Parshat Emor: Fixing a Flat with NO Words to Spare
Why interrupt the halachic flow of Vayikra, a Chumash suspended in time with almost no dateable events, to tell us about a single foul-mouthed boor?
Delayed Gratification
These three years are meant to atone for Adam's sin – the sin of impatience.
Replenishing The Soul
The Kapishnitzer Rebbe promised her that her son would return to the fold very soon.
They Couldn’t Bear It
Logically, they knew that people in their situation are exempt. But as they witnessed all the other Jews performing such a great mitzvah, it deeply bothered them that they couldn’t join them.
Redeeming Relevance: Parshat Kedoshim: Self-Awareness, Modernity and Holiness
Living at the height of European Romanticism and on the cusp of Nietzsche’s writings – which both contributed to a new much more pronounced interest in the individual – Netziv surely intuited the need to address the legitimate aspects of trends making inroads upon his students.
Not Just A Kidney Revolution
This is greatness. Not to be content with an individual solution that is beneficial only to yourself, but rather to change the accepted way things are done so that all may benefit from your experience.
The Power Of Seeing Good In Others
One who wishes to avoid lashon hara and its consequences will constantly seek to find the good in others.
Torah Shorts: Parshat Shmini: Ritual Distancing
Distance has the same effect on the mind as on the eye. -Samuel Johnson
Now’s The Moment Of Truth
Will we still remember the importance of eating healthy now that we can again eat whatever we want outside?
Sparkling Like Diamonds
You can imagine how great this person’s joy would be upon hearing this news and how he would count the days to his release from prison and his marriage to the princess.
Embarrassing Oneself To Honor Hashem
When R’ Lopian finished speaking, the disciples were astounded to see their rebbe, R’ Schwadron, lie face down on the ground.
Redeeming Relevance: Parshat Shemini: Why there is NO Problem with Collective Punishment
--and Why We Avoid it Nonetheless
Freedom For…?
Freedom is not only about rights or privileges, but also about responsibilities.
If You Really Want It
The Hebrew word for despairing – me’ya’eish – is spelled with two yuds, which spell the name of Hashem.
Not Just Chassidim, Not Just Frum Jews – Everyone
The Rebbe wasn’t worrying about Lubavitcher chassidim, chassidim in general, or even observant Jews – he was worrying about one Jew who may be isolated from Torah in one corner of the world!
What Is Freedom?
Freedom is the ability to strive to find the good where no one else sees it. And also to articulate it, with passion.
The Greatest Segulah: Saying Thank You
If the malach wouldn’t have struck him, Nevuchadnezzar would have disgraced all of David HaMelech’s praises and songs in Sefer Tehillim.
What’s The Answer To The Four Questions?
The Four Questions were composed as a prelude for the father to fulfill his biblical obligation. But what often happens is that a big to-do surrounds the Four Questions while the answers are not given the attention they deserve.
Redeeming Relevance: Parshat Tzav: The Temple’s Sophistication and the Chumrot of Pesach
Although there is a strong basis for our propensity to be more stringent on Pesach than we are during the rest of the year, we should not turn that into a blanket attitude in which stringency is always followed, regardless of the other values at stake
What Do We Mean By ‘Our’ Freedom?
The Shechinah is [so to speak] together with the Jewish people when they are in exile, and when they’re redeemed, Almighty G-d has dictated a redemption for Himself as well. He will come out of exile with them.
It Happened In Mezhbizh
Hashem seeks people who are willing to subjugate their hearts to Him.
A Wasted Year?
I never thought I would get so excited over a conversation with friends around a dinner table. I never was so enthusiastic about candies thrown at the bridegroom when he received an aliyah to the Torah.
Vayikra, Sacrifice, and Rambam
Korbanot, a Once and Future Aspect of Temple Service
A Different Perspective On Cleaning
How far we are from those distant halachic discussions regarding a public oven for several families...
Open Your Heart
When the incident was related to R’ Tzvi Pesach Frank, he remarked, “This young girl is destined for greatness.”
Only G-d Decides
The determination of who’s Jewish comes from Almighty G-d. No human being, or body of human beings, can make this determination.
Vayaq’hel: Actualizing The Mishkan
If Dan is the extreme expression of Yosef in the same way that Shimon is of Yehuda, what was the importance of appointing tribesmen of Yehuda and Dan to lead the construction of the Mishkan?
Redeeming Relevance: Women, Beauty and Religion
The easiest way out of my problem would be to say that the Mishkan was designed based on people’s need to be impressed
Ki Tisa: Crisis Of The Golden Calf
A mistake that nearly had catastrophic results for the entire people of Israel ultimately revealed Moshe's true greatness as a national leader.
Walking Into Freedom – Every Day
We are supposed to prepare for the 14th of Nissan, the day of the Exodus from Egypt. To study the holiday, to go through the Haggadah and, mainly, to go forth into freedom ourselves.