יום ראשון, כ״ז תמוז תשפ״וSunday, July 12, 2026
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Rebbetzin Miriam Gross was director of education and assistant dean at EYAHT – Aish Hatorah's College for Women in Israel – for close to 30 years. Born and raised in Antwerp, Belgium, Rebbetzin Gross today lives in Jerusalem where she lectures, teaches, and serves as a Torah-based counselor. She can be reached at RebbetzinGross.JP@gmail.com.
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The Imrei Emes once said, “The biggest ‘mussar sefer’ I know of is a ticking clock!”
When one rushes from something, one often feels anxious. But when one excitedly rushes to something-- a goal--one often feels an inner sense of peace and excitement. We couldn't wait to fulfill our destiny 3,300 years ago and we are supposed to have this same excited feeling today.
Nissan and Tishrei carry the same message! Pesach prepares us for the teshuvah process of Tishrei. It teaches us that to reach perfection, we must be vigilant.
What a sublime chumra to take on as Pesach approaches: to keep our simcha thermostat on the highest digit without surrendering to the natural inclination of “losing it” due to tension and fatigue, two all too natural elements that come along with these days.
To have mehudar matzos on leil haSeder is very important, but so is feeding the poor. Davening at the amud during the year in memory of a loved one is important, but so is stepping aside in favor of someone else in a similar situation to whom davening at the amud clearly means a lot. Time is precious, but so is giving up that time for the sake of another. How does one decide what to do?
All year long, women seemingly have no time to breathe – you can’t even insert a needle into their jam-packed schedules – but after Purim, suddenly there is time to tackle the massive project called Pesach. How does one understand it?
Why is Purim the only holiday that was established on two different dates depending on where one lives?
When giving Moshe Rabbeinu the mitzvah of machzis hashekel, Hashem showed him a coin of fire. Was the Almighty possibly warning us to handle financial matters as cautiously as we would a burning flame?
That night a memorable prayer rose to Heaven and went straight to the Throne of Glory. It was offered by an unusual gathering, a minyan of Jews that one doesn't see every day.
The mitzvah of bikur cholim is often neglected. We should include time in our schedules to spend time with those who are ill, but so many pressing reasons prevent us from doing so.
Chazal tell us that the pursuit of money teaches us how we should pursue mitzvos. Money familiarize us with the burning passion we ought to develop for mitzvos--and mitzvos have even greater intrinsic value.
What price would YOU place on performing a mitzva?
Why did this unexpected landing in Athens become front-page headlines? What did Hashem want us to learn from it?
Misinterpretations abound. Always judge favorably. Doing so is not just the halacha. It’s also wise.
Which parent doesn’t wish to do the utmost for his or her children? But buying them the latest toy won’t bring them true happiness. The greatest gift parents can give children is an oasis of peace in the home – and, yes, sometimes that requires massive self-control.
People who occupy prestigious positions in world-famous companies have admitted to me that they have never experienced anything as challenging as raising children.
What does it take to be deemed successful? The Torah describes Yosef as an "ish matzliach," a successful man. but I can't fathom anyone using the term “success” to describe Yosef at this point in his life. Yet, success, according to our Sages, is dependent on man’s frame of mind.
Please don’t misunderstand me. I am a firm believer in the “perfect marriage." It exists. As a matter of fact, every two people who walk down the aisle have an opportunity to create it.
You wrote that it’s often good for a husband and wife to have differing opinions, but wouldn’t it be better if they agreed so they could easily work together towards their common goals?
Truth is often far stranger than fiction when it comes to shidduchim--just ask the Avot
Opposing insights are worth reflecting on. To handle different viewpoints in a marriage requires maturity, and every couple is advised to attain this maturity sooner rather than later. For you can either respect your spouse’s "illogical opinion” or suffocate the person you selected to marry.
The war of the haters of Am Yisrael is against our spirit; therefore, they won't relent on their aim to wipe our name out. They don’t realize that they will never succeed. "The bush will not be consumed" – ever.
For some reason, people seem to strongly believe that being alike improves communication. But is that really so?
We don’t realize how often non-Jews sense something unique about us.
Instead of belonging to the "Ayeka" club – deflecting blame – why not join the "Hineni" group? Instead of blaming our surrounding, why not ask ourselves what part we played in creating the existing situation? Instead of expecting change from someone else, why not offer something different?
Torah is trying to teach us that to increase simcha, one must exclude items. To enjoy life, one must say “Stop” to the excess. Saying "No" to desires is saying "Yes" to needs.
Can you imagine davening on Yom Kippur with, of all people, a priest?!
We have become so accustomed to rattle off berachos that we don't let them penetrate. Before we start, it's over
Elul is when we are supposed to put a halt on the wheels of habit and do some spiritual contemplating and penetrating soul-searching.
“On paper, it really doesn’t make any sense to make this trip.” The Rebbe looked at him and replied, “It doesn't make sense on paper? So break the pencil and go!”
This week's parsha includes the mitzva of kesivas Sefer Torah, writing or having a sofer (scribe) write a Torah scroll upon order. How can you fulfill this mitzva and present a Sefer Torah to a shul and experience the joy of fulfilling this very special mitzvah? Try "the 10 year plan"
Nowadays, we often avoid a challenge – and, along with it, the satisfaction that accompanies real effort – if it seems too hard. But we must resist that urge.
Chazal tell us that brazenness will increase during the pre-Messianic period. And yet, a pillar of Torah life is deference to the previous generation. So how do we reconcile the two points and explain the level of chutzpah among us?
The mitzvos teach a Jew restraint and free him from the servitude of things having to materialize instantaneously. Jewish family life presents the apogee of constraint. The message presents itself over and over again and is so clear.
Shechinta b’galusa." The term is usually translated as "the Divine presence in captivity” – but what does that actually mean?
When challenged, we have our priorities straight. We admit that spending quality time with the family is crucial. But what do we do in practice? How much time do we devote to insignificant things – things that in the long run make no difference
Welcoming a new contributor to the Jewish Press Family_ Rebbetzin Miriam Gross
July 10, 2026 
