This week’s Haftara (Chukat) feels like it could be taken from a modern-day newspaper, as it addresses the Jewish people’s right to the land of Israel, particularly in relation to Ishmael. It discusses the impending war of the nation...
Dear Rabbi and Shira, I am dating a guy who wants to be a rabbi. He’s a smart individual with sterling middis and a big heart. At the beginning of our...
The Jewish people have al-ways focused on birthdays. On Pesach, we celebrate the birth of the Jewish nation. We say in Mussaf that the world was created on Rosh H-shana. Many question whether making a birthday party is a Jewish...
I. Shoes Off In the Diaspora, Ashkenazim perform Birkas Kohanim (the priestly blessings) only on holidays. However, in most places in Israel, it is done every day, albeit without the lengthy singing. This is a biblical requirement, which raises the...
Parashat Hukat introduces us to the mitzvah of parah adumah – the special red cow that was used for purifying. The cow was slaughtered and burned, and the ashes were then mixed with water. That water would be...
Parshas Chukas begins with the laws of Tumas Mes, where we learn that if a person comes in contact with a dead body (or is merely under the same roof as a dead body) he is given...
Last week, I introduced the idea that we can learn many life skills from the popular game of chess. So, let us continue. When playing the game of chess properly, one doesn’t just ‘make a move.’ One must...
Moshe Rabbeinu was punished for hitting the stone, and the meforshim explain, in various ways, exactly where Moshe erred and what he did wrong. Rashi teaches that his sin was that he hit the rock and he didn’t speak to it. Another...
Can I drink coffee at a non-kosher restaurant? It is not possible to make one universal statement about the kashrus of coffee prepared in a non-certified restaurant because each establishment is unique. Investigation has shown that theoretically, coffee...
