Halacha & Hashkafa

Hashem gives us challenges and sends us different trials throughout the year and Hashem tries to spread out the work throughout the year so we won't collapse or even give up trying.

Oh My, It’s Copper! ‘…And One Who Is a Coppersmith’ (Ketubbos 77a)

Toward the end of the month, Mr. Morgen looked on his desk for the paper on which he had recorded his hours, but couldn't find it. He tried reconstructing based on his email message history, but it didn't help.

Itis also noted that the one who leads selichot is required to go through the trouble of waking up earlier than everyone else. The privilege of leading the remaining services of the day was his reward and appeasement for having lost sleep.

Perhaps our first step must be to pop the huge balloon that envelops us so that we can see beyond our own confines.

I personally do not believe that this is a tzniut issue, but if one feels that it is, others should respect their views.

We are coming close to the holy judgment day and we must make sure that we enter that courtroom as clean and as clear as possible.

The Heiress? “Determining The Daughter’s Status ” (Kesubos 68b-69a)

As the article did not distinguish between a Jewish-owned store and one owned by a gentile, a reader posed the question: How can hefker beis din apply when the ring is bought from a gentile?

Although a number of customs and themes characterize the month of Elul, it might just be that it is the repeated recitation of L’David that encapsulates them all.

The problem is that if we don’t expand our comfort zone, it begins to shrink.

For one reason or another, a company may charge different prices for a particular item or service, perhaps in order to fill up seats on a plane or to get rid of an overabundance of items that it has.

A Woman Of Valor Would That He [Only] Listen To Me…’ (Kesubos 63a)

We may not always understand our lives, but we must always know deep within our hearts that Hashem is waiting for each and every one of us to come home, that each one of us counts, and that Hashem will never abandon us.

We have a lot of opinions about other people and why they are that way. We are always quicker to find the small stain and hole than we are to notice the virtues.

Knowing that this family provides the adopted child with a stable, loving home, permeated by Torah values, and with the full love and support of the older children, I could not imagine why someone would think it improper.

Sometimes we have a lot of enthusiasm, energy, and the ability to jump up and do exactly what Hashem wants from us.

If we draft two loan documents, suggested Mr. Goldstein, we could send one to each brother simultaneously. That will save time!

Her Children, Her Whim “Kesubas Bnin Dichrin” (Kesubos 52b)

We like convenience. In fact, our world is driven by it. We expect no less than high-speed internet and sophisticated toys and attractions.

I would strongly advise anyone to limit picture taking, especially when it involves sending and sharing via social media and the like.

The Wedding Day Fast “He Gives Her Over In Marriage” (Kesubos 47a)

Benzion turned around, charging again. Zvi swirled the jacket and snapped it so hard that it tore. He hugged Benzion, and the dancing resumed.

When people approach him and tell him what a terrible speech it was, he knows he struck a chord and he considers it a good speech.

When I first moved to Israel, one of the cultural elements that I found – and still find – difficult to accept is the widespread use of first names when speaking with respected members of an older generation.

I noticed that he paused when Yehuda said that he bought the ring with his credit card, and then carried on. Why did Rabbi Reiss pause?

A Confession “Payment For Humiliation And Depreciation ...” (Ketubbot 41a)

Just as the bat can navigate through the darkness by utilizing echolocation, so too must we learn how to navigate the darkness of exile using the ‘echolocation’ provided for us by the Torah and our leaders.

When we make a big deal out of a Shabbos it allows the message of the holy day to make a bigger difference in our lives and in our connection to Hashem and His Torah.

An Auto Accident “All Agree That They Are Exempt [Of Any Monetary Payment]” (Kesubbos 35a)