With much thanks to Hashem, I present to you dear reader, the third volume, on Vayikra, in the Vedibarta Bam series.

Our sages (Bava Metzia 106b) state that when something occurs three times, it becomes a “chazakah” — an established pattern. The root word of “chazakah” is “chazak” — “strong.” I express my gratitude to Hashem for giving me the strength to reach this point and pray that He grant me strength to complete the series on the Torah and see the project to fruition.

One of the goals of Vedibarta Bam (see Introduction to Bereishit) is, through Torah, to link together the members of my family — past, present, and future. The completion of Volume Three brings to mind what King Shlomo says, “Vehachut hameshulash lo bimeheirah yinateik” — “A three-fold cord is not easily broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12). May we merit that our families tie with Torah become stronger and stronger and never, G‑d forbid, be severed.

For this reason, an effort has been made to include in each volume divrei Torah of my grandfather, Rabbi Tzvi Hakohen ז"ל Kaplan and my father Rabbi Shmuel Pesach ז"ל Bogomilsky.

King David prayed, “Agurah be’ahalcha olamim” — “I shall dwell within your tents forever [lit. worlds]” (Psalms 61:5). The Gemara (Bechorot 31b) explains that he was expressing a desire that Torah be taught in his name when he would no longer be physically in this world, and thus he would gain immortality and live in both worlds.

As Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, “When the Torah words of a Talmid Chacham are repeated in his name in this world, his lips move in his grave.” Rashi in his commentary writes,“Vehana’ah hu lo shedomeh kechai” — “It is a pleasure to him that he is like a living person.” I deem it a great zechut to be able to give my father and grandfather this pleasure.

A note of thanks is due to my uncle, Mr. Eli (Eliyahu Mordechai Hakohen) Kaplan for sharing with me the divrei Torah of my grandfather in this volume.

May the merit of disseminating Torah bring heavenly blessings, materially and spiritually, to our entire family.

Rabbi Moshe Bogomilsky

12 Nissan, 5756



Note on Transliteration and Format



Transliteration generally employs the Sephardi accent, with the following usages:

1. Words with a final hei are spelled with a final “h.”

2. “Ei” (the vowel-sound in “freight”) is used for a tzere.

3. “Ai” is used for the vowel-sound in the word “tide.”

4. An apostrophe is used between distinct consecutive vowels, as in “Ba’al.”

5. An “e” is used for a vocalized sheva, i.e. “bemeizid,” not “b’meizid.”

6. “F” is preferred to “ph.”

7. “O” is used for cholem.

8. Doubling of consonants is generally avoided.

Use of Italics:

Transliterated Hebrew words are generally given in italics without capitalization, except for proper nouns, which are capitalized and, in the case of names, not italicized. Some exceptions are made for very familiar Hebrew words, such as “Torah.”

English and Hebrew:

Names of Biblical persons and names of the books of the Pentateuch are given in Hebrew, but other books of Tanach are given in English; thus “Moshe” is preferred to “Moses,” “Bereishit” to “Genesis,” and “Proverbs” to “Mishlei.” Generally English words are preferred to Hebrew ones, but often the content requires the use of the Hebrew.

Exceptions:

Exceptions to these rules most often involve forms already familiar to the English reader, forms that would otherwise be awkward, and ones likely to be mispronounced.