Splitting The Sea – Natural Or Supernatural?
We have here two ways of seeing the same events: one natural, the other supernatural. The supernatural explanation – that the waters stood upright – is immensely powerful, and so it entered Jewish memory. But the natural explanation is no less compelling. The Egyptian strength proved to be their weakness. The weakness of the Israelites became their strength.
80 Percent Vs. 20 Percent
When 80% is a failing grade.
Family: A Tribute To My Zaidy
It is very important to know who and where your family came from since history has a way of repeating itself.
Parshat Beshallach: Rashi Contends with Non-Jews
Rashi might be reminding us Jews in almost every generation had to deal with non-Jews who challenged their faith, making it our job to hold fast to Torah, the Torah we already understand and the Torah we continue to work to understand.
Brazenness And Arrogance In Our Children
In my experience as a principal for many years, and in my capacity as an evaluator of schools that boast of their excellence, I am constantly amazed by the brazenness and arrogance of some students.
TORAH SHORTS: Parshat Bo: The Kabbalistic Body
It is in moments of illness that we are compelled to recognize that we live not alone but chained to a creature of a different kingdom, whole worlds apart, who has no knowledge of us and by whom it is impossible to make ourselves understood: our body. -Marcel Proust
Redeeming Relevance: What’s with the Blood on the Doorposts?
It seems very likely that when the Jews put the blood on the doorposts, it was meant as a strong statement of protest against Egypt and about the holiness of life. In other words, whereas the Egyptians made even human life a commodity, the Jews were bidden to sanctify the essence of life even in animals.
The Necessity of Asking Questions
Judaism believes it’s a religious duty to teach our children to ask questions.
Q & A: Kaddish Elevates (Part II)
Question: When a son recites Kaddish for his parents, can they hear it? Also, when he recites Kaddish, are his parents’ souls elevated to a higher place?
Ben Glassman
Daf Yomi
A Halachic Referral
‘It [the Lung] Erupted in Blisters’
(Chullin 48a)
Ride On Time
When I sat down, this is what I was about to type. However, there in front of me, on the screen, was a post on our local community email forum stating: “Leaving for Har Nof at 5 p.m. Does anyone need a ride?”
Is A Son Bound By His Father’s Agreement?
"That's all?" asked Chaim. "A car service to the airport costs about $60. The cheapest a person can get is $40."
The Moment Of Truth
As humans, we have the capacity to generate delusions of our power and control.
Welcoming Shabbos At ‘The Last Minute’
Why did this unexpected landing in Athens become front-page headlines? What did Hashem want us to learn from it?
Where Is Our Exodus?
Where is our Exodus? If the question is about miraculous salvation and the punishment of our enemies, I have no answer. If the question is a quest for experiencing greatness, the answer is the Mitzvot
Vote For Moshe Rabbeinu
Of course, we do not expect our elected leaders to be Moshe Rabbeinu---but wouldn't it be great if just one were great.
A True Story: My Teacher And Me
I felt that as a psychology teacher, who knows and teaches so much about human nature and emotions, to explode and get so angry was not the right thing to do.
Q & A: Kaddish Elevates (Part I)
Question: When a son recites Kaddish for his parents, can they hear it? Also, when he recites Kaddish, are his parents’ souls elevated to a higher place?
Ben Glassman
The Runaway Bimba
Where was little Yair? We searched the area and asked others if they had seen him. No one had seen him go off on his own.
Sheitels: Forbidden, Allowed, Or Preferred?
There is no denying that preferring sheitels is incongruous with the fact that frum Jews nowadays are much more likely to avoid leniencies and workarounds than they once were.
A Revolution For Jewish Women: Technology Meets Halacha
Rabbi Fishel Jacobs of Kfar Chabad in Israel believes the Jewish world is experiencing a “family purity revolution.” He should know. Since 1998, Rabbi...
Tefillah: A Meeting With Hashem – The Inside Story
It is important to point out that using a siddur presents a certain challenge. As we said, the idea of tefillah is that we are talking to Hashem.
Parshat Vaeira
The Torah is teaching us a very important lesson regarding how to criticize and rebuke people.
Are Shabbat Elevators Really Kosher?
How can a Jew in a hotel, or someone visiting a patient in a hospital, know if the Shabbat elevator is kosher?
Yichus Is Not Enough
Great loss to Israel and the Yemenite community.
Truly, Don’t Believe Your Lying Eyes
Misinterpretations abound. Always judge favorably. Doing so is not just the halacha. It’s also wise.
A Brand-New Perspective
The Jewish Press has made great and important changes in recent months. Now it’s my column’s turn: “Chodesh Tov” will also undergo some revision. First, it has a new name, and second, a new focus. I am proud to report that the author (yours truly) will remain constant.
Is It Proper…? – Leaving Aside Any Halachic Considerations That May Be Involved, Is...
This week we asked: Leaving aside any halachic considerations
that may be involved, is it a Jewish value to have a large family?
The Many Names of G-d
In this week's parsha, the Torah is preparing the ground for one of its most monumental propositions: In the darkest night, Israel was about to have its greatest encounter with God. Hope was to be born at the very edge of the abyss of despair.