יום ראשון, ה׳ כסלו תשפ״זSunday, November 15, 2026
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When it comes to practical matters, reality is often about consensus.
What complicated matters is that there was no eiruv in our town. For me that meant that even if I had a bad cold (Is there a good cold?), I could not place tissues in my pocket.
Consequential Limitations ‘Seeds That Did Not Sprout’ (Bava Basra 92a)
I’m willing to consider paying, but calm down, replied Yossi. I’m not convinced that I am liable for the phone. I never accepted responsibility for it, and I held it in the regular manner. On what basis am I liable?
Living in Israel and following the Torah will enable happiness.
Question: When Shema Koleinu is recited during the High Holiday season, the cantor skips several lines during the interactive repetition. What is the reason? A Reader Wilkes Barre, PA
The mitzvot enable us to take the most basic things of all: our bodies, our possessions, our most physical parts, and to sanctify them.
How many great miracles have we experienced over the past months? Soldiers have shared so many stories of salvation. We have also experienced much larger miracles. The unprecedented defense against hundreds of missiles and drones fired simultaneously by Iran and her proxies in April and the successful neutralization of thousands of Hezbollah missiles in August are just two of the many.
As mentioned, the siddur also included a complete Sefer Tehillim, divided according to the days of the week and month, something which was also considered part of the classical world of Jewish women’s prayer at the time.
Like our forefather Avraham, our national and communal origins are also rooted in our mitzvah observance. We transitioned from a family to a people in Mitzrayim, which we entered as a family of seventy and exited as millions.
Heaven means to be one with God -Confucius
By Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l
Covenant societies exist not because they have been there a long time, nor because of some act of conquest, nor for the sake of some economic or military advantage. They exist to honor a pledge, a moral bond, an ethical undertaking.
While Moshe saw all the Jews as one whole, it was the ones in front of him who served as the representatives for all those who had lived and would live in the future.
The act of engaging in teshuva, which is so essential to our achievement of our moral and spiritual goals as humans and as members of the community of Israel, is also very challenging for us in practice.
The Rambam writes in the laws of teshuva that it is customary for the Jewish people to give extra tzedakah during these days. The Mishnah Berurah writes that doing as many mitzvot as we can will tip the scales in our favor on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.
A large percentage of us regrettably neglect the fifth commandment; honoring our parents. Due to the frenetic pace of modern life, this obligation is often woefully shunted to the side.
Beis Hillel's argument seems to be that it is a given that it would be under the category of hurtful speech to denigrate something that another person purchased.
One of the simplest yet most profound pieces of advice I ever heard is you don’t drown by falling into the water; you drown by staying there.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
Managing a good reputation is an essential value, particularly for a spiritual leader. Maintaining a good name enables the values he or she embodies to be respected and internalized.
What is a Jew? A person in a covenant of love with G-d. We should therefore enjoy and pursue our covenant of love, just as we enjoy and pursue the person we love the most in the world.
When we come before Hashem, with only one page in our hands to offer, it might be a good page with a lot of good deeds, but it doesn't represent or reflect who we really are. On the contrary, the judge might look at that one page and say this doesn't show Him who we really are. There's not enough information here.
The concept of the Twelve Tribes and mutual responsibility is a “collective” concept, in which the individual appears to be secondary, however the opposite is the case.
By Naama Klein
Basically I felt like HaKadosh Baruch Hu was calling me, albeit in my son’s voice, reminiscent of a youthful Shmuel HaNavi reporting to Eli HaCohen several times during the night, during the era that Mishkan Shilo stood, many thousands of years ago.
Rabbi Nechunia’s Prayer ‘… Even So, An Actual Incident Is Greater’ (Bava Basra 83a)
Question: My husband and I are frequent Shabbos guests at our children’s homes nearby (we eat the meal with them and return to our home after the meal). Where should I light Shabbos candles – in my home or in theirs? Name Withheld
One can’t help but speculate about what happened in Israel on October 7, which led many people around the world to conclude that they were safe only as far as they could get away from Israel and Gaza...
It is no little wisdom for a man to keep himself in silence and in good peace when evil words are spoken to him, and to turn his heart to God and not to be troubled with man's judgment. -Thomas Kempis
Rav Kook speaks evocatively of a world full of harmony. Everything has been created with a purpose and situated in such a way that it stands in perfect balance with everything else.
By Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l
When love is conditional, it lasts as long as the condition lasts but no longer.
Many commentators wonder why not proffering bread and water is considered such a great crime
Our sages tell us that one of the most effective ways for man to gain Heaven’s favorable judgment is to grant merit to the community, by helping, contributing, and empathizing with those who are in need.
Rav Moshe Shternbuch, zt”l, zy”a, urges us to get moving with our Elul pursuits as early and as quickly as possible. He compares it to a wedding. If you go early, the baalei simcha, the celebrants are more likely to notice you and to interact with you personally.
