Long Couch
On his way home from work, Mr. Appel pondered the issue. I sense that Mr. Berger is really disappointed, he said to himself. Is it right of us to refuse him?
Daf Yomi
D’tzach, Adash, B’achav
‘Everyone Is Qualified To Judge’
(Sanhedrin 36b)
Bound By Marriage, Not By Blood: The Tangled Ties Of Machatonim
Regardless of the interpretation, it is essential to recognize that the relationship between the parents of married children is not akin to the attachment one has with other blood relatives.
No Time To Lose
It’s one of the sad realities of life – we often fail to take advantage of the things closest to us. The things we can do at any time often become the things we don’t do at any time.
Bechor Boy
Indeed, the Torah requires redeeming the firstborn son (bechor), and also entitles him to a double portion in his father’s estate, but not in his mother’s, replied Rabbi Dayan (Y.D. 305:1; C.M. 277:1).
Daf Yomi
A Parrot Or A Lie Detector?
‘… We Admonish The Witnesses’
(Sanhedrin 29a)
Betting On Blind Spots: The Psychology Of Gamblers And Overconfidence
Because the person who is betting doesn’t fully commit to losing, and therefore, when the winning bettor collects winnings from the losers, he is essentially stealing their money.
Many Thanks
The doctor cautioned us that the treatment contained risks, including that it might not remedy the situation. He told us that we had to decide if we wanted to proceed with it or not.
Bentcher Botch
But today is 2 Teves, said the printer. I tried reaching you yesterday, but you were unavailable. Because it was a rush job, I corrected the Hebrew date.
But we’re getting married at night, so the Hebrew date is 3 Teves, explained Aharon. Now the date is wrong!
Daf Yomi
Maintaining A Library
‘He [The King] Shall Write a Sefer Torah...
(Sanhedrin 21b)
The Glove That Will Help Bring Moshiach
It is not enough to scream out from your pain and suffering. You must hear the cry of the person sitting next to you. You must open up the gates in shamayim for the aching hearts of those waiting for refuahs, yeshuas, simchas and shalom.
Compromise – Mitzvah, Sin, Or Both?
As to the U.S. budget, strict judgment would require that money should be spent by the government on necessities. The problem is that there is no agreement on what is necessary; hence, the need for compromise.
Having A Right Does Not Always Make You Right
Challenging times do not necessarily stifle spiritual growth or intellectual achievement.
Striving Higher
My family has been blessed to spend our summers at Camp Dora Golding in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania, where I am part of the camp administration. The drawback was that as a shul rabbi it wasn’t easy to be away from my kehilla for two months.
Is It Proper To Re-Gift?
Surely a gift that is given absolutely without any provisions one should have no qualms in re-gifting to another if it is not to one’s taste. But, as mentioned, take care not to give to someone who you think might give it back to the original party.
Intense Heat
Throughout Chanukah, Mr. Lichter and Shmuli lit in the glass case outside their door. On the last night of Chanukah, the flames burned brightly and warmed the winter night. The family was inside, enjoying latkes and jelly doughnuts, when suddenly they heard shattering outside.
Daf Yomi
Awaiting Elijah / ‘Semicha… Is Performed By Three’ (Sanhedrin 13b)
Echo Chamber
Certain truths can never be fully grasped without exposure to a perspective beyond oneself.
True Story
A story can be true in the sense that all the details are technically factual. Yet the way it’s conveyed may not be the way it happened.
What Should Our Attitude Toward Gift-Giving On Chanukah Be?
In the secular society gift-giving on Chanukah was influenced by the Christian holidays. If the gift-giving mimics the non-Jewish world, it is definitely not proper. If, however, it is done to promote the joy and family spirit of Chanukah and done in modest manner, there doesn't seem to be a reason to forbid it.
Daf Yomi
They Ate Chametz On Pesach
‘Declared By A Beis Din Of Three’
(Sanhedrin 10b)
Jackpot!
Many people feel that they would know exactly what to do if they won the lottery. The many stories of lives destroyed by sudden windfalls notwithstanding, they feel that they would know how to proceed.
To Study Torah Or To Search Torah?
To learn our holy and ancient texts properly, we must beware of idioms that deceptively translate but are not quite the same.
Is it proper to wish your neighbors and coworkers a happy (Xmas) holiday? Does...
It goes without saying that greeting someone during their holiday promotes good will and therefore should be done.
A Dollar For A Tree
The Acharonim dispute the fundamental nature of kinyan kessef. Sma (190:2) and Avnei Milu’im (29:2) maintain that the money is compensation for the real estate, like the money Avraham paid to acquire Me’aras HaMachpelah.
Daf Yomi
The Longest Mesechta?
‘We Shall Return To You…’
(Bava Basra 176b)
The Mysterious Monotheism Of King Akhenaten
It seems that Rabbi Yitzchak may have approached the disagreement with Rabbi Abba as if it were an abstract halachic debate rather than a personal dispute.
Recharged!
The lesson is that living according to the mandates of G-d is not to confine and restrict, but to ensure that we live an elite connected life within the confines of biblical morality.
Is It Proper To Enjoy Holiday Lights And Light Shows This Time Of Year?
While there may not be a direct prohibition against looking at holiday lights and enjoying them, I think it’s important for us to always keep in mind some of the history of our people and of this very long exile.
Ring In The Sand
Among contemporary poskim, Hashavas Aveidah K’halacha (2:16c) writes that Shulchan Aruch maintains that the halacha applies even when there are identifying features, such as a ring, whereas Pischei Choshen (Aveidah 2:11) cites this halacha when there aren't identifying features, like the Rambam.
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