Judaism

By giving him a hug and being friendly to him, he brought the man closer to Torah and mitzvos. Today he has five children who follow the path of Torah.

Question: May a firstborn who is weak join in someone else’s siyum on Erev Pesach to avoid fasting? Name withheld by request

It is incumbent upon every parent to prepare a “lesson plan” of meaningful Torah directions to give over to their family on this most meaningful night.

It is often asked what the first step should be in order to come closer to Hashem. Should one first purify himself by abandoning his evil ways, or should he engage in acts of holiness?

Even had Egypt’s dominance on the world stage declined later in history due to natural circumstances, the Pharaonic worldview would have continued to dominate the thinking of man.

Although ideally the Omer should be counted immediately at nightfall, it is pushed off in deference to ma'ariv and the recitation of Shema, which must be recited first.

It is one of the most counterintuitive acts in the history of leadership. Moshe did not speak about today or tomorrow. He spoke about the distant future and the duty of parents to educate their children.

One of the major messages of the Lubavitcher Rebbe was to utilize every situation in which we find ourselves for good.

If you had waited just a little longer, you would have had a fine meal, as I had.

This is the true meaning of Pesach – to restore the unique relationship between ourselves and our Creator, as individuals and as a collective.

Achashveirosh was concerned that in an effort to mitigate his shame, Haman would mumble the words he was instructed to repeat. In this way, Haman’s proclamation would just sound like ranting gibberish.

In its crudest sense, d’chak refers to “pushing” somebody out of his spot with the intention that somebody else will take his position; in that case, the main intention is not to hurt the one who is pushed away but to benefit the one who replaces him.

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Pesach was meant to be celebrated in the land of Israel. That is the Torah’s clear intention, and even if there is no formal mitzvah of aliyah l’regel today.

There is no Jewish holiday and no Jewish experience that more divides the “haves” from the “have-nots” than Pesach.

Pesach is the birthday celebration of the emergence of our people into the international arena

If one is unsure whether or not a particular food item is subject to the penalty of chametz she'avar alav hapesach, one is permitted to derive benefit from the item, though it remains forbidden to be eaten.

I scanned my room and saw that my dresser drawers were pulled open with clothes spilling out like rags. The door to my closet was ajar and my belongings lay on the floor. I had just been robbed!

Informing The Decision “Found To Be With Child” (Yevamos 35b)

The rule is that you cannot use maaser kesafim (tithing) for obligations that are incumbent on you, replied Rabbi Dayan. This is true even when the money will be used for poor people.

Let us begin with the facts. We were poor slaves in Egypt – fact! We ate matzos when we left Egypt – fact! We eat matzos to remind us of our poverty of slavery in Egypt – fact????

Surely this civil war was not greater than the other ten makkos, and surely not Maakas Bechoros. This civil war likely appeared as a natural revolt of one group against another.

One would think that in the United States, where one’s freedom is protected by law, there is no need to worry about antisemitism.

Question: What constitutes the actual Haggadah, the mitzvah to retell the story of our slavery in Egypt and how Hashem redeemed us and delivered us from there? Also, if the head of household reads the Haggadah to those assembled, has he discharged their obligation? Yosef Slomovicz Via email

In every generation each Jew should see himself as though he personally had been liberated from Egypt. This is to say, that the lesson of Passover has always a timely message for the individual Jew.

Hashem aims, of course, to gift it all to us, but only if we use these gifts in a meaningful way. If we do not, Hashem reclaims them from us.

Indeed, the very name for Heaven, shamayim, is a composition of aish and mayim, fire and water, which though usually in opposition are fused together peacefully in the Heavens.

Don't be humble, you're not that great. -Golda Meir

While it is unfortunate that even observant Diaspora Jews can be corrupted by the moral values of their host countries, the greater tragedy is that they are not living up to their full potential in life.

Why is this Shabbos different from all other Shabboses? On this Shabbos, Israel became a nation unified in our service of Hashem, as was anticipated two weeks ago on Shabbat HaChodesh.