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Another installment in the ongoing Rubashkin saga

It was the night of Motzei Shabbos before Rosh Hashana, and my husband and I were invited to a pidyon haben in Lawrence at...

At the opening of the Torah, at the very beginning of creation, is foreshadowed the Jewish doctrine of revelation: that God reveals Himself to humanity not in the sun, the stars, the wind or the storm but in and through words – sacred words that make us co-partners with God in the work of redemption.

When should we be tough, soft, when are we truly honest with ourselves and our surroundings? And when are we just putting on a show.

Our daughter and son-in-law looked at each other for a second and then burst out laughing. They knew!

We will never find happiness when all we see is the surface of life, without examining its core.

And so Moses dies, alone on a mountain with God as he had been all those years ago when, as a shepherd...

In Eretz Yisrael, it is customary not to remain in a house without a mezuzah for even one day. This placed the rav in a quandary. What were they to do?

Shabbat Shalom

There are so many examples of something that looks harsh or not pleasant when in fact it is for the benefit of the individual suffering.

Truth be told, my kavanah was often better in the privacy of my home.

The Emek Berachah explains that indeed after Rosh Hashanah the din is sealed and one is only judged on his actions of the previous year.

Another installment in the Rubashkin saga.

Life in this special land can be difficult. Sometimes what makes it so hard is not so much the physical work but the mental and spiritual work.

So, as Moses faced his own life’s end, what was there left to do? The book of Devarim contains and constitutes the answer.

The Hatzalah volunteers administered oxygen and got the family to the hospital. B’ezrat Hashem they will all be O.K.”

In the aftermath of 9/11 many people were fearful of another terrorist attack. Indeed, from that day on we entered into a new era of global terrorism.

The terms of Jewish history were about to shift from Divine initiative to human initiative. This is what Moses was preparing the Israelites for in the last month of his life. This is the epic significance of Nitzavim

I endured a personal trial as I struggled to become a mother. In a community where just about every event is geared toward families, I felt the pain of not fitting in.

I never questioned why he insisted that we had to meet Naomi, and immediately acceded to his request. Yet when he had suggested that I write to the Lubavitcher Rebbe to ask for a bracha for children, I feared a negative response and refused.

The setting: Jerusalem some twenty centuries ago. The occasion: bringing first fruits to the Temple. Here is the scene as the Mishnah describes it.[1] Throughout Israel, villagers would gather in the nearest of 24 regional centres. There, overnight, they would sleep in the open air. The next morning, the leader would summon the people with words from the book of Jeremiah (31:5): “Arise and let us go up to Zion, to the House of the Lord our God.”

Bitachon is not measured by your success in climbing over the gate. Bitachon is measured by your response upon seeing the gate – whether you grimace and give up, or whether you appreciate that God has put the gate there for your ultimate benefit.

As a side note, it is evident from Tosafos that the order of the nechama haftaros is essential.

Off my friend and I went to search for the skirt. After trying the regular racks, we decided to search the clearance rack, which was completely disorganized.

My son-in-law's parents live close by, so that was their first stop. But over a half-hour spent knocking with all their might yielded nothing but aching knuckles.

Never be in too much of a rush to stop and come to the aid of someone in need of help. Rarely, if ever, will you better invest your time. It may take a moment but its effect may last a lifetime

If one were to make a vow or promise to Hashem, it is something that must be fulfilled.

Another installment in the ongoing Rubashkin saga

Rav Lieberman called the simcha hall to cancel their booking, but it wasn’t so simple to find another date at a suitable venue.

We recite a kapitel whose main focus stresses that Hashem is our strength and that He will protect us from our enemies.