The Great Civil War

Posted on: January 25th, 2012

After the Chasmonaim defeated the Greeks their descendants assumed the throne of Eretz Yisrael and ruled over Bnei Yisrael. In the first years of their reign, they followed the path of Hashem and He was good to them.

The Translation Of The Torah (Continued from last week)

Posted on: January 6th, 2012

Ptolemy, King of Egypt, had requested of Elazar Kohen Gadol, that he send sages to his country to translate the Torah. Elazar complied by sending 72 sages. They were wined and dined and then the king put to them 72 questions, to test their wisdom.

The Translation Of The Torah

Posted on: January 2nd, 2012

King Ptolemy of Egypt had heard that the Jews possessed the Torah, the five books of Moshe, which contained much wisdom and excellent laws. He desired to have this Torah translated into Greek so that he, too, might learn its contents.

Shemayah and Avtalyon

Posted on: December 5th, 2011

From the descendants of Sancherev, a heathen King of Ashur who attempted to destroy Yerushalayim, arose great teachers in Israel — Shemayah and Avtalyon.

G-d Raises The Lowly

Posted on: November 16th, 2011

Our Sages tell the story of a very rich man, who as he grew old began to worry about his future.

The Chassidim Of Germany

Posted on: November 12th, 2011

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries the struggle between chassidim and their opponents, the misnagdim, reached its peak. In many cases, chassidim were barred from areas where the misnagdim were the majority. Certainly it was unheard of for a city to choose a chassidic adherent as its rav.

Torah Is The Greatest Treasure

Posted on: November 2nd, 2011

The inhabitants of Simonia once came to Rav Yehuda HaNasi (also known as Rebbe) and asked him to recommend a scholar to serve as their rav, dayan, teacher and sofer. Rebbe sent them Levi ben Sisi.