On the one hand, never before have Jews been as prosperous as they are now. Both the vast majority of individuals and the community in general are currently blessed with wealth well beyond what we have experienced in...
In our Yom Tov prayer text, Sukkot is called z’man simchateinu – “our festival of joy.” The primary theme of Sukkot is simcha – joy. What exactly is the connection between Sukkot and joy? A number of...
The Torah reading on Simchas Torah contains the well- known pasuk: “The Torah was commanded to us by Moshe, a Morasha [inheritance] to the Congregation of Yaakov.” [Devorim 33:4] There is an interesting teaching in the Talmud Yerushalmi: Everywhere we find...
The day which we normally refer to as “Yom Kippur” is actually called in the Torah by a slightly different name – “Yom Kippurim.” The name “Yom Kippur means “Day of Atonement,” whereas “Yom Kippurim” is a...
We are just days away from Yom Kippur. A time for us to reckon with our past, and daven for our future. A time to look inward, and search for ways to improve ourselves. This...
Forgiveness Should Not Create Fear During the ten days from Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur, known as the “Ten days of Teshuvah,” we recite each morning one of the most beautiful and moving chapters of Tehillim, ch. 130. It...
I recently read a story about one of the most successful magazine entrepreneurs in the world. The man was raised by a single mother in the Midwest, struggled growing up, and was failing out of high school. He promised...
Fasting (Ta’anit) - The fast on Yom Kippur is considered the strictest in Jewish law. It is not just a physical act of abstaining from food and drink but a spiritual one aimed at purification. The fast...
Hi! I love reading your column. So, here’s my story. I’ve been married for five months. My wife is kind, considerate, and appreciative. We work long hours and enjoy our precious time...
We are all familiar with the simonim that are eaten on Rosh Hashanah. However, some foods are avoided from Rosh Hashanah until as late as Hoshanah Rabbah. What are these foods? Why do we refrain from them? Is cooking with these...