Redeeming Relevance: Parshat Re’eh: Spilling Blood and Spilling Water

In view of the seeming sanctity that the Torah imparts to blood, why would it tell us to spill animal blood indiscriminately?

Image Worship

The myth of Narcissus is not a myth at all-127 people have died worshiping their own image.

Rain is Better Than River Water

The Nile misleads Egyptians into forgetting they are just as dependent on Hashem as we are, water issues or noIsrael’s “poverty,” its less consistent water, helps its inhabitants remember Hashem.

TORAH SHORTS: Three Powers of Prayer: Parshat Ekev

Rabbeinu Bechaye (on Deuteronomy 11:13 Ekev) explains that to serve God with all of our heart is nothing other than prayer, elaborating that there are 3 particular powers to prayer: the power to change nature. the power to save one from danger, the power to annul negative divine decrees

Parshat V’etchanan

When Mashiach comes we will have a nechama, not just a consolation, but a brand-new vision of history.

Ignorance as Bliss: He Thought The Temple Still Stood

Though I have heard many explanations about the meaning of this day ( Tisha B'Av)– senseless hatred and violence, ignorance and alienation – I had never heard anything like the explanation I received this week:}

Why Do We Sing The Haftarah?

The author of the zemer is telling us that although we yearn for the Beis HaMikdash and know that the ultimate redemption is not yet at hand, there is one thing which can give us strength and comfort: Shabbos.

What Can The Ari Teach The Average Jew?

The Ari HaKadosh – Rabbi Yitzchak ben Shlomo Luria (1534-1572) – passed away 446 years ago this week. Here is a simple teaching from him.

TORAH SHORTS: Parshat Dvarim: The Judge Behind the Judge

The fifth and final book of the Torah, Dvarim, is filled with history, laws, articles of faith, as well as a vision for the future. Moses describes, among a plethora of items, the creation and comportment of a judiciary.

The Hard Life of Moshe Rabbenu

Most of Devarim consists of Moshe’s final speech to the people. Rashi and Ramban fascinatingly read Moshe as implying he faced MORE difficulties in leading them even than those we know from the text

Serious Business

When one vows to do something, or to refrain from doing something, the Torah views that pledge with tremendous seriousness. Violating one’s word is referred to as a “desecration of one’s word.”

TORAH SHORTS: Parshat Matot-Masai: Your Money or your Family

The tribes of Ruben and Gad by being more concerned with their animals than with their own families, doomed themselves, eventually being left with neither. Indeed, the tribes to the east of the Jordan would be the first to be exiled and, seemingly, lost to Jewish history.

A Sense Of Priorities

The contemporary question,how to balance family and work, is actually a biblical one,addressed by Moses in his subtle rebuke to the tribe of Re'uven.

The Forgotten

The two and a half tribes--Rueben, Gad, and part of Menasseh-- listened to the accusations and realized that they were already being forgotten.

Reading Between the Lines

The Torah knows that we are likely to understand the journey in the desert as essentially one long trip. And so it tries to make us stop and realize that there were actually two journeys and not just one. The first ended with the death of Aharon; the second began with resistance from the Canaanite king

Shabbos For Shabbos

Shabbos is a window into the euphoric Messianic world when this world will be completely devoted to G-d, on all levels.

Loving One’s Fellow

A gem from the Or HaChaim, one of the greatest Torah commemorated, whose 275th yahrzeit was last week

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?

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.

Parshat Balak

To understand who Bilam was let us examine the interaction between Bilam and his donkey in this week's parsha.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

Nothing Is Easier Than Mocking

The challenge of observing-especially-when understanding is elusive.

Redeeming Relevance: Parshat Chukat: How to Make Peace

History repeats itself: Israel extends the hand of peace to a neighbor and is rebuffed

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