In our Maariv prayers, we make a very important request of Hashem. “V’haseir Satan mil’faneinu u’mei’achareinu – Remove the Satan from in front of us and from behind us.” The simplest explanation of this petition is that we ask...
Last Monday, the very significant yet little known days called BHA”B ended. In two locations (Masechtos Kiddushin [81a] and Bava Kama [82a]), Tosefos mentions the minhag of fasting on the first Monday, Thursday, and following Monday of the months...
Every morning at the end of our Birchas HaShachar, we petition Hashem, “Us’neinu hayom uv’chol yom l’chein, ul’chesed, ul’rachamim b’Einecha...
The tragic demise of mankind during the era of the flood was not just a punishment for that wicked generation. Even more so, it was perhaps a series of powerful lessons to be studied by G-d fearing...
As we approach the joyous festival of sukkos, we reflect back at the long, hard period of Elul and the High Holy Days. We put in a lot of effort and time in trying to improve our...
One of the most urgent segments of our Rosh HaShannah and Yom Kippur liturgy is the proclamation we say with great feeling, “Us’shuvah us’filah u’tzedakah ma- avirin es ro-ah hagizeirah – And Repentance, and Prayer, and Charity remove a...
As we approach Rosh HaShanah, the Day of Judgement, I want to share with my dear readers some last minute strategies that I believe can make a very significant difference for the coming year. The first is to remember...
In the tochechah, the curses in this week’s parsha of Ki Savo, there is a fascinating pasuk. “Yisa Hashem alecha goy mei’rachok mik’tzeh ha’aretz ka’asher yideh hanasher – Hashem will bring against you a nation from a distance, from...
We are now in the midst of the most critical month of the year: the month of Elul. It is the time that we have to prepare ourselves for the Day of Judgement, Rosh HaShanah, when our...
Incredibly, we are already in the thick of Elul. We know it is very serious, for we are taught in Yiddishkeit, “Hakol holeich achar ha’chasom – Everything goes after the finale.” Since Elul is the last month of...