The law in Sedom strictly prohibited immigrants from entering the country. This was the most severe law, rigorously enforced with harsh punishments for those who violated it. Not only were immigrants punished for entering Sedom, but those who aided or colluded...
Dear Rabbi and Shira, My parents don’t understand me. I understand many teenagers or young adults say that, but in my case it is true and is having serious repercussions on...
Much has been dis- cussed over the years regarding Thanksgiv- ing dinner. We will discuss whether such a party is allowed, and if turkey may be served. The underlying point of the debate is whether Thanksgiving is con- sidered a...
We stand up for a Torah scroll when it is removed from the ark or moved from place to place. Doing so is a sign of respect for the divine word inscribed on its parchment. Do we...
Parashat Hayeh-Sara tells the famous story of Eliezer, Avraham Avinu’s servant, who traveled to Aram Nahariyim to find a suitable match for Avraham’s son, Yitzhak. At the well outside the city, he met Rivka, and brought her back...
A famous Medrash Rabbah on this week’s parsha (58:5) cites the pasuk “And Avraham came to mourn for Sarah and to cry for her” [Bereishis 23:3]. The Medrash asks “From where did he come?” Rav Levi answers that he...
One of the more enigmatic personalities in the Torah is Lot, Avraham’s nephew and Sarah’s brother. On the one hand we know that all the while that Lot was together with Avraham, the Shechinah didn’t speak with...
It was June 1974. Israel was still reeling from the aftermath of the Yom Kippur War. The long-term rehab centers were filled with injured soldiers. My mother a”h received a call from the IDF...
Hospitality The opening of this week’s parsha, Vayera, relates the tale of Avraham sitting during a hot day at the entrance of his tent and observing three men standing nearby. He ran toward them and insisted they come to...
When is the last time you asked someone how are they are doing and they didn’t answer, “Busy?” In his article “The ‘Busy’ Trap,” Tim Kreide writes: If you live in America in the 21st century you’ve probably...