Dimensions Of The Earthly Sanctuary
The trebled height of the Beit HaMikdash the Malbim associates with greater ambition that Shlomo has for the spiritual purpose of the Sanctuary that he has built.
Redeeming Relevance: Praying Responsibly
The goal is not to have God do what we want, but rather to do what He wants and thereby sanctify Him in the world. Often, that is accomplished by praying, but sometimes it is better accomplished by not praying – we are to look to halacha to tell us which situation is which
Like The Eye Of A Needle
Swept up in their love for the mitzvah and the joy of having an opportunity to fulfill another mitzvah, the impending doom was cast aside.
Mishpatim: The Living Torah
How should we understand the difference between the Written Torah and the Oral Torah within the context of Israel's identity and development?
The Kotzker Rebbe: Brief But Deep
I would not want to worship a G-d whose ways are understood by the mind of mere mortals.
Parshas Mishpatim: The Deeper Purpose of Inspiration
Why did Hashem create a world in which inspiration, physical sensation, and emotional delight always fade? What is the deep spiritual idea behind this pattern?
Rehabilitating Criminals The Jewish Way
In our society, one of the biggest problems is the burgeoning jail population. Society is saddled with sheltering and catering to the needs of its malefactors and, sadly, the system is largely ineffective.
Time Management For The Wise
The wise person does not become distracted by nonsense.
If Not For My Covenant
The covenant was a last chance for the Jewish nation to show that they were worthy of their sovereignty and wealth.
Yitro: Israel’s Universal Mission
Why were the Hebrews so surprised by the sudden realization that they would receive the Torah as a set of laws & a mission for the rest of humanity?
Selfie World
Selfie vs. Selflessness-Your choice
Seeing Without Knowing, Hearing Without Understanding
We have heard and not understood. We have seen and not known. Now we are those holy seeds lying in the ground waiting to sprout so that the decrees of Hashem might at last be heeded and carried out.
What Yisro Learned from Krias Yam Suf
If the drowning of the Egyptians was because of the drowning of the Jewish babies in the Nile, shouldn’t the Egyptian soldiers have drowned in the Nile rather than in the Red Sea?
For All Generations And For All The People
Our fervor and dedication to Torah study must never wane. In that way, Hashem will achieve true satisfaction and pleasure, as He did when we stood at Har Sinai and accepted the Torah.
Parshas Yisro: Aseres Hadibros: Engrave Them on Your Soul
In Parshas Yisro, Klal Yisrael hear the ultimate truth, the Aseres Hadibros (Ten Commandments), as they embrace their lofty mission in this world.
The Secret Of Chein
When Jews came to America and they were confronted with the WASP society that didn’t allow them into the country clubs, some made the mistake of thinking that if they became more American they would be more accepted.
Leaving Egypt
Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook wrote: Leaving Egypt will forever represent spring for the entire world.
TORAH SHORTS: Parshat Beshalach: Everyone Gets Saved This Time
Man is born free, yet he is everywhere in chains.-Jean Jacques Rousseau
Insurance Policy: The Power Of A Good Act
Why didn’t G-d wipe out the army in Egypt? Why was it necessary to have them pursue the Jewish people into the Sea of Reeds?
Beshalaḥ: Between Freedom & Liberation
Between the smashing of Egypt's military at the Sea of Reeds and the war against Amalek at Rephidim, the Hebrews had to develop a national perception of emuna in preparation for receiving the Torah.
Parshas Beshalach: Krias Yam Suf: National Inception
Krias Yam Suf was in fact a necessary step before the Jews could receive the Torah. What is the significance of the water of the Yam Suf, especially in regards to the Jewish People's journey from Mitzrayim to Har Sinai?
Wanted: Flexibility
The difference between the righteous and the wicked is in the longevity of positive passing thoughts.
Reaching Higher
One must strive to always be moving upwards spiritually, with no restrictions or restraints in his Torah learning. In this way, the person gains a more educated and knowledgeable grasp of mitzvos, aveiros, and one’s mission in life.
TORAH SHORTS: Parshat Bo: Powerfully Powerless
Let not thy will roar, when thy power can but whisper. -Thomas Fuller
Silence Is Golden
Rav Shimon ben Gamliel in Pirkei Avos states, All my life I grew up among great sages and I never found anything better for one’s body than the virtue of silence.
Beholden To Redeem Us
What nation has ever returned from exile, or even been remembered after a thousand years or more?
Parshat Bo: The “Nature” of Miracles
The Nature of nature
Bo: Israel’s Internal Transformation
What were the necessary steps for Israel to develop a national consciousness ahead of leaving Egypt?
Va’eira: The Divine Revelation To Humanity
The ten plagues were part of a deliberate process to educate not only Egypt and Israel but also humanity.
Missing Out On Life’s Great Opportunities?
Do we grant ourselves time "to pause, look around, and consider" in order not to miss the announcement that redemption is coming, so that we can adjust the direction in which we are headed accordingly?