The Haftara read for Parashat Behukotai is a prophecy from Sefer Yirmiyahu, and contains the famous verse, “Baruch Ha’geber Asher Yibtah B’Hashem, Ve’haya Hashem Mibtaho” – “Blessed is the man who trusts in G-d, and G-d shall be...
We count Sefira day by day, from Pesach to Shavuos, reciting a bracha each day. We are reminded about how precious time is. Every day, a gift from HaShem. Every day, an opportunity to...
The Endless Quest A story: It was Simchat Torah, and the disciples of Rabbi Mendel of Horodok, many of whom had journeyed for weeks to spend the Yom Tov with their Rebbe, were awaiting his entrance to the shul...
I was once talking to a mother in our community who has several significant challenges in her family. I asked her an innocuous question, something like, how are you doing or how is your day. Her response has...
A French TV channel recently fell for a viral hoax, reporting a rumor that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi had been killed by an Israeli agent named “Eli Kopter.” This fictitious story originated from an account linked to Hamas’ military...
Parashat Behar begins with the mitzvah of shemitah, which forbids a farmer from working the land for an entire year every seven years. The Torah emphasizes that Hashem taught this mitzvah to Moshe Rabbenu at Har Sinai. Rashi, in...
Parshas Behar contains the Torah’s prohibition against cheating: “When you make a sale to your fellow or when you buy from the hand of your fellow, do not victimize one another (Al tonu ish es achiv).” [Vayikra 25:14]...
Elokai n’tzor concludes as we back up three steps and say a final petition. “Oseh shalom bimromav, Hu ya’aseh shalom aleinu v’al kol Yisroel, v’imru amein – He who makes peace in heaven, may He make peace amongst us...
The Gemara (Succah 45:) states: Reb Shimon bar Yochai said, “I can free all people from judgment [that they won’t be punished for their aveiros]. Together with the merits of my son, Reb Elazer, I can redeem people from judgment from...
How does one determine what bracha to make on a product? If it’s not obvious, you have to know the ingredients that are used to make the product and you have to understand the processes used to make...