The Gemora teaches us, “Im ein daas, havdala minayin – Without knowledge, how does one differentiate?” This is the reason why on Motzoi Shabbos we say the havdala the insertion of Atah chonantonu within the blessing of Atah chonein,...
The blessing of Es Tzemach, where we Daven for salvation, is the fifteenth bracha of Shemone Esrei. Perhaps we can say that the number fifteen hints to Hashem’s Name Y-ah [a yud and a hei], which has the...
The Maharal, zt”l, zy”a, in his Chidushei Aggados on Shas, asks the following question. When we say the primary Chanukah prayer of Al HaNissim, the focus is on the miracle of the conquest against the Syrian-Greeks, “T’mei’im b’yad t’horim...
The Maharal, zt”l, zy”a, questions a seeming contradiction between two Gemoras in Masechtas Shabbos. First, the Gemora states that the time of the mitzvah of lighting the menorah, is from when the sun sets until people cease to be around...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...