In Vayakhel-Pekudai we find an interesting continuation of the construction of the holy vessels and priestly garb from Tetzaveh. It covers the usage of gold, silver, copper, Techeiles (blue-purple wool),...
Parashat Pekudeh begins with a detailed accounting of the precious metals that were donated for the Mishkan, and how were they used. The Torah tells us exactly how much gold,...
One of the most commonly accepted chumros on Pesach is to avoid gebrokts –matzah which was fully baked and then soaked in water. When did this custom start? How binding...
The Inside and the Outside A wealthy Jewish man buys a fabulous home in Beverly Hills, California. He brings in a local workman to decorate the place. When the job is finished,...
The Jewish People are known as Yehudim. The word Yehudim means ‘people who give thanks.’ Indeed, this is one of the fundamentals of our Jewish identity: namely that we are...
In this week’s Torah-portions we learn that the Jews constructed the Mishkan and prepared the bigdei kehunah. Although in both cases the Jews followed the directions they had been given,...
Several years ago, on a trip to the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, my children and I joined a small tour. The guide who took us around patiently gave...
In Pirkei Avos (5:20) “Reb Yehudah ben Teima says, ‘Be brazen like a leopard, swift like an eagle, run like a deer, and be strong like a lion to do...
I. Shabbos Clothes We greet Shabbos and spend the entire day clean and proper, dressed in fine clothes. Do we also need to wear fine shoes that we have designated for...