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Channels Torah Classes The Practical Parshah

Salt in Jewish Law and Custom

Practical Parshah—Vayikra

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Salt in Jewish Law and Custom: Practical Parshah—Vayikra

This Torah portion speaks about the central role that salt played in all of the Temple sacrifices. In this class, we will see how this prominence carries over into many common Jewish practices.

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Rabbi Mendel Kaplan is the Spiritual Leader and Executive Director of Chabad Flamingo in Thornhill, Ontario, serving one of Canada’s most dynamic Jewish communities. He also serves as Chaplain of the York Regional Police Service. He is an active member of Toronto’s Vaad HaRabbanim (Council of Orthodox Rabbis), and a voting member of the COR Kashruth Council of Canada’s executive rabbinical board. Rabbi Kaplan is featured regularly on many local television and radio shows. He is a sought after speaker, with hundreds of lectures on Chabad.org. He and his wife, Faygie, are blessed with eight children. Artistically endowed, the rabbi enjoys drawing, sketching and creating charcoal portraits.

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15 Comments

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Israel Simkins Beer Sheva January 1, 2025

May I say that in masechet Brachot, it says that salt is used to make the bread more tasty

Israel Simkins
Beer Sheva Reply

Grace Lukens December 11, 2024

Thank you for the comprehensive teaching. It is marvelous. I am 75 years old and hard of hearing. I would be blessed to be to be able to read it. Is there a transcript of it? Or, if it is available on YouTube I can make a transcript of it with TurboScribe, I looked for it there, and subscribed to your channel, but I could not find it.

I already receive Chabad.org's newsletters. Reply

Mendel Kaplan Thornhill December 13, 2024

in response to Grace:

You're most welcome. Please subscribe to my YouTube channel where I now deliver new classes several time s a week. YouTube.com/rabbimendelkaplan Reply

Jacquelyn Helene Contreras PORTLAND March 19, 2024

That was AMAZING!
I must listen again!!! Reply

Mendel Kaplan Thornhill March 20, 2024

in response to Jacquelyn Helene Contreras:

You're most welcome. Please subscribe to my YouTube channel where I now deliver new classes several time s a week. YouTube.com/rabbimendelkaplan Reply

Geo Virginia Beach, VA March 19, 2015

Thank you for this profound drash and thank HaShem as the source. Chabad and your sacrifices to become our Rabbi, beam up light as does the Menorah! Reply

Bea/Paul Agle WNY March 16, 2015

Thank you! This was extremely enjoyable and educational. You have a wonderful talent for getting the meat off the bone and serving it up with a homey, comfort so that it enters and stays in the brain... naturally, like it always was there but now we can understand what we only knew.
Blessings to you and yours from Him through us, because all we have to give is His. B"H Reply

carmela Eliyahu March 7, 2014

Dear rabbi,
your teaching is so great, so clear, that i find myself listening to you with a great thirst.
you are bringing us close to our maker. thank you so much for your enthusiasm, it is a gift
gift to all of us.
thank you very much for your contribution to humanity. Reply

katrin Germany August 3, 2013

The "waters below".....Maybe also interesting to some might be the fact that the salt concentration of the human placenta is the same as the salt concentration of the seas Reply

Anonymous Arizona, USA March 12, 2013

Salt In Jewish Law And Custom Dear Rabbi Kaplan, what a wonderful teaching! I am so, so grateful to Hashem, blessed be He, for Chabad.org. My soul hungers for these teachings. I am not that young, at 65, according to statistics, one does not learn so quickly, but Hashem, blessed be He, is helping me to understand so much, and you Rabbi Kaplan are a part of this learning. Thank you so much. You definitely have a great gift from our King of Kings. Blessings continually to you and yours for bringing into the light of Torah. Reply

Ron Faulk Leesburg, Fl. March 20, 2012

covenant of salt Thank you for the lesson! I couldn't help remembering how Elisha cast salt into waters that brought death and bereavement, and Hashem's healing the waters. Reply

Mary Ann Fremont, Ca March 12, 2011

Salt in Jewish Law and Custom Thank You Rabbi. Such Great Teaching. Reply

K. Mitchell Coeur d alene, ID March 10, 2011

Thank you Rabbi,
Thank you for teaching here on the internet. I am learning so much. Was not raised Jewish, not raised in any church.
But at 45 years old I find myself drawn to these teachings.
I don't have a Rabbi close by... living in North Idaho. So it is such an incredible thing to have you available.
Thank you again. Reply

Ester Tarnogol Buenos Aires, Argentina March 9, 2011

Salt in Jewish Law and Custom Every week I look forward to the class of Rabbi Mendel Kaplan, because with his charisma, he teaches us the Parshah with joy and I learn a lot of matters that remains a little hide in my other classes of Torah, I presence during the week, and they are very good classes too. Thank you very much Rabbi Reply

Anonymous Blacksburg, VA March 8, 2011

History question: Great lesson.

Your talk about the Dead Sea piqued my curiosity: Did the salt used in temple sacrifices come from the Dead Sea? Or did they have salt mines?

Thanks! Reply

The Practical Parshah

Each week, Rabbi Mendel Kaplan will delve into that week's Torah reading to bring out a practical lesson for life and explain the Biblical sources for the customs, laws, practices and ethics of our people.

Salt in Jewish Law and Custom: Practical Parshah—Vayikra

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