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Welcome to Step 4 — a wiki of accessible Torah wisdom, tightly bound to identifiable sources in TaNaCh, Gemara, and Mesorah.

✦ Today's Featured Article

Tisha B'Av: We Only Go Up in Kedusha

Note: This summary was generated by AI based on the transcript of the shiur. It was not written or reviewed by Rabbi Gershenfeld.

Read full article...

Published: July 23, 2026

? Did You Know...

...that the word tirosh (wine) contains tirash (poverty), and this duality is the key to understanding Kiddush? (source)
...that Shabbos candles are not merely about light, but about establishing seder — an ordered, purposeful framework for Shabbos?
...that the phrase Av Hamon Goyim — "father of a multitude of nations" — encodes a transformation in Avraham's very identity?
...that true leadership begins with recognizing that Hashem is the Elokei HaRuchos — the G-d of all spirits?
...that Kiddush Hashem is not only about martyrdom but about how we live every ordinary moment?

📖 This Week's Parsha

Parashat Eikev

18 Av 5786 · August 1, 2026 ·

Moshe promises reward for observing the commandments. He reviews the forty years in the desert, the sin of the Golden Calf, and the second tablets. The third paragraph of the Shema. 'What does Hashem ask of you?'

Haftarah (Ashkenaz):

Read on Sefaria →

🗓 Upcoming Holidays

Holiday	Date
Tu B’Av	July 29, 2026
Rosh Hashana LaBehemot — New Year for Animals	August 14, 2026
Leil Selichot — Night of Selichot — penitential prayers begin	September 5, 2026
Erev Rosh Hashana — Eve of Rosh Hashana	September 11, 2026
Rosh Hashana 5787 — Jewish New Year (5787)	September 12, 2026
Rosh Hashana II — Second day of Rosh Hashana	September 13, 2026
Tzom Gedaliah	September 14, 2026

All dates begin at sundown of the evening prior. Times are for Diaspora.

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About Step 4: This wiki preserves Torah wisdom learned from Rabbi Beryl Gershenfeld — tightly bound to identifiable sources in TaNaCh, Gemara, and Mesorah; deep; and relevant. Learn more →

