I. A Time for War Early morning last Friday, Israel attacked Iran in a multi-pronged effort that was wildly successful in its initial stages and we pray will continue to succeed. Koheles (3:6) notwithstanding, there is never a good...
INGREDIENTS: 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 stick melted margarine. 1 cup vegan sour cream. 2 eggs Zest and juice of 1 lemon 3 cups flour 4 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup soy milk 4 cups fresh blueberries CRUMB...
Parashat Shelah tells the tragic story of Chet HaMeraglim – the sin of the spies. Moshe sent twelve spies into the Land of Israel to see what it was like before Beneh Yisrael proceeded to the land....
Sarah’s Message Passes to Yehoshua by Way of the Yud Many of us are familiar with a very famous Chazal, a statement of our Sages, in this week’s parsha. Before Moshe sent out the spies, he changed the...
When a boy is born, we wait eight days before making a bris. While we might take this for granted, it is still very surprising. The eight-day wait is not for medical reasons. Many hospitals routinely circumcise boys...
Kalev and Yehoshua told the nation that they don’t have to be afraid of the nations living in Eretz Canaan because (14:7-9) Sar Tzelem M’aleihem, “Their shadow has left them.” The Sfas Emes (5638) explains that a shadow appears real, but...
Does the OU allow music to be played at restaurants they certify? Many restaurants want to have an ambiance and they want to have live music playing. What’s the OU’s policy when certifying these establishments and how do...
Toward the end of Parashat Shelah (15:32-36), we read the disturbing story of the “Mekoshesh Esim,” the man who publicly desecrated Shabbat by collecting wood. The Torah tells that it was not known what punishment this man deserved...
Last week, we witnessed a disgraceful barrage of insults directed at President Trump by Elon Musk. While the president is known for never remaining silent in the face of personal attacks, this time he chose a more restrained...
Dear Shira and Rabbi, When I graduated high school I said to myself and my parents that I did not want to date right away. I wanted to wait until I...