Yavan + Tzaddik = Tziyon
How unlikely that these kohanim, whose sole job was ministering to Hashem and to the spiritual needs of our people, would all of a sudden become masters of artillery.
Q & A: A Mohel’s Dilemma
QUESTION: May a mohel perform a bris for a non-Orthodox couple who adopt a Gentile infant whom they wish to raise as Jewish?No name pleaseLos Angeles, CA
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.”
Being On The Team
Even when we pray on behalf of individuals, we pray for them as part of the broader community.
Different Views, Yet Still United
It is inconceivable to believe that when we exited Egypt everyone in Israel had the same views on every subject and did not have the distinctiveness and uniqueness that make our people, and each individual, so important.
A Once-A-Year Opportunity
Only once a year, during these 10 days, is Hashem is available to everyone no matter how sullied he or she is.
How Hashem Waits For Us
I believe that the plague of the firstborn was meant to occur at the very beginning. It was only Bnei Yisrael’s lack of faith that required nine plagues to precede it.
Avot 1:13 – Mastery Orientation
When you work towards a learning goal, are you motivated for better grades, looking smarter, outperforming others?
Why The US Moved Its Embassy
Surely one can see the work of Hashem at play here, and things are happening very quickly.
Are We Born Courageous?
Whichever explanation of “taguru” is correct, the message of the pasuk is about fear. Fear of another human being cannot be a factor when pursuing justice.
Why Perform Mitzvos? Centrist Orthodoxy and Chabad Perspectives (Part I)
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.
More Than Just Kapparah
Most of us are familiar with the process and stages of teshuva. But how do we purify ourselves?
Our National Weapon
Utilizing our wonderful and brave IDF is a marvelous example of proper hishtadlus.
Don’t Forget To Say Thank You
What if you find it difficult to forgive someone?... How can you sincerely forgive someone who hurt you in such a terrible way?
Caring For Our Parents: A Child’s Hardest Job
They say that one mother can take care of five children, but five children cannot take care of one mother. One of the most challenging situations, and perhaps the most unnatural, is when children need to take care of aging or infirm parents. Why is this so difficult and why do so many of us fail at caring for our parents when they need us most?
How Not to Have Too Much Integrity on Yom Kippur
Jonah objected to God accepting repentance based on ulterior motives and likely for short duration.
Why We Do What We Do
People who serve Hashem with ulterior motives take what is meant to be focused on Hashem and make it about themselves. As this diametrically opposes the goal of creation, it would be better for such a person to not have been created.
Financial Help
The tribe of Levi reasoned that since they weren’t enslaved by Pharaoh, they weren’t entitled to share in the booty which was taken as reparations for the harsh labor experienced by their brethren.
Raising More Tolerant Children
All responsible leaders in our community have roundly condemned the recent violence in Beit Shemesh and Meah Shearim.
Q & A: ‘Its Reading Is Its Praise’
QUESTION: On Purim we read the Megilla but do not recite Hallel, unlike other holidays. I am told that the Talmud teaches that the Megilla replaces Hallel. If so, could the Passover Haggadah replace Hallel as well? (Yet we do say Hallel on Passover.) I also remember learning that there is a connection between the holidays of Purim and Passover. Please explain.Andy Goodman(Via e-mail)
Terror Management Theory
The first person to die in Tanach is Hevel, who is killed by his brother Kayin. Kayin’s name comes from the concept of acquisition.
Are Younger Siblings More Successful?
While each relationship has its own dynamic that adds to the drama, the fact that the younger sibling takes the spotlight away from the older sibling is a theme that cuts through all of them.
Why Tefillah Is So Important
Tefillah is central to our identity. It is an essential reflection of the human soul and part of what characterizes man as distinct from animal. Hashem provides for the whole world; only man appreciates and prays for it.
Poland: Desolation And Devastation
As an educator, I was always intrigued with the trip on which my high school students would embark in their junior or senior year. The “March of the Living” allows a student to experience in a small way the immense tragedy our people endured during the Holocaust.
Domestic Discord And Children
Which parent doesn’t wish to do the utmost for his or her children? But buying them the latest toy won’t bring them true happiness. The greatest gift parents can give children is an oasis of peace in the home – and, yes, sometimes that requires massive self-control.
Wear The Necklace?
The power of 'lost and found'
I Cry With You
Two of these attacks occurred close to Allon Shvut, and somehow I feel responsible.
Who Really Is To Blame?
Ultimately each and every one of us is responsible for our own actions. Excuses such as “my parents gave me permission” or “my child would never do that” do not absolve someone from responsibility.
G-d’s Faith In Man
Angels emanate from and inhabit pure spiritual worlds above. G-d’s presence and their mission are both clear to them.
Can Brilliance Co-Exist With Sadism?
To achieve Torah excellence, practicing kindness is vital.