Columns

Had G-d not told the first humans: ‘Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves in the ground’? That is why Abel brought an animal sacrifice.

The Holy Torah is full of stories and examples of how we must conduct our lives as Jewish people. However, we aren’t always successful at implementing what we know and learn, especially when push comes to shove.

My next test was booked for Thursday, August 17, 1967. I couldn’t have known when I was given this date, and not one later in the month, what siyata dishmaya I had received.

The Rebbe asked that we strengthen the tefillin campaign – not only to put on tefillin ourselves, but also with whomever else we can – and this will help our brethren all over the world.

After Hashem performed the ten makkos and took the Jewish People out of Mitzrayim, Hashem’s providence was flamingly clear in the world.

The Mishnah in Pirkei Avos says: Don't say, 'I will study Torah when I have time,' for perhaps you will never have time.

The key element is not so much giving something up (the usual meaning of sacrifice), but rather bringing something close to G-d.

Although some Bible scholars claim that tirosh is an archaic Hebrew word for wine that was later replaced with the more modern word yayin in the Bible, this explanation does not really account for the difference between the two terms and why the newer term did not just completely replace the older term.

Through thick and thin, and there was a lot of thick times in my choices, my parents were always there for me without any exception.

Ok, I thought. No big deal. I know snow. But then the electricity went out. The house was cold. It was dark. I had a lot of food prepared in my freezer for post-birth. I started to get nervous.

True simcha knows no bounds and breaks all boundaries. It can transform a person entirely. When one has simcha, a weak person becomes strong and obstacles disappear as if they never existed.

The United States was convinced that Israel could never prevail against so many Arabs and feared that U.S. troops would be called in to save Israel.

No matter where in the world you fall, you can easily come back to G-d. This is because of His unfathomable greatness. Nothing is beyond His power.

Clothing can serve two simultaneous purposes: It can conceal the embarrassment of our inner light no longer shining through our physical bodies, and in doing so it can also cloak us in dignity.

It is the mark of a good society that public leadership is seen as a form of service rather than a means to power.

Dr. Kohut was the first to note that Rashi’s explanation of eches as snake venom was likely informed by the Greek word echis (viper).

We each come from different families and different countries, and yet we are all part of the same family of Israel. This is why it's written that Kol Yisrael arevim ze la'ze – all the Nation of Israel are accountable, and responsible one for the other.

Many people have asked me to comment on Miriam Anzovin’s Daf Reactions on TikTok.

How shocking and unexpected was Mrs. Goodman's urgent phone call to her daughter! Normally an active and healthy woman, Mrs. Goodman's doctor had diagnosed her with terminal cancer and gave her less than a month to live.

This is true beauty, where the inner and outer melt into a oneness, where the physical perfectly reflects the inner spirituality and projects something deeper than itself.

The simcha that a Jew has in the service of G-d demonstrates a true appreciation for the mitzvos. When a person does something with desire and love, they are happy.

To a certain extent, all of mankind has internalized the idea that the creation of the seventh day gives meaning to work and creation, thus allowing everyone to enjoy rest and draw satisfaction from labor.

A rich person is always susceptible to the delusion that my strength and the power of my hand have produced this wealth for me (Devarim 8:17). Such arrogance makes true prayer, true connection with G-d, impossible.

How do you restore moral order – not just then in the days of Moses, but even now? The answer lies in the first word of today’s parsha: Vayakhel.

By using the materialistic aspects of this world properly and for the right things we have the ability to elevate them into spiritual items.

The Mishnah itself implies that the sela coin is what the Bible calls a shekel, because the Mishnah uses the word sela in the same contexts in which the Bible uses the word shekel.

All the stories that unfold week after week in the Torah, give us the strength and the direction in how to serve our Creator in the best way possible.

The root of the word nisayon (challenge) is neis the Hebrew word for miracle. We are therefore left with two seemingly contradictory views. Either a nisayon is within one’s capacity, which means that it is NOT truly a miracle if one overcomes it, or it does require a miracle to overcome, in which case it is not within one’s capacity. How do we reconcile this seeming contradiction?

Rafi felt so strongly in all his senses that he was right – that what he thought was up was up, and what he thought was down was down. And yet as he checked the device again and again, it told him the opposite.

The poor man's cabin had a view of the sea, and he sat there, constantly looking at the diamond and rejoicing. He was especially particular to do this during his meals since eating in good spirits is highly beneficial for digestion.