Parshat Yitro: Mount Sinai and the Birth of Freedom
With the revelation at Sinai, something unprecedented entered the human horizon...the politics of freedom was born
Becoming
I finished reading that the Israeli chief rabbinate invalidating numerous conversions, opened the weekly portion, and enjoyed a hearty chuckle when I remembered that the portion of Revelation and the Ten Statements is named for a convert, a failed one, Yitro. Things sure have changed.
Good Follows Good
Thinking about all of our troubles or tests will not help us. Gloom and depression don’t solve anything.
Redeeming Relevance : Parshat Yitro: A Unique Diverse Event
Without the excuse of not being completely sure about the truth of God and His commandments, there is still a doubt whether people will do what they know to be right and to their advantage.
Building Israel and Battling Terrorism, One Tree at a Time
Alan and Rosaline Barron are kicking off their new mission sponsored by JNF right before the Jewish festival of Tu B’Shevat—the “New Year for Trees”—a time of renewal, and a celebration of nature and the environment. They are encouraging others to do the same.
How Did Devorah Inspire Barak?
Hakadosh Baruch Hu wants us to be passionate about our Yiddishkeit.
Wear The Necklace?
The power of 'lost and found'
Seeking A Filter
I am desperately searching for a filter that purifies the twisted Lishon haRah we use to speak of God: the positive attributes in which we unhesitatingly express our belief.
Q & A: Kaddish Elevates (Part III)
Question: When a son recites Kaddish for his parents, can they hear it? Also when he recites the Kaddish, are the souls elevated to a higher place?
Ben Glassman
Daf Yomi
Eternal And Immutable
‘Only Those Enumerated By The Sages’
(Chullin 54a)
‘But It’s My Shovel!’
"But I need it now," Mr. Schwartz replied. "It's my shovel. I'm happy to lend it, but not when I need it!"
Of Simchas, Serenity, And Sirius Black
Our daughter from the West Coast surprised her sisters and delighted us by flying in for the weekend to join the festivities and meet her new nephew and niece.
Dance of Forgiveness
Miriam and the women who followed her recognized that Israel would be unable to move forward until they forgave God for their suffering and their fear. So they sang of God desiring to share His power with them so that they too would be able to "hurl horse with rider into the sea," as Israel does to Amalek in the closing scene of the portion.
Is It Proper…? – How Does One Define These Terms “not Shabbosdig” or “not...
Many people say that a particular behavior is “not Shabbosdig” or “not ehrlich” or “pas nisht.” How does one define these
(and similar) terms? Are they purely subjective in nature? Or is there some sort of objective definition?
The Origin Of Fake News
It is our responsibility to see through the lies and recognize the truth. This applies to our lives in every respect, but especially with regard to our constant battle against our evil inclination.
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.