for the Patriarchs seen here. The … Read more
By Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron בס”דלשכנו תדרשו “Shabbat Hebron!” Every year beginning with Chayei Sara, on Shabbat Hebron, we take a new topic to focus on. This year, God willing, we will focus on connections – “hibur=Hebron” – between Torah/Kabbalah and science. We may also touch on Rabbi Baruch Nachshon’s art from … Read more
By Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron בס”דלשכנו תדרשו And Hashem Appeared to him In the context of this painting, R’ Nachshon’s mentioned the verse in this parsha: “for I know that he [Avraham] will command his offspring and household after him to keep the way of Hashem in order that Hashem bring upon … Read more
By Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron בס”דלשכנו תדרשו “What R’ Nachshon wrote next to this painting, ” come out of yourself completely, ” may hint at a person’s nullification towards the Almighty, thereby becoming a pure vessel to bring God’s blessing to Israel. By becoming such a vessel one may merit to tap … Read more
By Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron בס”דלשכנו תדרשו In the painting we see the four types of matter according to the Kabbalists: non-living/”solid” matter, vegetation, animals, and human, which they say allude to the four letters of the name Havaya. Vegetation alludes to ” Vav in the Name Havaya, a letter they associate … Read more
By Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron בס”דלשכנו תדרשו Here we see a dove, which our sages saw as the symbol of Israel (Shabbat 33). Note also that the white dove has a blue tail, and the man is dressed in blue with a white cap. White and blue can be associated with Israel … Read more
By Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron בס”דלשכנו תדרשו This parsha discusses Moshe Rabeinu’s strengthening Yehoshua to conquer the Land of Israel. In this painting, which suggests the conquest of Hebron, we see seven chassidim blowing trumpets as in the conquest of Jericho by Joshua, Indeed, in the painting here, there is a motif … Read more
By Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron בס”דלשכנו תדרשו In this painting, we see six columns from the concentration camps, six lines of fire, a six-point star of Jude, six ribs on each side like the twelve tribes, six bones standing, and in the center of them, a seventh aspect – the man’s skeleton … Read more
