This week’s parsha contains the deaths of two out of the three great shepherds of Israel. The trustworthy shepherds who had shepherded Klal Yisrael through the latter part of their time in Egypt and now through the Wilderness were...
The Chovos Halevavos gives a mashal of a person who sees a page written with perfectly formed letters, lines that are properly aligned, and words that express a comprehensive message. When he asks who wrote it, he is told, “No one...
Parashat Hukat tells the famous story of Meh Meriba – Moshe Rabbenu’s sin of striking the rock to produce water after G-d had instructed him to speak to the rock. Hashem punished Moshe, decreeing that he would not...
No Complaining After seventy years of communist oppression and seven hours of flying, Boris, a burly immigrant from Moscow steps off the plane in a free land to begin his new life in his new home, Israel. Standing at...
It is possible at some point in your life you might have wondered who would come to your funeral and how many people would show up. A Belgian man took his curiosity to find out the answers to...
Although we do not usually bathe or take showers on Shabbos, this topic is discussed in halachah and has modern applications. What is the prohibition of bathing? Is it ever permitted to wash one’s body on Shabbos? Does it make...
Society cannot function if witnesses remain silent. Whether the issue is a crime, a contract or a disputed transaction, justice depends on people who are willing to step forward and tell what they know. If those who know...
Korach was so sure he was right. Rashi (16:7) writes that what led Korach to foolishly challenge Moshe Rabbenu, to start a fight that resulted in his death and many other deaths, was, ironically enough, his Ruach HaKodesh–...
All married men wear a tallis gadol in the morning when they pray and most people have a special and exclusive tallis they wear in honor of the Shabbos. Many people, especially among the Chassidim, wear an atarah,...
The Shlah (Shaar HaOsiyos) writes, “Why do I need to elaborate on the ugliness of machlokes? All sefarim are filled with this subject! The sin of machlokes is worse than avodah zarah. The simplest Yid would certainly be moser nefesh rather than worship avodah...