Our life includes more than just fulfilling mitzvot. We also have goals we aim to achieve.
It is vital that we never forget that our goal is growth, not perfection! As long as we can honestly state that we are doing the best we can with what the Aibishter has given us, we can feel confident that we are doing our part.
Genuine teshuva is not just about fixing our mistakes in Elul and Tishrei; it’s about self-expression, returning to our true and higher selves.
Rashi’s experience is reminiscent of a number of great thinkers and scientists who described their breakthroughs as coming from imaginative visions.
Having children of any sex is a gift of unimaginable kindness. I know of people who have been trying to have a child for such a long time who would give anything to have a child male or female.
Each year Hashem grants us only one year ahead, which means every year our lease ends completely and we have to ask again for a new life.
New York City CANDLE LIGHTING TIME September 13, 2024 – 10 Elul 5784 6:49 p.m. NYC E.D.T. Sabbath Ends: 7:47 p.m. NYC E.D.T. Sabbath Ends: Rabbenu Tam 8:18 p.m. NYC E.D.T. Weekly Reading: Ki Tetze Weekly Haftara: Roni Akara (Isaiah 54:1-10) Daf Yomi: Bava Basra 80 Mishna Yomit: Bava Kama 10:4-5 Halacha Yomit: Kitzur […]
You found the money this afternoon, but it was lying all day in the shul’s premises, replied Mr. Shatz. I locked the shul after the last Shacharis minyan, so – if there is no obligation of hashavas aveidah – the shul should acquire the $20 bill, since it was secure in the shul’s premises.
An Implacable Foe ‘Therefore Those Who Speak In Parable Say …’ (Bava Basra 78b)
The Kohanim and Leviim did not have a share in the Land, it was therefore up to the other tribes to provide for them. In Parshat Shoftim we read about a few of these gifts that are given to the Kohen for support: from a non-korban that is slaughtered, the Kohen receives the zero'a, lechayayim, […]
Question: My husband and I are frequent Shabbos guests at our children’s homes nearby (we eat the meal with them and return to our home after the meal). Where should I light Shabbos candles – in my home or in theirs?
Rachel spoke: I want to thank G-d right now in front of all of you for giving me this magnificent present of my son Hersh. For 23 years I was privileged to have the most stunning honor to be Hersh’s mama. I’ll take this moment to say thank you.
I would never get to hear my bubby’s voice as she sang me a lullaby. My bubby would never hold me in her arms. I would never get to see her smile. I would never get to taste her delicious Hungarian cakes and delicacies. I would never feel her hand in mine. So many ‘nevers’.
We are not only able to help ourselves, we are also responsible for doing so. Though many assist us throughout our lives, in the end, we are responsible for ourselves.
As favor and riches forsake a man, we discover in him the foolishness they concealed, and which no one perceived before. -Jean De La Bruyere
In the opening chapters of Orot HaTeshuva, Rav Kook examines the categories and characteristics of teshuva. He posits that teshuva is an aspect of natural law which triggers an awareness of Divine Mercy that in turn precipitates the exercise of Divine Mercy.
By Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l
Why do crowds riot? The short answer is, because they can.
On the eve of battle, 4 groups can leave. Who are the 4 & what does it mean "allowed to go home"?
And what greater matter for self-sacrifice can there be than to help bring about the full Redemption of all Israel?
The Zera Shimshon asks: Why does the Torah need to state that the people will be judged. Who else is presenting before the judges?
If we succeed in developing a strong sense of justice in our homes and communities, perhaps our prayer for God to restore justice will be justly heard and accepted.
If you don’t rinse out your mouth in the morning before davening, grab the opportunity to do so. You can fix in your mind that you are doing it so that the many names of Hashem that you will articulate during davening will come from a clean and pleasant source.
Law helps society, even if certain individuals do not benefit, or even suffer.
I had always dreaded color war. What had suddenly changed? The obvious answer was that for the first time I had been involved in color war.
The Torah standard for the conviction of criminals is set much higher than in most contemporary systems of law
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
By honoring our teachers, we learn through the interpersonal social dynamics how to revere G-d as well.
Sometimes, Hashem will send us a wake-up call, begging us to wake up from our slumber. When we hear it, we must remind ourselves what time it is.
We had a year of sorrow, and bloodshed and it's time for our salvation. It feels almost unfair what we are going through.
As he was trying to work out the mystery of who had cleaned the shul, he mentioned it to one of the cooks in the school’s kitchens. And she admitted to having cleaned the shul herself.
When Moshe uses this phrase to rebuke Am Yisrael in parshat Ha'azinu, he states this as a fact, not as a conditional statement...Moshe is saying – it is for sure going to happen!
