Learning Relationships
By honoring our teachers, we learn through the interpersonal social dynamics how to revere G-d as well.
Does Russia’s Invasion Of Ukraine Portend The Coming Of Mashiach?
Rambam tells us that even the greatest of our sages did not know how the messianic era will unfold. All we have to work with are the words of the prophets which are obscure and offer little concrete details.
The Old Man And The See
“Sav” is related to the Hebrew word “seivah,” and both these words form the basis of “saba,” which means “old man” or “grandfather.”
To Be A Jew Is To Say Thank You
The Chovos HaLevavos teaches us that prayer without thought is like a body without a soul and a peel without fruit.
Breaking News
The media today tries to take advantage of this aspect of human nature by making stories sound sensational and as introducing it as breaking news.
The Faith Of Righteous Women
The righteous women not only saved Moshe; they also inspired him. And they inspired many others as well – including their own husbands.
The Challenges Of Getting Older
One of the central themes in Jewish thought regarding aging is the concept of generational continuity. The Torah often emphasizes the importance of passing down wisdom from one generation to the next.
Tu B’Shevat
Interestingly, eating fruits of Eretz Yisrael is mentioned twice in the berachah of Al Hamichyah.
Preconceived Notions
Why can’t they see the facts staring them in the face? It is because they have preconceived notions about the president and they can’t let facts get in the way!
Thoughts On Hurricane Sandy
Usually, when I begin a speech, I start with something interesting, lighthearted or funny - to get your attention and lead into the speech itself. Permit me to deviate from that this week, because there is nothing funny, lighthearted or interesting about what so many of us are experiencing, and if not us, than our friends, loved ones and neighbors, and if not them, than people a few miles away from us in Long Beach or Far Rockaway who have lost everything to 14 foot waves, or a little farther away where helpless Senior Citizens are living without water or power in high rises on the Lower East Side.
Don’t Go Through Life As A Zombie
If we view this world just as a place to stay for 90 years, we might live only for the moment and seize fleeting pleasures.
Indulging In Pleasure
Something that is adin or adinah (see Isaiah 47:8) is sensitive, delicate, or dainty – it is susceptible to being over-stimulated by sensory overload.
On Cloud Nine?
In times of surplus (brought on by ample rain), people tend to treat each other more fairly and are at peace with one another versus times of austerity and famine when people compete with each other for limited resources.
Keep On Forgetting What You Learned? Try This
If we keep Hashem in our minds and hearts – i.e., if we become G-d-fearing – we will succeed at having Torah in our mouths.
You Can Say That Again
When He revealed the Decalogue at Mount Sinai, however, the entire Jewish people were gathered at the mountain, so G-d “raised His voice” and we therefore speak of the “Aseret HaDibrot.”
Boys And Bars
Rabbi Pappenheim maintains that “bat” (daughter) is also derived from the root bet-nun and should really be spelled “banat” (like it is in other Semitic languages).
Early Shabbos Conundrums
The Shagas Aryeh proves from a Gemara (Zevachim 90b) that the frequency of a mitzvah is not determined by how often one can perform it, but rather by how often one is obligated to perform it.
Don’t Kill Time
The Imrei Emes once said, “The biggest ‘mussar sefer’ I know of is a ticking clock!”
Why Are We Losing Our Children? (Part I)
We all yearn to feel that we are part of something special. We all seek respect and acceptance for simply being who we are.
Not For A Million Dollars
What price would YOU place on performing a mitzva?
Balancing Family And Schoolwork
Schools should realize that a child’s life is composed of multifaceted experiences, and schoolwork and homework are only one small part of the equation.
Silent Prayers
On fast days and in selichos we mention a line in tefillah as follows: May the one who answered Avraham Avinu on Har Hamoriah, answer us as well.
The Day Of Rebuke
There is a fundamental question that the commentators are bothered by. Where do we find Yosef rebuked his brothers? All he said was that he was Yosef.
No Good Reason
The three weeks period between the 17 of Tammuz and Tisha b’Av, besides being a time to remember and mourn the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash in Yerushalayim, is a very special time to focus on love. The spiritual root cause of the churban and all the other tragedies of Jewish history that resulted from it was sinas chinam, disliking and hating each other for no good reason. So it only makes sense that the way to remedy this is to go out of our way, especially during these three weeks, to try to like and love each other -- even for no good reason.
Close For Comfort
What does it mean to be close to somebody else? One way is to be physically near them, but another, more spiritual way is to try to learn from them and emulate their good qualities. When the Torah instructs us to make ourselves close to, or cleave to Hashem, it doesn’t mean by trying to get to heaven in a rocket ship! Rather it means to think about Hashem and emulate His qualities of kindness, patience, fairness, etc. That is the real measure of how close a person is to G-d.
Divine Intervention Motivates Religious Inspiration; After Three Days How Much Remains?
For change to become permanent it has to become internalized through new behaviors. Mitzvot have to be observed regularly.
Israel and the Nations
It is in the nature of the Nations of the World to be hostile towards the Jewish People.
Guard Your Tongue
This problem of speech control not only affects adults but also children in Day Schools and Yeshivot.
On Science And The Sages
I think that we have to follow the approach of the Tannaim and Amoraim. They followed the latest scientific developments of their time.
Leadership in Genesis and in the Bible
Judah concedes he was wrong&feels regret; THAT is precisely what qualifies his house for leadership