I. Singling Out a Teaching When you say something, sometimes the loudest part is what you leave unsaid. The Gemara (Bava Basra 164b) warns against praising someone because that can lead to criticizing him. While this needs to be...
The upcoming holiday of Shavuot, the celebration of our receiving the Torah, along with the name of the book we are now beginning – “Bamidar” (“in the desert”) – gives us an opportunity to reflect on the fact...
Everyone is aware that the High Holiday period between Rosh HaShannah and Yom Kippur is a period of judgment (Din). However, not everyone is aware that the Ari z”l and the Shaloh HaKodesh write that there is judgment...
How is it possible for a mortal human being to cling to Hashem? The Rambam answers that by cleaving to talmidei chochomim, you are fulfilling this posuk. Why is that? Because a talmid chochom has Torah in him....
The purpose of mattan Torah is to believe in Hashem. As the Vilna Gaon zt’l (Mishlei 19:22) עיקר נתינת- התורה לישראל- הוא ,writes was Torah The “, בכדי שישימו -’בטחונם בה given, primarily, so that they...
We have witnessed one of the most shameful, disgusting episodes in American history. If I had submitted the outline of the Trump trial to a publishing house, they would have...
The Desert What was the significance of the fact that Torah was given in a wilderness, in a barren and infertile desert, not in a civilized terrain, nor on soil conducive to human living and nature’s blessing. Why did...
The internet has become a very angry place and “rage bait” influencers are in large part to blame. More clicks means more money and the more enraged you can make people, the more they will click. If you’re...
As the weather rapidly gets hotter, people tend to spend more time traveling, camping, or simply sitting in their backyard gardens. However, it’s not just people who come out when the weather becomes nicer; many insects, such as mosquitoes,...
Dear Rabbi and Shira, Hi. I’m a weekly reader of your column. I figured this was the right place to ask my question. On my friend’s very first date, she got in...