05 Dec ‘TIS THE SEASON TO BE THANKFUL: PART 1
At this time of the year, when walking in the mall or other shopping areas, it is common to hear the jingle, “Tis the season to be jolly, Tra-la-la la-la, la-la, la-la.” We are so inundated by...
28 Nov REVITALIZING OUR DAVENING – PART NINETEEN
In the fourteenth blessing of the Shemone Esrei, we focus on the city of Yerushalayim. We must know as Jews that the most beautiful and important city in the world is not New York City, Los Angeles, Dubai,...
21 Nov REVITALIZING OUR PRAYERS – PART EIGHTEEN
The bracha of Al HaTzadikim, where we pray for the welfare of the righteous ones, is the thirteenth blessing of the Shemone Esrei. Perhaps this is because thirteen is the gematria, the numeric value, of ahava, love, and...
14 Nov HOW TO RESPOND TO THE WAR OF 5784 – PART FOUR
As the scary, tumultuous events of the Israel- Hamas conflict unfold daily, we see before our eyes the fulfillment of many Biblical and Midrashic forecasts. About Yishmael, the Torah tells us, “Yado vakol v’yad kol bo – His hand...
07 Nov BEHIND THE NAMES OF EFRON AND KETURAH
There are many fascinating secrets hidden in Biblical Names and here are two intriguing examples from this week’s parsha Chayei Sorah. The Torah tells us about Efron HaChiti. Here was a man who made it into the Torah for...
31 Oct HOW TO RESPOND TO THE WAR OF 5784 – PART THREE
In the 6th perek of Pirkei Avos, we are taught that there are 48 acquisitions that one needs to practice to truly acquire the Torah. The Tiferes Yisroel adds another angle: one who wears the crown of...
24 Oct HOW TO RESPOND TO THE WAR OF 5784 – PART TWO
A hint to the upcoming geula, redemption has been making the rounds in virtual media. We know that when Moshe Rabbeinu came back from Midian to Mitzrayim, he uttered the prophecy, “Pakod yifkod,” that Hashem will surely remember you....
17 Oct HOW TO RESPOND TO THE WAR OF 5784 – PART ONE
Since we heard the horrifying news at the close of Simchas Torah (some heard from gentile workers even on Simchas Torah), Klal Yisroel has been walking around in a daze of dismay, fear, sadness and dread. What is...
10 Oct BIREISHIS: THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE
Chumash Bereishis is also known as Sefer HaYashar – the Book of the Upright. This is because one of the primary aims of studying it is to learn from the ways of the Yesharim, the Righteous Ones that...
27 Sep SUCCOS AND TWENTY-TWO YEARS POST 9/11
The Yom Tov of Succos is upon us. All over the globe, Klal Yisroel sits under the schach and reflects back to over 3000 years ago when Hashem protected us from hunger, certain dehydration, and the nighttime frost...