יום שבת, ח׳ תשרי תשפ״זSaturday, September 19, 2026
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The real theme of this book is how to live so that G-d will plant His presence among us, so that G-d will be with us and among us.
History is not everything, but it is a starting point. History is a clock that people use to tell their political and cultural time of day. It is a compass they use to find themselves on the map of human geography. It tells them where they are but, more importantly, what they must be. -John Henrik Clarke
By Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l
The wilderness was not just a place; it was a state of being, a moment of solidarity, midway between enslavement in Egypt and the social inequalities that would later emerge in Israel.
Many associate the freedom Rebbe Yehoshua mentions with the exemption Torah scholars enjoy from taxes and other communal responsibilities (Avot 3:5 and Bava Batra 8a). We exempt scholars from these responsibilities so they can be free to focus on their studies.
The reason a person without Torah can never be truly free is because human beings are slaves to their passions and desires.
It is the supporters of Torah who provide the artillery to those involved in Torah study to win the war of holiness in this world.
This is vital information for parents and educators, to know how to direct their children to the right school and the correct teachers.
Let us all hope and pray that no more civilian lives will be lost, Israeli or Arab. But query whether it is realistic to expect this to happen if the leadership of the Israelis, the Arabs, and the Americans all have their way.
Living entails aspiration for growth and great effort to get there. But sometimes we strive to accomplish too much in too little time, and thereby set ourselves up for frustration and failure.
We must ask ourselves: Is this the best way to handle an ordeal? When we face challenges, how do we act during these moments of pain and discomfort?
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
The reverse is true of sin, continues Rabbi Hirsch. It removes you from the pure and loving presence of your Father in heaven. It will awaken within you the torturing pangs of conscience...
It is interesting that the Gemara does not seem to have an issue with the borrower’s somewhat deceitful motives. This would seem to be a violation of geneivas da’as, misleading a person in order to achieve an inappropriate gain.
Shaindy tried to think logically. There must be some way to signal for help. She pulled out her cellphone and dialed her husband. No reception and no service. She tried dialing 911. That should work. No service again. No way to call anyone in this underground station.
There is a mitzvah to pay wages that day, and a prohibition – bal talin – to withhold wages, even if requires effort, replied Mr. Klein. But you offered Mrs. Adler alternate forms of payment. I’m not sure whether that’s sufficient.
A Public Servant ‘You Our Master Are Loaned To Us…’ (Bava Metzia 97a)
The UN security council stood for a moment of silence in his memory. What exactly were they thinking about during that moment of silence, which was also observed by the U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the UN?
Question: My friends are getting married on Rosh Chodesh Sivan. I tried to convince them to do otherwise, as many people have a minhag (custom) not to attend weddings until three days before Shavuot. They told me they spoke to rabbis who allowed it. Is this right? May I attend? Name withheld by request
The Three Days of Preparation and the Festival of the Giving of our Torah indeed come once a year, but there is a small-scale version of this preparation and of Matan Torah every day.
By Rabbi Shimshon HaKohen Nadel
The indelible images of those six dramatic days in June 1967, along with the echo of Motta Gur's battle cry, Har HaBayit b’yadeinu – the Temple Mount is in our hands, are forever seared into our collective consciousness.
Whatever we expect with confidence becomes our own self-fulfilling prophecy. -Brian Tracy
Avraham was a righteous individual in a mass of wicked depraved individuals and civilizations, and he was one single light in the face of a growing darkness.
By Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l
The people may be faithless to G-d but G-d will never be faithless to the people.
Many interpret the word tza’ar in the literal sense – pain or suffering. Our reward is proportional to the pain we endure.
Hashem gives us opportunities to do teshuva. He delivers minor punishments to put us on notice. However, if these signals are ignored, then the suffering becomes more and more difficult.
Please, return us the real thing which is bringing our sacrifices in the Beis HaMikdash.
As we only have a limited amount of space, we must decide what we want to fill our space with. This is not only true about data and stuff, but also about our relationships as well. It’s up to us to show those we care about that they have space in our lives.
I lived (as a stranger) with Lavan…and I acquired oxen and donkeys. Rashi there elaborates that Yaakov was trying to placate Esav by telling him that the blessings of the first born were not fulfilled, so he need not be angry with him for having stolen them.
On the one hand, there is the mitzvah to celebrate with the chasan and kallah or the bar mitzvah, but there is also the mitzvah (Devarim 4:15) V’nishmartem me’od l'nafshoseichem - Take heed of yourself [guard your health].
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
We tend to define our own levels of wisdom, power, wealth, and honor by likening how much of these commodities we have in relation to others. According to psychologist Leon Festinger, when we make downward social comparisons, we tend to inflate our sense of self by reflecting on how much more we have than others.
While the Ramban suggests that a test is within one’s capacity, the very Hebrew word for a test suggests otherwise. The root of the word nisayon is neis, the Hebrew word for miracle.
This is a true story that happened to me several years ago, but it is a story that I will never forget. Because of it, I now have a “thing” about locking front doors, though, truth to tell, I was always careful about making sure that they were locked before leaving my house.
