The Northern Exposure of the Yetzer Hara
Why should tzara’as that spreads over the entire body result in purity? One would think it would indicate the opposite – corruption beyond repair.
Soul Identification
Every Shabbos, we put aside all technology. We are perhaps the only community in the world who are active members of society all week and yet won’t check emails, social media, or the news for twenty-five hours.
False Shepherd
There is no doubt, it is not even a question, that Noach was G-d-fearing. Noach was not part of the depravation of the world, he did not commit adultery, he did not steal, he did not worship idols, etc.
The Tanach’s Rugged Individualists
Even if it may have been clear to both men that theirs was the only way to assure any type of future, the isolation and opposition they must have encountered (as explored in many Midrashim) would have brought down anyone lacking the legendary fortitude of these two heroes.
Corrupt and Wrong
While corruption was more widespread and perhaps fundamental, the formal case against the generation of the flood was formulated on the basis of something they – and Noach, in particular – could understand: they were hurting each other.
Becoming A Teivah
The Rebbe references the Hebrew name of the wood from which the teivah was constructed (gopher wood), which might be cypress but the etymology is unclear. What is clear is that gopher is related to sulfur (gaphror in Hebrew), and thus correlates to burning and simmering rage.
Totafos And the Tongues of the World
As Mishlei (25:2) states, It is the glory of G-d to conceal a matter. A relationship must have privacy and sacred boundaries, honoring the bond both from within and without.
The Advocate
The Chofetz Chaim writes how important it is for a person to reinforce his middah (character trait) of judging others favorably, because it will facilitate his own advancement in attaining the level of a tzaddik, a righteous person.
Avodah: How We Serve
The Jewish people’s relationship with Hashem also began with a korban – the Korban Pesach. Though the Jews were passive during the first nine makot, for Makat Bechorot and Yetziat Mitzraim to occur, they needed to sacrifice the Korban Pesach.
Ark-tifacts And Timelines
Towards the end of Parshat Bereishit, the Torah records the births of Noach’s three sons – Sheim, Cham, and Yefet – when he was 500 years old. That is much older than the parental ages recorded for the births in the first nine generations.
Perseverance
I’m not a Washington fan, so why did I care about their Cinderella-like saga? Because being in the world of education, it symbolizes a vital truth that can’t be stressed enough: That ultimately the hundreds don’t matter.
Q & A: Sacrifices in Messianic Times
Question: I have heard that in the time of Mashiach, we will continue to offer sacrifices. How can we explain that if, as we are told, these will be times without sin?
Menachem
Via E-mail
Must He Pay For the Extra Week?
Terms agreed upon before the beginning of a rental are binding even without a kinyan since the rental usage itself serves as a kinyan for the agreed-upon terms.
Arba’ah Minim On Consignment
In principle, when purchasing items, payment is due when taking title or possession of the item, replied Rabbi Dayan. Therefore, the immediate payment price is usually viewed halachically as the true price.
Q & A: Tefillin On Chol HaMoed
Question: I recently moved to a new neighborhood where the predominance of synagogue options that are to my personal satisfaction pray in Nusach Sefard. However, when it comes Chol HaMoed, I am faced with being one of the few who don tefillin. What am I to do?
Sam Schwartz
Via E-mail
The Deeper Purpose of Torah Wisdom
If a teacher wants to share a deep principle with his or her students, they might share a story or analogy that depicts the idea through a more relatable medium. While the mashal does not fully convey the idea itself, it leads the listener toward it, aiding him or her in the process of understanding.
Possessed By Possessions
A person who understands that his happiness and success are not dependent on anything material but only on his level of morality and attachment to G-d is truly free.
Leadership: How Do We Recognize It?
It does mean that we must not conflate the fallibility of leaders with the infallibility of the Torah itself.
The Sukkah as Hashem’s Protection: Reflecting Two Years Later
Though the loss of even one soldier or civilian is a tragedy, we must recognize the miraculous way Hashem has protected the Jewish people over the past two years.
Pre-Abrahamic Names
One of the problems with the Mabit’s position that the Chida focuses on is how Moses was able to name his son Eliezer, if that name is clearly from the time before Abraham (as we mentioned)?
Within Range
The mitzvah of sukkah is most unique. It is the only mitzvah one performs with his entire body (with the exception of living in Eretz Yisrael).
Beginning Again: Transmission Through Fracture
In a world fractured by fear, antisemitism, and isolation, Sukkos reminds us that holiness is not a status, it’s a practice.
The IDF’s Grinding Advance in Gaza
This is not a war of maneuver. It is a slow, grinding, street-by-street campaign against an enemy embedded in every alley, hiding behind civilians, and fighting from below.
A Sin By Any Other Name
Within all of us is this tension. A part of us might find the rituals confining, excessive, and boring. Why must we drudge through organized prayers and rituals? Why can’t we just connect to G-d and be a Jew at heart? The feeling is most legitimate.
All in the Mind
If there was a dispute, though, you should try to resolve it, concluded Rabbi Dayan. Appeasement and restoring peace between people are a great merit on Yom Kippur.
Confession
Did Mar Ukva crave the cheese so much that he couldn’t wait until the next day? On the other hand, there is no obligation to wait 24 hours before eating dairy. Why did Mar Ukva compare himself to vinegar, i.e. wine that has spoiled and has lost its value?
Draining Evil
Our main argument for forgiveness is that our sinful behaviors do not define us; they are an aberration, an external infection as it were.
Michlalah Chesed Journals
At 18, many girls might be expected to spend their time scrolling through their phones or shopping in malls. The chesed program provides these teenagers with a purpose beyond themselves, transforming them into compassionate, mature young women who value the art of giving.
From Teshuvah to Shofar: Making Rosh Hashana Count
Nitzavim has only 40 pesukim – the second shortest sedra, pasuk-wise. Only its sometimes partner Vayeilech has fewer (30).