The last month of the Jewish calendar is actually the most important – serving as preparation for the High Holidays.
Must A Typical Sale Be Generous? ‘A Seller Sells Generously’ (Bava Basra 71a)
The Talmud notes that when the Beit HaMikdash was destroyed for the second time, there was an increase in the number of ascetics within the Jewish community, who decided to limit themselves by not eating meat or drinking wine. Rabbi Yehoshua asked them why they restricted themselves in this way.
We are Hashem’s children. We are prohibited from gashing our skin, or ripping out hair upon suffering the death of someone close.
Question: What if an eruv was breached on a Shabbat – is it permitted to be repaired and if it is how is this to be done? Zvi Kirschner Via E-mail
As this period of Kaddish comes to a close, one bereaved family asked me to thank the general public on their behalf.
There is no question in my mind that we as a nation have improved in becoming more sensitized to the plight of our Jewish impoverished and in general to providing chesed, kindness, to people in need... But there is something more that is wholly missing!
How can we reconcile the fact that the pasuk says that the mitzvos are both tov and yashar are in Hashem’s eyes while Rashi says that yashar refers to the way man views the mitzvos?
Halakhic man’s goal is to bring G-d down into this world by first understanding the blueprint He created for this world – the Torah, and its practical expression through halacha – and then striving to align this world with that ideal system.
Hashem taught Moshe and us this lesson through the construction of the Mishkan and the giving of the luchot. When Hashem told Moshe to assemble the Mishkan, Moshe protested that it was too heavy for him to lift. Hashem told Moshe to do what he could: Make it look like you are trying to erect it.
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. -Mary Schmich
By Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l
Charity is always voluntary. Tzedakah is compulsory. Therefore, tzedakah does not mean charity. The nearest English equivalent is social justice.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
Noted marriage therapist Dr. John Gottman also contends that each marriage has perpetual, unsolvable problems. The goal is not to resolve those conflicts but to know how to relate to those conflicts in healthy ways.
Just like the antagonists and disputants who came before, Dan Bilzerian, Candace Owens and the raging antisemites of our time will not be effective and will not be remembered, but our sacred Torah and our timeless Talmud will continue to be learned around the world.
The reward matches the challenge.
Sometimes the soldier and his family are most bothered by the worry that their difficulty adjusting is not normal and reflects severe psychological distress.
We learn that every effort that is expended for the collective Jewish people is a merit for the individual.
Hashem, I know that this person might even repeat such an offense against me in the future but I am still willing to forgive him for now. Please forgive me as well even though I might likewise slip up with aveiros, sins, sometime in the future.
I have observed younger people who will not speak English in front of their elderly grandparents. Those gestures and degree of respect are lost on most of us. Kids today are brought up to feel that their teachers are like buddies and friends.
When I walked into the pizza shop not too long ago, I noticed two high school girls holding bentchers and reciting beracha acharona meticulously. It was a chizuk to me about the importance of reciting berachos carefully even in a public and somewhat harried setting.
For Rav Hirsch, this is the true embodiment of the national spirit of Israel – feeling responsible for one another, meeting the needs of one another, and celebrating together in the joy of the community experienced as a community.
How many things are we holding ourselves back from achieving simply because we believe them to be impossible?
The family should belong in the picture at home, not at the Temple. Why reverse it?
Unlike all the other types of Korbanot that are offered to atone for a sin, the Shelamim is offered purely out of love for Hashem.
By dvora
When he quoted the source as being Rabbi Charney, I jumped up, and running over to him. I cried out: Do you know that Rabbi Charney is my Uncle Rebbe? I had absolutely no idea how he had gotten this sefer!
Hung Out To Dry ‘A Roof With A Parapet 10 Tefachim High Is Not Included’ (Bava Basra 63b-64a)
The consequences of the Mitzvot.
Question: The eruv at a facility was discovered to be breached on Shabbat and was repaired without everyone residing there being told anything at the time. Some people learned about it only after the repair. What is the halachically proper manner of dealing with such a situation? If an eruv is breached on a Shabbat, is its repair permitted? If permitted, how is this to be done ideally? Is there a need to announce the breach? Zvi K. Via E-mail
Tu B’Av is the holiday of bringing back together that which was apart
The Book of Devarim describes the great danger of living in a prosperous society that offers people everything they desire and in large amounts. It’s challenging to live in poverty – but it’s also challenging to live in wealth.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said: When Hashem created the world, He desired to have a dirah b'tachtonim, a place for Him to reside below the way He had above.
On the most basic level, challenges inspire reflection and appreciation. The need to work hard to regain something lost or return to a previous position deepens our appreciation for what we had and where we were beforehand.
Eretz Yisrael is blessed with seven species of food. One of the joys of living in Eretz Yisrael is having the privilege of eating these special foods.
November 13, 2026 
