Q & A: ‘The Scepter Shall Not Depart From Judah’ – Redux (Part II)

Posted on: August 1st, 2013

Question: The famous Iggeret of Rav Sherira Gaon references Yerushalmi Kilaim 9:3 and Kesubos 12:3 and states that Rabbi Judah the Prince descended from Hillel who, in turn, descended from the tribe of Binyamin – not Yehudah. The Iggeret also discusses how the Mishnah was written and how Rabbi Judah worked on it. Had Menachem read this Iggeret by Rav Sherira Gaon – who, incidentally, was a direct descendant of King David – I don’t think he would have asked his question. Yehuda T. (Via E-Mail)

Daf Yomi

Posted on: August 1st, 2013

Spoiled Rotten? ‘A Loaf Went Moldy And…Unfit For Human Consumption’ (Pesachim 45b)

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Parshas Re’eh

Posted on: August 1st, 2013

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Writing Hashem’s Name

Posted on: August 1st, 2013

In this week’s parshah the Torah writes about the mitzvah to destroy avodah zarah. At the same time, the Torah says not to do avodah zarah to Hashem your God. As the pasuk says: “va’avaditam es shemam min hamakom hahu, lo sa’asun kein la’Hashem Elokeichem.”

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Cancelled Trip Assistant

Posted on: August 1st, 2013

Eliyahu was enjoying a relaxing summer after an intensive year of learning. He spent time with his family, learned a few hours each day in the community beis medrash, and worked sporadically when the opportunity arose.

Consumerism And The Overspent Generation

Posted on: August 1st, 2013

For forty years in the midbar the Jewish people ate mon. Guided by Moshe Rabbeinu, engaged in constant Torah study with every physical need taken care of, Klal Yisrael lived on a lofty spiritual plane. Now that they were being ushered into a different era – entering Eretz Yisrael where they would begin living in a natural manner – they were given many directives to retain their status as an exalted nation.

Kasher My Kitchen

Posted on: August 1st, 2013

Taste is everything. If the taste of chametz has been absorbed into a cooking vessel, such a vessel may not be used on Pesach unless it undergoes koshering, the halachically prescribed way of expelling the flavor of forbidden food such as non-kosher foods, meat and milk mixtures or chametz on Pesach from utensils and restoring them for use.

How to Give

Posted on: August 1st, 2013

These stories all have to do with the mitzvah of tzedakah whose source is in this week’s parshah.

The Breakfast Of Champions (Part III)

Posted on: July 31st, 2013

With absolutely nothing to lose, including his employment for the coming year, Dan Zweifel devised a strategy for a team that could not seem to catch an offensive rhythm and for players that had protracted shooting slumps and 10-minute-long droughts. His solution, his only recourse, was defense.

Singing in the Rain

Posted on: July 31st, 2013

In an April Lessons in Emunah column, I wrote an article called “Learning to Dance in the Rain” about two friends who were very ill. One was in a hospice. The doctors had given up hope and the family waited with a heavy heart. But there was still One Doctor left. And He began to heal her. Slowly, the disease began to reverse itself, slowly it began to withdraw.

A Ray of Light Behind the Clouds

Posted on: July 31st, 2013

Let us understand once and for all that G-d is not a puppeteer and we are not puppets.

Parshas Eikev: Flowing Life

Posted on: July 26th, 2013

Rabbi Yitzchak Zilber zt’l was a legendary leader of Russian Jewry for over three decades. He remained resolutely firm in his faith and practiced Torah and mitzvos throughout his arduous years behind the Iron Curtain, even in the brutality of a Russian Labor Camp. His autobiography, To Remain a Jew[1] is his incredible account of how he remained faithful to G-d even under the most trying circumstances. The following is just one anecdote recorded in the book:

Parshas Ekev

Posted on: July 26th, 2013

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Daf Yomi

Posted on: July 25th, 2013

The Case Of The Stumbling Block (Pesachim 37b-38a)

Q & A: ‘The Scepter Shall Not Depart From Judah’ – Redux (Part I)

Posted on: July 25th, 2013

Question: The famous Iggeret of Rav Sherira Gaon references Yerushalmi Kilaim 9:3 and Kesubos 12:3 and states that Rabbi Judah the Prince descended from Hillel who, in turn, descended from the tribe of Binyamin – not Yehudah. The Iggeret also discusses how the Mishnah was written and how Rabbi Judah worked on it. Had Menachem read this Iggeret by Rav Sherira Gaon – who, incidentally, was a direct descendant of King David – I don’t think he would have asked his question. Yehuda T. (Via E-Mail)

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Greatness Is Humility

Posted on: July 25th, 2013

One of the more unusual aspects of being a chief rabbi is that one comes to know people one otherwise might not.

Remnants

Posted on: July 25th, 2013

Rabbi Dayan walked into class and greeted his students. "Good morning! We're nearing the very end of Bava Kama," he announced. "Today we begin the final topic, b'ezras Hashem."

Another Reply to ‘Not of this Generation’

Posted on: July 25th, 2013

It is wise not to react to everything you see or hear.

Bentching On The Mon

Posted on: July 25th, 2013

In this week’s parshah we derive the mitzvah of birchas hamazon from the pasuk of “v’achalta v’savata u’veirachta” (Devarim 8:10). This mitzvah is to recite three berachos mi’de’oraisa and one mi’de’rabbanan after one eats bread made from the five grains (wheat, spelt, oats, rye, and barley).

Nissei Nissim

Posted on: July 25th, 2013

It took a few months, but I finally summoned up what little koach I had to go to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, zt”l, for “Sunday Dollars.” I wanted to take my new baby to the Rebbe. Although he was about three months old at the time, I had not been strong enough until now to attempt a trip to 770 Eastern Parkway.