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-'''[[The Nine Days: Why Doesn’t Our Torah Seem to Create Shalom?]]''' {{AISummaryDisclaimer}}
+'''[[Tisha B'Av: We Only Go Up in Kedusha]]''' {{AISummaryDisclaimer}}
 <div style="text-align:right; margin-top:6px;">
-[[The Nine Days: Why Doesn’t Our Torah Seem to Create Shalom?|Read full article...]]
+[[Tisha B'Av: We Only Go Up in Kedusha|Read full article...]]
 </div>
 <div style="border-top:1px solid #ddd; margin-top:8px; padding-top:6px; font-size:0.88em; color:#555;">
-'''Published:''' July 17, 2026
+'''Published:''' July 23, 2026
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@@ Line 62: / Line 62: @@
 <div style="padding:10px 12px;">
-<div style="font-size:1.1em; font-weight:bold; margin-bottom:4px;">Parashat Vaetchanan</div>
+===Parashat Eikev===
-<div style="font-size:0.9em; color:#555; margin-bottom:8px;">11 Av 5786 · July 25, 2026 · Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11</div>
+<div style="color:#555; font-size:0.9em; margin-top:-8px; margin-bottom:8px;">18 Av 5786 · August 1, 2026 · </div>
-'''Vaetchanan''' contains some of the Torah's most central passages: Moshe's plea to enter the Land, the repetition of the Ten Commandments, the Shema, and the V'ahavta. The parsha also includes the command to teach Torah to one's children and the designation of cities of refuge.
+Moshe promises reward for observing the commandments. He reviews the forty years in the desert, the sin of the Golden Calf, and the second tablets. The third paragraph of the Shema. 'What does Hashem ask of you?'
-<div style="font-size:0.88em; margin-top:8px; border-top:1px solid #ddd; padding-top:6px;">
-'''Haftarah (Ashkenaz):''' Isaiah 40:1-26
+<div style="margin-top:8px; font-size:0.92em;">
-</div>
+'''Haftarah (Ashkenaz):'''
-<div style="font-size:0.85em; color:#666; margin-top:6px;">
-Shabbat Nachamu — the Shabbat of Consolation after Tisha B'Av
 </div>
-<div style="text-align:right; margin-top:6px; font-size:0.88em;">
+<div style="text-align:right; margin-top:8px;">
-[https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.3:23-7:11?lang=bi Read on Sefaria →]
+[https://www.sefaria.org/search#query=Eikev Read on Sefaria →]
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-<div style="background:#2c4a7c; color:white; padding:6px 12px; font-size:1em; font-weight:bold; font-family:Georgia, serif;">
+<div style="background:#2c5c7c; color:white; padding:6px 12px; font-size:1em; font-weight:bold; font-family:Georgia, serif;">
 🗓 Upcoming Holidays
 </div>
-<div style="padding:10px 12px; font-size:0.92em;">
+<div style="padding:10px 12px;">
-{| style="width:100%; border-collapse:collapse;"
+{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-size:0.9em;"
+! Holiday !! Date
 |-
-! style="text-align:left; padding:3px 6px; border-bottom:1px solid #ddd; color:#555; font-size:0.85em;" | Holiday
+| Tu B’Av || July 29, 2026
-! style="text-align:left; padding:3px 6px; border-bottom:1px solid #ddd; color:#555; font-size:0.85em;" | Date
 |-
-| style="padding:4px 6px;" | '''Tish’a B’Av'''
+| Rosh Hashana LaBehemot — New Year for Animals || August 14, 2026
-| style="padding:4px 6px; white-space:nowrap;" | July 23, 2026
 |-
-| style="padding:4px 6px; background:#f0f4f8;" | '''Tu B’Av'''
+| Leil Selichot — Night of Selichot — penitential prayers begin || September 5, 2026
-| style="padding:4px 6px; background:#f0f4f8; white-space:nowrap;" | July 29, 2026
 |-
-| style="padding:4px 6px;" | '''Rosh Hashana LaBehemot''' — New Year for Animals
+| Erev Rosh Hashana — Eve of Rosh Hashana || September 11, 2026
-| style="padding:4px 6px; white-space:nowrap;" | August 14, 2026
 |-
-| style="padding:4px 6px; background:#f0f4f8;" | '''Leil Selichot''' — Night of Selichot — penitential prayers begin
+| Rosh Hashana 5787 — Jewish New Year (5787) || September 12, 2026
-| style="padding:4px 6px; background:#f0f4f8; white-space:nowrap;" | September 5, 2026
 |-
-| style="padding:4px 6px;" | '''Erev Rosh Hashana''' — Eve of Rosh Hashana
+| Rosh Hashana II — Second day of Rosh Hashana || September 13, 2026
-| style="padding:4px 6px; white-space:nowrap;" | September 11, 2026
 |-
-| style="padding:4px 6px; background:#f0f4f8;" | '''Rosh Hashana 5787''' — Jewish New Year (5787)
+| Tzom Gedaliah || September 14, 2026
-| style="padding:4px 6px; background:#f0f4f8; white-space:nowrap;" | September 12, 2026
-|-
-| style="padding:4px 6px;" | '''Rosh Hashana II''' — Second day of Rosh Hashana
-| style="padding:4px 6px; white-space:nowrap;" | September 13, 2026
 |}
-<div style="font-size:0.82em; color:#666; margin-top:6px;">
+<div style="font-size:0.82em; color:#666; margin-top:4px;">All dates begin at sundown of the evening prior. Times are for Diaspora.</div>
-All dates begin at sundown of the evening prior. Times are for Diaspora.
-</div>
 </div>
 </div>