Modern Orthodoxy’s Moral Failure
The fate of our children’s children rests with us – with whether we surrender the legacy of our forefathers for a little temporary convenience, or whether we stand proud and strong in the face of the storms to come.
Avot 1:8 and 1:9
Empathy, care, kindness, which are all generally cherished interpersonal values, need to be curbed for the sake of justice.
Breaking News
The media today tries to take advantage of this aspect of human nature by making stories sound sensational and as introducing it as breaking news.
On Not Being A Victim
Remarkably, despite the exiles and horrors of history, Jews did not see themselves as victims. This is the message Moses imparts throughout sefer Devarim: Never define yourself as a victim
Rosh Hashanah (New Year) Guide for the Perplexed 2017 / 5778
On Rosh Hashanah, one is expected to plan a spiritual and behavioral road map for the entire year. So when one hears the shofar blow,the trip begins.
Is A Human Kosher?
In this week’s parshah the Torah teaches us which animals are kosher and which are not. There is a machlokes Rishonim whether one may eat human meat. The Rambam derives from a pasuk in this week’s parshah that says that from any animal that has split hooves and chews its cud, “osah tocheilu – that one you may eat” – that it is forbidden to eat human meat.
Faith And Friendship
In this week’s parsha, Moshe reaches his lowest ebb. What is striking is the depth of Moses’ despair, the candor with which he expresses it, and the blazing honesty of the Torah in telling us this story.
Eating In The Sukkah On Shemini Atzeret
Should we sit in the sukkah on a day that may be the eighth day when we are not commanded to sit in the sukkah at all?
Is Using A CPAP Machine On Shabbos Permissible?
R. Asher Weiss permits prisoners to wear ankle bracelets, which record their movements on Shabbos.
The Deeper Meaning Of Dayenu
Dayenu is not a song of complaint; it is rather a song of thanksgiving to God.
Saying Tehillim The Right Way
How can we say Tehillim with more meaning?
Washing Before Kiddush: Just For Yekkes?
The rise of the chassidic movement, which exchanged many ancient Ashkenazic customs for those of the Arizal, also contributed to the increase in popularity of washing after Kiddush.
Kosher And Non-Kosher Eggs
Generally speaking, any food produced by a non-kosher animal is non-kosher. Thus, the egg of a non-kosher bird is not kosher but the egg of a kosher bird, such as a chicken, is kosher. If one comes across an egg and does not know which bird laid it, how does one tell a non-kosher egg from a kosher egg?
The Torah Source For Covering One’s Hair
We recently layned Parshas Naso which contains the Biblical source for the obligation of a married woman to cover her hair. An eesha sotah is a woman whose husband suspects her of having acted immorally. The Torah commands the Kohein to take various steps to demonstrate that the sotah has deviated from the modest and loyal path of most married Jewish women (Rashi 5:15-27). Among the procedures, the pasuk clearly states: “ufora es rosh haisha…” and he shall uncover the hair of the head of the woman (5:18).
Coronavirus Q&A with Rav Hershel Schachter
Questions and answers with Rav Hershel Schachter shlit”a, regarding situations arising from the coronavirus crisis. Transcribed by Rabbi Pini Dunner (assisted by Michael Bernstein). This transcript has been approved by Rav Hershel...
Sanzer Rebbe: Don’t Fret About Cleaning For Pesach
Although righteous women have been accustomed to devoting all their energy to preparing the house for Passover, this year must be different.
The Meanings Of Shema
It would be reasonable to assume that a language that contains the verb “to command” must also contain the verb “to obey.” The one implies the other, just as the concept of a question implies the possibility of an answer. We would, however, be wrong. There are 613 commandments in the Torah, but there is no word in biblical Hebrew that means “to obey.” When Hebrew was revived as a language of everyday speech in the nineteenth century, a word, letsayet, had to be borrowed from Aramaic. Until then there was no Hebrew word for “to obey.”
A Tumultuous Pregnancy
Why would Yaakov want to leave the environment of the womb, a place where a celestial angel teaches the fetus all of the Torah?
Aleph Beta: Va’Etchanan: Building an Intimate Relationship with God
In Parshat Va'Etchanan, Moses speaks, a lot - but it all seems so boring, and disconnected. What is he REALLY talking about?
Reconsidering The Aruch HaShulchan: How Rav Y.M. Epstein’s Masterwork Invites You Into a Generational...
The Aruch HaShulchan always had the role of a primary source of halacha for many poskim and roshei yeshiva. Although we must note that in most circles, the Mishnah Berurah, written by the beloved Chofetz Chaim has eclipsed it.
Chillul Hashem Alert!
Right or wrong, we need to be sensitive when trampling on others’ peace and quiet.
Is It Proper…? Should a frum Jew believe the sun goes around Earth if...
Should a frum Jew believe the sun goes around Earth if the Rambam says it does?
The ‘Perfect’ D’var Torah
Several years ago, my wife and I were in Boro Park for a wedding. Early the next morning, we received news from Yerushalayim that we had a new grandson.
The Ten Commandments… or Else!
Only by appreciating that our moral code comes from a divine authority can we maintain a moral and ethical way of life.
Once A Jew, Always A Jew? Some Interesting Teshuvos After the Spanish Inquisition
Very often, we take our status as members of the chosen nation for granted. We should remember, though, that we can lose that status by our actions. Born a Jew, always a Jew – but not necessarily Jewish.
Eating Matzah Before Pesach
Question: What is the basis of the custom to refrain from eating matzah for a period of time before Pesach?
What are the Three Weeks & Tisha B’Av?
The Jewish national period of mourning.
Israel’s Four Elements: Four Holy Cities: Living In The Heart Of The World
While studying the anatomy of the heart in Machon Biotechnology in Israel, I had some thoughts: The four holiest cities in Israel - Jerusalem (fire/aish),Tzfat (wind/ruach), Chevron (earth/adamah), and Tverya (water/mayim) - seem to correspond to the four chambers of the heart.
Yes, One Is Halachically Obligated To Get The Covid Vaccine
If one perceives that, rather than seeing his own decisions as determinative of his fate, Divine providence is guiding the result, then considering that there’s a halachic mandate to follow professional medical advice (see Taz, YD 336), the conclusion is most clearly in line with the dominant medical consensus.
How ‘Shema Yisrael’ Saved The Jewish Children
This story is testimony to what happened to some Jewish children during and after the Holocaust. It should be told for one purpose: to remember what the Christian convents did to our children, namely how they kidnapped them and converted them to Christianity.