TORAH SHORTS: Secret Jews: Parshat Pinchas
What would it mean to the world to suddenly have hundreds of millions of people, perhaps over a billion souls, identify themselves as Jewish, and show solidarity with Israel?
Even The Smallest Deed…
Welcoming a new contributor to the Jewish Press Family_ Rebbetzin Miriam Gross
The Lost Masterpiece: Parshat Pinchas
God was saying, “From My perspective, seeing the future, it would have been better to send women, because they love and cherish the land and would never come to speak negatively about it. However, since you are convinced that these men are worthy and do indeed value the land, I give you permission to go ahead and send them.”
Parshat Pinchas: Mosheh Rabbeinu had NO Leadership Secrets
Rules for true leadership by the greatest leader of all.
Framing Our Vision
Having 'real' vision permits an entirely different, improved view of events and the world.
ABCs of Tisha B’Av & the Three Weeks
Rules and guidance for the Jewish national period of mourning.
Parshat Balak
To understand who Bilam was let us examine the interaction between Bilam and his donkey in this week's parsha.
Overflowing Blessings
To have arrived at the momentous occasion, therefore, the zchut of participating in this simcha – the tears flowed freely, as my husband benched our dear granddaughter at the kabolat ponim.
The Prince’s Visit
The highlight of Prince William's visit to Israel is he merited to be the first British royal to make an official visit to Israel.
A Harrowing Ride To The Country
Along the way I started to feel literally drugged. It was different than feeling tired because my thinking process felt different. I wasn’t aware of this at first.
Q & A: The Hereafter – Olam Haba (Part VII)
Question: How do we know that there is an olam haba – a world to come?
L. Papirmeister
When The Videographer Is Two Hours Late
"The videographer called and said he was in an accident," replied the Mr. Schott. "Thank G‑d nothing serious, but it delayed him two hours. He'll be here in 10 minutes."
Two Bites At The Apple (Shulchan Aruch, Choshen Mishpat 79:10)
A litigant is allowed to explain what he said in court provided his explanation clarifies his initial statement rather than contradict it.
Daf Yomi
A Matter Of Doubt
‘When You Make [Four] Applications…’
(Zevachim 80a)
Losing All Sense Of Decency
What has changed? The simple reality is that women in those days dressed modestly because there was a prevailing sense of propriety and self-respect.
Appropriate Zealousness
What about other cases? What about other scenarios that offend and disgrace the honor of Hashem? How do we know when to act and how to act?
Parshat Balak: A People That Dwells Alone
God commanded our ancestors to be different, not because they were better than others For this reason, assimilation is the opposite of the answer.
Building The Stage
Balak was furious. Balaam was defeated in his mind by a greater prophet, Moses, who would record Balaam's words and shame for eternity, despite not being present at the performances. Rather than perform his blessings or curses, Balaam projected a picture of the future with his ideas in it; he offers his vision of the End of Days (14) with all his hints to Israel's future failings hidden within his words of praise.
Counting One’s Blessings
The older we get, the wiser we get, and the more mistakes we have made over time, the more experience we have gained.
Shall We Continue To Weep And Fast? Or Shall We Fight the Times?
‘What can a person do against the trend of the times!’” A question in every generation. Compromise at home is good; compromise in Torah is not. Knowing the difference will bring the final ge’ulah.
Scandalous Halachic Decisions: Ethiopians and Wine
Despite a clear ruling by famous Chief Rabbi of Israel Ovadia Yosef z"l that these Ethiopians are surely Jewish (Yabia Omer 8, Even HaEzer 11)— the rabbinical council of the Eida HaHareidit decided that there is doubt about their Jewishness
Parshat Balak: The Sometimes Hard Road to National Recovery
Pinchas unexpectedly saved the day. How did Pinchas help? Pinchas shifted the eventual divine justice from plague to targeted killings, so only actual sinners died
The Teshuva Journey: Four For Four (Part One)
The four Stern children reported that the religious observances felt like just that: observances of a culture with little relevance to their modern lives.
The Beginning At The End
It is impossible to be involved in life without somehow sensing endings. We need not be permanently scarred by our beginnings, nor scared of what seems to be the death of a relationship.
Welcoming A Special Guest – A Lesson From The Rebbetzin
The treasure that Rebbetzin Jungreis, a”h, left behind is her teaching that continue to guide us. This week's legacy is a personal story from her daughter.
The Curse of Religious Coercion: Parashat Chukat
Moshe's punishment came, counter-intuitively, to prove coercion comes at a cost
The Consolations of Mortality: Parshat Chukat
The life-changing idea of Chukat: we are dust of the earth but there is within us the breath of God. We fail, but we can still achieve greatness. We die, but the best part of us lives on.
A Kosher Pair Of Tefillin
It made a profound impression on my husband and he decided he was going to call up some of his relatives and maybe even long lost friends whom he’d barely spoken to in years – not for any particular reason but because they’d just lost touch.
The Habit Of Habituation
Never in the course of history has the speed of change been so dramatic and apparent, or brought such extraordinary power and wealth to the average person.