יום שישי, י״ב חשוון תשפ״זFriday, October 23, 2026
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Rabbinic law is pivotal but it's important to understand which laws are rabbinic and which biblical.
We give slave gifts? If he wants to stay, we pierce his ear?!
“When a mother plays with her child there is an acute awareness of the child. But even when the mother works at a job or is distracted by some other activity, there is a natural, latent awareness of her child's existence.
While it’s clear to you and to me that a 14,000-pound creature can easily break away from the light ropes holding it, the reality is that it cannot.
Moses tells us what G-D wants from us...
Tosafos there takes issue with Rashi’s view that the letters that are formed in the knots of the tefillin are considered part of the name of Hashem.
Israel is the only place where we have the potential to fulfill our mandate as the chosen people.
The innkeeper smiled and replied, “Why do you think we are dancing? We are dancing because G-d destroyed the Bais HaMikdash!”
One of the manifestations of the immature person is a sense of entitlement.
The Rambam says that in order to honor Shabbos, one must wash his hands, face, and feet with warm water on Friday.
The 10 Commandments: So few words; so much meaning.
Rav Kook of blessed memory, who said that no matter where a Jew is born, he is born in Israel.
Moshe Rabbeinu's orations to Am Yisrael offer us the opportunity to be elevated and inspired in the weeks ahead.
Since the Children of Israel knew firsthand all the miracles God had done for them, how could lack faith?
Criticism is but one step below a verbal attack. It isn’t quite as pointed, not quite as aggressive – but not that far off.
The talmid is not allowed to speak up due to any fear. If he remains silent, he is in violation of this prohibition.
One must act as if everything depends on us and pray as if everything depends on God.
By Rachel Weiss
Just as the moon waxes, wanes and renews itself, so has the nation of Israel renewed itself through the millennia.
Parshat Masei: Rabbi Fohrman addresses the age-old question, are we our brother's keeper?
When Germany invaded neutral Belgium on August 4, England declared war on Germany. Thus, by the end of the first week of August all the major powers of Europe were at war.
The Talmud teaches that the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed because of baseless hatred.
When taking any major step in life it is a good idea to carefully re-evaluate one’s past.
When Hashem first thought (if it could be) about creating the world, the middah of din was in operation.
It is apparent from the Maharsha that he does not see galus as atoning for killing accidentally; otherwise, this Gemara would not bother him.
Will Your brothers go to war, while you sit (in peace) here? (Bamidbar 32:6)
Perhaps, just perhaps, we can relate to this: whenever we feel distant from Hashem, that is the Churban.
We may not recognize the adverse affect of eating forbidden foods, but they leave an indelible imprint.
There are several rules that one must adhere to when making a neder.
Important message for Jews in the Diaspora: In times of need run to Israel rather than from Israel.
Sometimes when Chazal say that two different people are really one, they do not mean it literally, but rather figuratively.
The midrash says that Pinchas, (this parsha), and Eliyahu, prophet of Kings, are one and the same.
We need to understand why Moshe Rabbeinu decided to ask that his sons inherit his position after this new halacha was introduced.
Moshe served dual major roles for bnei Yisrael. He was their teacher and their leader.
An opinion recorded in the Talmud states that prayers correspond to the daily sacrifices offered in the Temple that are mentioned in this week’s portion (Berachot 26b, Numbers 28:4). It’s been argued that this opinion may be the conceptual base for our standardized prayer. Since sacrifices had detailed structure, our prayers also have a set text. […]
Respect for basic human dignity is such a powerful concept that it overwhelms some areas of Jewish law.
If it is not prohibited when there is a purpose for inflicting the tza’ar, why was Bilam chastised for tza’ar ba’alei chaim?
Moshe’s punishment described in the parsha is most tragic. He was chosen to redeem the people, he loved them dearly and personally sacrificed so much for them.
There are often two distinct perspectives of an event: the perspective from living in the moment, and the perspective of history.
The power of "positive campaigning;" Nothing quenches your soul's thirst like Torah.
Hate and Love; Opposite sides of the coin of motivation.
After listening to the driver’s incredible story, Rabbi Levenstein asked him, “What about you? After seeing such a miracle why didn’t you became Torah observant?”
The rock doesn’t have needs, yet it listens to Hashem. How much more so should we, who have so many needs?
How can we be certain that any animal can be counted toward ma’asar beheimah when perhaps it is a treifah?
Scientific disciplines don’t ask "why", a metaphysical question. They ask "how does it function?”
What was the small act of Moshe talking to the rock meant to teach the people of Israel?
Leaders must be careful to subdue their ego. The cause is larger than the personal concerns of one person.
By Rachel Weiss
Known by all as a happy-go-lucky fellow, Yossel’s lackluster parnassah never got the better of him. His dejected-looking wife, however, hardly shared his simchas ha’chayim and Yossel would often attempt to cheer her with words of chizuk.
