04 Oct PARASHAT HA’AZINU: CALLING TO G-D IN TIMES OF TROUBLE
The Haftara for Parashat H a ’ a z i n u (which is also read as the Haftara on the seventh day of Pesach) is the song written and sung by King David, which appears in the...
29 Sep YOM KIPPUR: STARTING WITH MIDOT
The Rambam (Rabbi Moshe Maimonides, 1135-1204), in Hilchot Teshuba (7:3), alerts us to the fact that repentance is required not only for specific sins that we commit, but also for our negative character traits. He lists traits...
21 Sep ROSH HASHANA- OUR ANNUAL RESURRECTION
Rav Naftali Trop (1871-1928), one of the most illustrious disciples of the Hafetz Haim, once observed a common mistake that many people make as they go into Rosh Hashanah. Many...
06 Sep PARASHAT KI TESEH: THE MESSAGE OF YIBUM
Towards the end of Parashat Ki-Teseh, the Torah presents the Misva of Yibum, which applies when a married man dies without children. His brother is required to marry the widow, and the child born from this...
30 Aug PARASHAT SHOFETIM: THE ENDS AND THE MEANS
The Torah in the beginning of Parashat Shofetim speaks about the judicial system, and it famously exhorts, "Sedek Sedek Tirdof" – "You shall pursue justice." Already the Gemara raises the question of why the Torah found it necessary...
24 Aug PARASHAT RE’EH: THE REWARD FOR OUTREACH
Among the many topics discussed in Parashat Re’eh is the law of the "Mesit," one who tries to persuade his fellow Jews to abandon the faith and worship idols. The Torah foresees the situation where a person may...
17 Aug PARASHAT EKEV: THE LITTLE THINGS THAT AREN’T SO LITTLE
The opening section of Parashat Ekeb describes the prosperity and good fortune that are promised to Beneh Yisrael if they obey Hashem’s commands. However, the Sages inferred from the second word in this Parasha – the word for which it...
09 Aug PARASHAT VAETCHANAN: NAHAMU NAHAMU
The Shabbat after Tisha B’Ab is known as "Shabbat Nahamu," a reference to the portion from the Prophets read on this Shabbat, a section from the Book of Yeshayahu (40) which begins, "Nahamu Nahamu Ami" – "Comfort, comfort My nation."...
02 Aug PARASHAT DEVARIM: APPRECIATING WHAT WE LOST
The Arizal (Rav Yishak Luria of Safed, 1534-1572) taught that all the troubles we experience are due to the destruction of the Bet Ha’mikdash and our exile. That catastrophic event is the source of all our problems....
26 Jul PARASHAT MATOT-MASEH: FOLLOWING THE EXAMPLE OF AHARON HA’KOHEN
The Torah in Parashat Maseh b r i e f l y mentions the death of Aharon H a ’ k o h e n , noting that he passed away on Rosh Hodesh Ab – a day...