Although the renter is not liable for oness, such as natural death, whereas the borrower is, Rabi Yosei rules that the borrower pays the value of cow to the owner, not to the renter/lender, since he should not profit from the other person’s cow (C.M. 307:5).
His Father Gave The Ring ‘What About A Worker Toasting The Produce And Eating?’ (Bava Metzia 89a)
Like all of the holidays since Simchas Torah, each community and individual needs to navigate how to observe and experience Lag B’Omer while a war rages in our homeland.
Question: Why do we only count the Omer after the first day of Passover, and why for 49 days only, when the Torah commands “Fifty days shall you count?” Additionally, what is the reason for the special celebrations of Lag Ba’Omer? Harvey Abramson Via Email
The service of teshuva, however, requires us to reach beyond our limited, worldly frame of reference and express the unbounded potential of the godly spark within us.
Since historical events like these have the potential to challenge our faith, they create a religious imperative to search for God’s loving hand even in the face of tragedy and sorrow. That is an important part of R. Akiva’s legacy as well as that of R. Shimon’s.
The question is asked: If the miracle of the blessing will already be obvious, as our pasuk indicates, in the sixth year – when the land produces a crop that is sufficient for three years – why would the people be worrying any further?
A banker is a fellow who lends his umbrella when the sun is shining and wants it back the minute it begins to rain. -Mark Twain
Rebbe Yaakov’s teachings aim to help us develop the proper perspective on our world. We should realize that it and its pleasures are not the ultimate goal.
By Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l
The Torah commands us in only one place to love our neighbor, but thirty-six times to love the stranger.
A beautiful example of how heaven is exclusively a place of peace can be found in a Gemara in Maseches Sotah. We are informed of a fascinating fact: Daily, in the desert, together with the mon fell women’s beauty treatments because that which beautifies a woman fosters more love and harmony in the home, which promotes peace.
If one who wants to be wise begins to believe of himself that he is special, then he will no longer be prepared to learn from everybody.
Three wars are being fought right now; the war in Gaza, the war about the War in Gaza, and the war of antisemitism against civilian Jews unprotected by human shields.
The truth is, as expensive and challenging as it is to construct a bridge across water, it is far more arduous and challenging to build bridges between people and nations.
Hashem did not change His mind, the people themselves changed. The only way to change a gezeirah (decree) is through teshuva and tefillah.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
Unlike niddah calculations, which may impact real-life halacha, the doubts and calculations in kinnim are generally removed from practical ramifications.
In plain English, there are people who are more comfortable with risk, and others with security. To succeed in most goals, ranging broadly from parenting to investing, there needs to be a balance of risk-taking and caution.
Had so much time already passed since I took him to an amusement park and he was tall enough to go on a virtual reality ride?
Mr. Green checked the contract. Our contract doesn't specify anything about subletting, he said. It doesn’t explicitly allow it, but doesn’t rule it out. I don’t see, though, how we can avoid telling the landlord about it.
Law And Order ‘R. Elazar b. R. Shimon Would Apprehend Thieves …’ (Bava Metzia 83b)
Roi and Adan relayed the horrific happenings of October 7. As they spoke, they often had to stop and collect themselves. Their hands were shaking while recounting coming face to face with terrorists who were shooting at them. One could not help but feel as if you were there with them, hearts pounding, trying to escape death’s door.
In a Tel Aviv train station, I stood looking at the stickers on the walls. A common theme emerging from these stickers? The importance of remembering to smile.
Question: In my synagogue, and I assume in most others, we all stand at attention as the rabbi or chazzan recites the blessing of Sefirat HaOmer and then proceeds to count the Omer. How can we recite the blessing afterwards when we already clearly heard it before (and thus, presumably, were yotzei with it)? M. Goldblum Miami Beach, FL
One of the goals of Judaism is to draw holiness into this world. A more important goal, however, is to elevate the world and the worldly aspects of man.
A remarkable occurrence is happening in the state of Israel today. The vast majority of the people living there, whether observant or non-observant, ultra-religious or not, observe the holidays as national or religious events in their lives.
As we continue to speak less, we will continue to have less room for defilement… and for sanctity
In Chovat HaTalmidim, the longest chapter concerns the struggle against laziness in students of Torah that the Aish Kodesh describes as the greatest blight upon a young mind.
By Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l
According to the Torah, the first month of the year is Nissan. This was the day the earth became dry after the Flood (Gen. 8:13). It was the day the Israelites received their first command as a people (Ex. 12:2).
May the gods grant you all things which your heart desires, and may they give you a husband and a home and gracious concord, for there is nothing greater and better than this - when a husband and wife keep a household in oneness of mind, a great woe to their enemies and joy to their friends, and win high renown. -Homer, The Odyssey
The Sefer Rishon L’Tzion cites the Medrash Shmuel, in the name of the Meiri, that when a person causes a chillul Hashem it is because he was not careful with the honor of Hashem.
The Gemara comments that the prophet’s list increases in severity, making captivity the worst, even worse than death or famine.
The ensuing requests also fit nicely for we follow this up with the request, L’ma’an yeichal’tzun yididecha – In order that You deliver Your friends.