When it comes to passing on Jewishness we must follow the mother - for it is she who ensures it.
Although famous for his smile, Ike Eisenhower actually harbored a volcanic temper that he worked arduously to control.
Clearly, they were lacking in bitachon. Their faith in Hashem was deficient. But they weren’t guilty of speaking lashon hara.
This separation between Kohanim, Levi’im and Yisraelim obligates us to honor kohanim.
Is it possible for us to influence God?
Yehoshua knew that the outcome of the battles would depend not on military might, but on the spiritual strength of Klal Yisrael.
Twelve of the greatest leaders of the nation, one from each shevet, were dispatched to survey the land. The results of that mission were catastrophic.
Are pessimists just rationalists, and is hope just naiveté?
While Moshe was the most unique prophet, he was also alone.
Of even greater significance, once the miraglim made their mistake and concluded that Hashem wasn’t powerful enough to bring the people into the land, what they then spoke wasn’t lashon hara at all
The pasuk says that since the halacha concerning a Mechallel Shabbos was uncertain, the mekoshesh was placed in custody until the halacha was clarified.
The story of the spies, in this week's Torah portion, is viewed as an episode revealing the Jews' basic lack of faith in God.
Rabbi Fohrman delves deeper into the Priestly Blessing and its relevant lessons
Ultimately the Torah is a book that reflects a system of ethics that comes from God.
To gain power or distract the population from their suffering, a monarch would look for a place to put the blame.
The question still remains on how to reconcile all of the different drashos that are derived from this pasuk.
The multitudes among them experienced a desire for meat and wept.
One who loves can buy a factory-made knick-knack for his partner, but a personal hand-made gift is infinitely more precious.
Life is what you make of it. And if our lives are defined by Torah, then these weeks of Sefira are all about making the most of it.
The Shulchan Aruch notes that a priest who is in mourning for one of the seven close relatives does not bless the people during the Shiva period.
Generally there is an issur de’oraisa to erase Hashem’s name, but here the Torah explicitly permits it.
Why can’t a man just admit it is wrong to steal but he wants to do it anyway?
Is parsha Naso teaching us how we should treat our children?
May we feel the pain of what is happening in Israel not merely as members of the Jewish nation but as members of our own family.
By Rachel Weiss
The girl who had remarkably survived the accident had previously not led a religious lifestyle - which unsurprisingly changed after this event.
Why did we merit exiting the gas chamber alive when so many others did not?
Only mitzvos that are clearly stated in the pasuk may be counted as one of the 613 mitzvos.
One of the quirks of human nature is that the average person assumes he is smarter than the average person.
Without Joseph laying the foundation for them in Egypt, they never would have survived the exile spiritually intact.
Rabbi Fohrman gives us insight into what it truly means to be a teacher.
Evaluating forces us to consider the gift of every moment we have.
The question begs: how in the world can we accept that Bnei Yisrael en masse did not ever keep the mitzvah of shemittah?
When Hashem created man, He took these two diverse segments and mixed them together, creating a new synthesis called man.
Why distinguish between parts of the Torah to say that this part came from pi Hagevurah while the other part came from pi Moshe?
In this week's parsha a stark choice is presented: follow God and live, or abandon Him and die.
We should remember not only the difficult moments of life but also the blessings we too often take for granted.
And yet, the Gemara in Megillah clearly states that the halacha about the tochacha only applies to the tochacha in Vayikra, not to the tochacha in Devarim.
It is one thing to do a chesed for someone one time or when it is convenient. But for a person to go a few hours out of his way every year for a stranger demonstrates incredible selflessness.
Eretz Yisroel's resting during the shmittah year proclaims Hashem as the Creator of the world just as Shabbos does, for the init of time - seven - is solely connected to the creation of the world.
The Torah is teaching us that even a mature adult faced with a difficult trial will be greatly influenced by what others are doing.
The Minchas Chinuch first suggests that the obligation to be mafkir one’s produce may not be a time-sensitive mitzvah.
What does it mean, conceptually, to see Shabbat in different worlds?
Let us resolve to connect ourselves powerfully to Eretz Yisrael and Jerusalem.
Parshas Emor appears to be as diverse as a parsha can be.
The more a person focuses on his purpose in the world, the more he values the Torah.
One difference between these two approaches is when one is aware that the fetus is a male, i.e. through ultra sound.
Offering korbanos is not a substitute to living a proper life.
The Omer period is the ultimate completion of the completion, the holiest of the holiest.
Rabbi Fohrman makes a fascinating argument about how Shabbat works and shows that there are shabbatot in different realms.
To properly fulfill the mitzvah of tochachah, there are two absolute requirements. The first relates to attitude, the second to method.
Is telling someone to transgress a rabbinic prohibition not considered bad advice?
The challenge of death is to keep the person who has died alive in spirit.
October 23, 2026 
