A Great Dark Terror
According to the Kedushat Levi, is what lies at the root of Avram’s question. He knows it is within the power of Hashem to miraculously multiply his offspring and he understands that Hashem has the right to give the Land to whomever He sees fit.
The Power Of Influence
Certainly, Sarah possessed the “good eye” to facilitate the change in Hagar and to influence her to conduct herself in the proper way. But Hagar was not of the mindset to change her attitude, to yield to Sarah, and she fled to the desert.
Out of the Box
Noah was commanded to empty the ark of its inhabitants, but why was he commanded?
After Noah: The Mystery Of The Flood
Why does the Torah use the Name that connotes Divine mercy rather than Divine judgement when telling of the Creator's decision to destroy humankind? Could there be more to this story?
Full Of Hamas
In Sodom the Hamas was so pervasive and in Mitzrayim the grip of slavery so unbreakable to the extent that nobody who lived in these societies had any hope for a better future.
The Dignity Of Work
But the Jews who are loyal to his Torah are compared to chol hayam, the sand of the sea that fells the waves and protects the land from their invasion.
How To Respond To The War Of 5784 (Part I)
We should beseech Hashem that the elderly and the sick children shouldn’t be woken up in the night to run to bomb shelters and sealed rooms.
How Self-Love Becomes Totalitarianism
Shabbat Shalom
A Floating Mikdash
How could it be that the animals did not attack Noach and his family, or kill each other? They comprised all different rungs in the food chain.
Divrei Chizuk For The Worldwide Jewish Community
Our acts of chesed, our personal sacrifice and selfless dedication to others, our tzedakah, are all powerful advocates in Heaven on behalf of the defense of Eretz Yisrael.
Our Deed To The Land
It seems natural to him that the Torah would begin with the creation of the world. After all, the foundation of our beliefs and the basis for our election by the Creator for the purpose of carrying out His commandments is predicated upon the stories in the Torah that precede the Exodus.
Parshat Breishit – The Goal of Creation
HaShem's Divine Oneness and the harmonious unity of existence within Him is the deterministic blueprint of all human history that will be revealed to mankind through the story of Israel.
A Jewel In The Crown Of The King
Adam HaRishon was so exalted that the angels wanted to sing his praises as they did for Hashem, yet he fell very low into sin and changed the course of humanity forever. Nevertheless, Hashem forgave Adam.
Change: The Mission Statement of Life
Now we know that the key to success is change. By changing, by bettering ourselves, we will reach our highest goals. And we also know what gives us the ability to change.
Parshas Bereishis: How Your Words Affect Generations
The lesson to us is as follows: It is critical and crucial for us to realize that each and every person is a constellation! Every single person is a galaxy! Every person is a universe!
V’Zot HaBrakha – The Hebrew Mission
The Torah is not merely some disjointed ritual precepts but rather the Divine Ideal from before existence placed into this reality for the sake of elevating our world beyond its current limitations.
The Fateful Dance
While it is true that a tzaddik can stumble and sin, when he does falter he immediately picks himself up and repents.
Succos And Twenty-Two Years Post 9/11
The pasuk completely blows us away with the statement that the enemy will come Ka-asher yideh hanesher – Like the eagle sweeps, a perfect description of the sudden attack of two widespread huge airliners.
Seven Circles
Some of his most important contributions to Jewish mysticism are in the form of diagrams that were particularly unsuited to widespread transmission by the technology of his era.
Shemini Atzeret – A Second Yom Kippur?
Just as the essence of Shavuot is completely different from the essence of Pesach, so too the essence of Shemini Atzeret is completely different from the essence of Sukkot.
Total Devotion: An Extended Yom Kippur Fast In Auschwitz
It's the story of two girls in Auschwitz who wanted to fast on Yom Kippur (even though according to halacha or Jewish law they were not, of course, required to do so).
Zman Simchaseinu
It is especially at the time of harvest, when we celebrate the abundance of our crops, that the Torah instructs us to leave our secure homes and go into the succah. The succah commemorates the Clouds of Glory, and alludes to the Divine Providence that enveloped the Jewish Nation in the Midbar.
Strategic Improvement
We must know that the Gemara teaches us, Yitzro shel adam misgaber alav b’chol yom v’im ein HaKodosh Baruch Hu ozro, eino yachol lo – A person’s inclination prevails upon him every day and if Hashem wouldn’t help him, he wouldn’t be able to prevail.
All Of Israel In One Sukkah
One who fully comprehends higher truth understands that there are many valid approaches to achieving such awareness, and he loves and respects his fellow who shares this vision but who might have a different individual perspective.
Sukkos Torah Thoughts, Stories, and Inspiration
Stories and thoughts for Sukkot.
God’s Idolatrous Gentile Priests
What does this have to do Yom Kippur?
Parshat Ha’azinu – The Song of History
Human history – like any great piece of literature – presents a story that is not only inspiring and dramatic on the surface but also allegorically rich with hidden meaning and deep moral lessons.
There’s Always Hope!
Although it is difficult to imagine, it seems that Dovid HaMelech – the exalted individual, leader of the Jewish nation, fearless warrior of Hashem – was afraid that he had possibly accrued so many sins that he could no longer repent.
The Messages And Power Of L’Dovid Hashem Ori (Part II)
Many of us, after making an honest and blunt cheshbon hanefesh, a personal reevaluation of our behavior during the past year, might be filled with despair and despondency at our chances for a good judgment.
Torah Study And General Wisdom
All of this would be true even if it were not so that a general education is required for gaining an appreciation of G-d’s wisdom, philosophy, ethics, and laws.