We have previously discussed the difference between Chanukah, where the Maccabees took up arms to defend their sovereignty, and Purim, where the Jews relied on prayer without engaging in physical defense. Today, we will delve into that topic again,IY”H. While...
Dear Rabbi and Shira, I’m not sure what to make of this. I’m dating a guy who we have great chemistry with on dates, conversation is good, and we connect very well....
Rabbi Hershel Schachter shlita, 82, a noted rosh yeshiva and posek, has had a distinguished career with the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) for over 50 years. Rav Schachter became an...
There is an interesting Medrash on the pasuk “See G-d has called by name Betzalel son of Uri son of Chur of the tribe of Yehudah” [Shemos 35:30]. The Medrash references the pasuk in Koheles “A good name...
The Gemora in Megillah teaches us that Esther requested, “Kavuni l’doros – Affix me for all generations,” please write my story for posterity. This is a very strange request. We know that a common denominator of all our great...
The Medresh (Tanchuma Tisa 3) states that Moshe said to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, “Ribono Shel Olam! When I die, no one will mention me!” Hakadosh Baruch Hu replied, “I swear, just as you are now standing and teaching them parashas Shekalim and you...
Is one allowed to eat blood? Eating blood is as bad as it’s going to get. The Torah says in a number of places “lo sochlu cal dam”- do not eat any blood. Not only are we not allowed to...
Upon reading Parashat Vayakhel, we cannot help but be struck – and perplexed – by the Torah’s verbosity. The Torah laboriously repeats all the details regarding the construction of the Mishkan which were already presented earlier, in Parashat Teruma....
Mi’sheh’nichnas Adar marbim b’simcha, When Adar arrives, simcha increases. Can it be with the advent of a new month, simcha automatically enters the picture, transforming all our days to “happy days”? Does Adar have special...
Preserving a Letter There is something very intriguing about these parshios Vayakhel & Pekudei. Anybody even slightly familiar with the Torah is aware of its unique conciseness. Complete sagas, rich, complex, and profound, are often depicted in a few short...