Being up at night without learning Torah is a misuse of the night. We work during the day and have free time at night; we should use this time to sleep or to learn Torah.
The seasons and cycles of the Torah force us to constantly face the passing of time.
The first night of Pesach was a gift, an experience of transcendence. This night was characterized by the miracles of makkas bechoros and yetzias Mitzrayim, which connected the Jewish people to a higher dimension of existence.
As with every question, the proper answer begins with "it depends."
By Rabbi Dr. Nathan Lopes Cardozo
The nature of the people of Israel is to live by a sacred mission. The existence of the people of Israel is dependent on its refusal to surrender to normalcy.
Yitzchak feels privileged to have been welcomed into Am Yisrael. Having been exposed extensively to the outside world, he understands that there is no other nation like ours.
Based on this, the Shulchan Aruch (Y.D. 332:1) writes that if there are no Jewish poor in the area, there is no need to leave these matnos aniyim. Rema adds that, therefore, the common practice is not to leave these matnos aniyim, since mostly they will be taken by gentiles.
Indeed, He Honored His Father ‘They Were Hired To Irrigate, But The River Dried Up’ (Bava Metzia 76b-77a)
Be Holy - It's quite a challenge to achieve, but where should one start?
This past week in Israel we marked Holocaust Remembrance Day. Only three years following the extermination of one-third of our people, the Jewish nation rose from the ashes of the camps to declare an independent state. Such a revival needs to be our focus at the present time.
Question: In my synagogue, and I assume in most others, we all stand at attention as the rabbi or chazzan recites the blessing of Sefirat HaOmer and then proceeds to count the Omer. How can we recite the blessing afterwards when we already clearly heard it before (and thus, presumably, were yotzei with it)? M. Goldblum Miami Beach, FL
I must admit that the simcha and tuv leivov (joy and gladness of heart) do not come that easily, if at all. Nevertheless, the directive of the Rebbe is to continue our mission with joy and with gladness of heart that baruch Hashem we are zoche to do what the Rebbe wants.
While these rituals may evoke strong emotions, they also raise important halachic questions regarding the propriety of adopting non-Jewish rituals.
What is not often noted is that the Talmud says that issuers of such insults are among the three categories of sinners who do not rise up from Gehinnom, even though this isn’t explicitly categorized as one of the 613 commandments, positive or negative (though it can be indirectly included in at least one of them).
The sages teach that derech eretz precedes the study of Torah (see Vayikra Rabba 9:3, among others); this follows from human nature wherein the physical needs must be met before the intellect can be developed.
Shabbos is not a statute erected to commemorate that G-d created the world in the past, but rather it is an acknowledgment of His involvement in it in the present.
Identification with Hashem’s will affects both the form and scope of our avodat Hashem.
By Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l
There are holy times and holy places, and each time and place has its own integrity, its own setting in the total scheme of things.
An individual can make a difference, but a team can make a miracle. -Doug Pederson
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
Wisdom is a broad term that can have numerous interpretations, including knowledge of Torah (Chazon Ish), spiritual ability to fulfill the Divine will (Rabbeinu Yonah), or a social intelligence wisdom (Sforno). Regardless of definition, wisdom needs the supplemental value of fear of G-d.
To his shock and dismay, he realized that the Rav was none other than the beggar he had beaten on the street.
I’d like to offer a mighty challenge. The next time you go to shul to pray, tell yourself that you’re planning to use your mind as much as your mouth in the synagogue – for proper service of Hashem has more to do with the mind and the heart than with the mouth.
This year we savor Jewish sovereignty more deeply than in the past, when we may have taken it for granted.
There are specific prohibitions and damnations that befall one who mistreats an orphan. The verse (Shemos 22:21-23) states: You shall not ill-treat any widow or orphan. If you do mistreat them, I will heed their outcry as soon as they cry out to Me and My anger shall blaze forth and I will put you to the sword, and your own wives shall become widows and your children orphans.
Because we are so blessed with material comfort and convenience, we need to remember that growth and greatness only come with exertion, persistence, and effort. Discomfort and pain are often par for the course.
In truth, we are not counting down to Matan Torah, but rather are building toward it, ascending one day at a time. We do not wait for Shavuos to arrive; we actively bring it ourselves through the time and effort we invest as we count the omer.
By Rabbi Shimshon HaKohen Nadel
The Chatam Sofer concludes that establishing a festival to mark a miraculous event is a biblical requirement, and one who does not do so is in violation of not performing a positive commandment (Teshuvot Chatam Sofer, YD 233).
Living in Israel one cannot forget the painful past since unfortunately we have constant reminders. The painful past is a part of our daily lives and not just a memory.
By Eliana Klein
Unfortunately, aside from my apparent penchant for misadventure, and ‘Midas touch in reverse,’ there is also my abysmal sense of direction. Add to that the fact that I get carsick on the local bus routes and consequently rarely use public transportation, and the scene was set with perfect precision for what transpired next.
The Mishna (B.B. 83b) teaches that when the seller provides the buyer a different item than he ordered, the transaction is null and void, so that either party can retract, even if discovered much later, replied Rabbi Dayan.
September 18, 2026 
