As we get ready for the very sweet festival of Chanukah, it behooves us to brush-up on its spiritual messages. In this way, we can ensure that it doesn’t become a mere season of gastronomic delight such as latkas and...
INDIAN WEATHER PREDICTION It was autumn, and the Indians on the remote reservation asked their new chief if the winter was going to be cold or mild. Since he was an Indian Chief in a modern society, he had never...
Rabbi Mansour is one of the most revered leaders of the Syrian Jewish community, which has experienced astounding physical and spiritual growth over the past few decades. Rabbi Mansour is...
On Chanukah, we insert Al Hanissim into our davening and bentching. It is very practical for us to discuss all the halachos that apply to this. Some questions we will...
The Torah describes Yaakov’s positioning of his family in preparation for the meeting with Eisav: “He put the handmaids and their children first, and Leah and her children later, and...
Parshas Vayishlach opens with Yaakov Avinu and his family leaving the house of Lavan, ready to embark on a return journey home. “Yaakov was greatly afraid and distressed.” (Genesis, Bereishis 32:8) Yaakov...
A TALE OF TWO ANGELS BROTHER’S KEEPER One day the zookeeper noticed that the orangutan was reading two books, the Bible and Darwin’s Origin of Species. Surprised, he asked the ape, “Why are...
Parashat Vayishlah opens with Yaakov Avinu facing a vexing and frightening problem. His brother, Esav, who despised him for stealing the berachah which their father intended to give Esav, was...
The gemara (Shabbos 21b) tells us that the proper place to put the Chanukah lights is in front of one’s home, so that all the passers-by will notice the lights,...
We read in Parashat Vayishlah of the angel that attacked Yaakob Abinu as he made his way back to Eretz Yisrael from the home of Laban. The Rabbis teach us...