יום שבת, ח׳ תשרי תשפ״זSaturday, September 19, 2026
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Stop, Thief ‘Are Identifying Marks Biblical or Rabbinic’ (Bava Metzia 18b)
Thousands of people crammed shoulder-to-shoulder, to imbibe the simcha and emunah laden in this historic affirmation of our covenant with Hashem. Not every day is there an opportunity to join a simcha the likes of which may not have happened since the days of Avraham Avinu.
By Marc Gronich
To make progress, we must engage to eliminate the evil, outmaneuver the opportunists, and educate the ignorant. To start, the Jewish people must be understood, not just by others but by ourselves.
There is no denying that the current barrage of M16 bullets ricocheting across the battlefield and the heavy bomb smoke billowing over Israel and the Gazan sky are making it hard to see very far, clouding the vision of both our physical eyes and our mind’s eye. Nevertheless, if one looks really hard, one cannot help noticing the tremendous spiritual, cultural, and sociological potential waiting on the horizon.
What would they do to the Nazi's they found working in a pharmacy? I don't know. I was supposed to report to them. The whole country was Nazis, what were they going to do with them all?
Why does the Jewish leap year always consist of two Adars? Why specifically Adar? Menachem Via Email
The first thing you’re going to have to do is work on yourself to not be nervous when she comes as this already puts you in a mood where you feel upset and more sensitive.
Though we dress up in holiday finery, Purim doesn’t feature holiday work restrictions. Nonetheless, all the better if you can take the day off from work and focus on the holiday and its four special mitzvos.
More than just filing the paperwork and finding a few homes for rent or sale, Olim Advisors will help you with everything from choosing the right community for your family to finding appropriate housing.
The time has come for us to make aliyah. I’ve already purchased a home in Israel. I did not merit for my children to be born there, but I do hope that my grandchildren will.
Although the haggadah is the essential tool to convey historical occurrences, the development of our People, and Jewish self-awareness, frequently the new releases have so many sideshows and kitschy illustrations that the message gets lost in the sauce.
The protest was not publicized on social media, so no pro-Palestinian protestors showed up.
By Ahuva Lamm
The Fair Lawn, N.J., Jewish community recently went on a solidarity mission to Israel in conjunction with World Mizrachi and I was unbelievably lucky to have been able to join the mission.
By Rabbi Shimshon HaKohen Nadel
The Land of Israel is central to Torah observance. Hashem placed us on this land to fulfill His will.
The fragment I sold was from the commentary of the Ralbag, Levi ben Gershon's (1288-1344) commentary on the book of Iyov, with handwritten annotations and additions in the Ralbag's own handwriting!
First, we should work on maintaining our focus on Hashem during tefillah and kriyat shema. After succeeding at this, we should aim to think about Hashem while learning Torah and reciting brachot.
I don’t think a cup of coffee is cheap. I don’t think a walk in the park is cheap. I don’t think a date that costs zero dollars is cheap. I do think however that your FOCUS on the cost of Java really refers to the lack of FOCUS on you.
Torah is not simply a guide to living a life of truth; it is the blueprint and DNA of this physical world. In other words, our physical world is a projection and emanation of the deep spiritual reality described in the Torah.
By Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l
Aaron, according to the most favored explanation, realized that he could not stop the people directly by refusing their request, so he adopted a stalling maneuver.
Annuities have a bad reputation, and rightfully so. In my opinion, they are a jungle of high fees, moving parts, and lack of transparency. In short, they are not usually the best choice.
The idea that counting might lead to misfortune – that measures must be taken to avoid a plague – is unique to the Jews.
Not only are these 30 plus stories amazing because of the lengths that a Jew will go to say Kaddish with a minyan wherever he happens to be, but the Hashgacha Pratit that enables him to do so is clearly miraculous.
Just as the structure of the Mishkan was only finished when all three areas were intact, so too the perfection of man is only achieved when all three of his components are ready for the presence of the Shechina.
By Ben Rothke
The rabbis understood that ha'aramah was a mechanism that could be used well or poorly.
The Zohar in Parshas Noach reveals that the word chein is the same letters as the word Noach. This is to teach us that the best way to find favor in the eyes of people is to be an easygoing (noach) person.
The most powerful moment was hearing the baby’s name: Amatzyah. The word amatz has two meanings. In Tanach, it means strength and courage. Adding Hashem’s name (Kah) to the word implies that Hashem will give the baby strength.
The religion of the von Trapp family is the subject of some discussion among critics, with some claiming that they were Jewish.
According to Kabbalah, the spiritual effects of Haman's evil decree were never completely rescinded. As such, the purpose of the Fast of Esther is to eradicate any harmful effects of Haman's decree that may remain in the world.
He is now a president that now freely embraces Hamas’ numbers of deaths and casualties, despite their notorious history of lying, lack of transparency and a morbid, vested interest in claiming ever higher numbers.
Some may feel that doing loving things is enough, even if not verbally expressed. While it is a generosity of sorts, it can be maddening to the receiver who wants to feel more acknowledgement.
We can’t rely on anyone else; we never could. Whatever we can do to create shalom and unity within our people, is what we have to do.
By Rabbanit Dr. Adena Berkowitz
It was the Lubavitcher Rebbe, zt”l, who pointed out one of the paradoxes of Havdalah: that its ultimate function is to join and unite the very things it comes to differentiate.
For those of us outside of Israel, there is the added discomfort of feeling separated from the epicenter of our people. We feel the longing for our other half and the guilt of feeling absent as the next chapter of our history is being written by those on the ground.
Failing to distinguish between categories leads to a blurring of values, such as the Harvard professor who wrote a whole book about how animals are just as important as people or the Spanish philosopher who posits that plants have feelings, too.
The separation was never total, and our religious freedoms are a freedom to not a freedom from.
By Nachum Segal
We pray better, we eat properly, we bring more purity and spirituality to our relationships. Separation equals closeness.
And what of ourselves? Have we remembered how rare and invaluable our own time on this earth is? Have we let ourselves forget the things that really matter? Have we slipped, become less, made our accomplishments less significant?
Justice Amy Coney Barrett summed it up by pointing out in her concurring opinion that I agree that states lack the power to enforce Section 3 against presidential candidates.... But she went on to add, That principle is sufficient to resolve this case, and I would decide no more than that.
As Jews we understand that even after certain things become worn out, they maintain holiness, and must be disposed of properly.
The show underscores the vast array of kosher quality wines and spirits available on the market today, with hundreds of companies represented. And, the level and sophistication, diversity and excellence were clearly underscored this year, said Gabriel Geller, Royal Wine’s Director of PR.
What is crucial for us to consider is why so many otherwise reasonable fellow Jews harbor such resentment against the charedi community.
The Piskei Teshuvot ruled that we can listen to music during Taanit Esther, which is generally discouraged on other fast days. This ruling indicates that Taanit Esther is not a sad day.
In the course of running for reelection, it has now emerged that he is supporting the inclusion of virulently anti-Jewish Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan on a mural in his district.
Women are so innocent and pure. They must be, they bring up the children of Hashem, they give love and attention physically and mentally to all the children of Israel.
By Alan Zeitlin
In case you were wondering which actor played Szmul, the answer is, nobody! Glazer did away with 95 percent of the book, including not having Jews, and not having Nazis with any meaningful reflections, which the book does have.
When the askan heard this, he was devastated. After more than two and a half years of waiting for a kidney, the rabbi missed this opportunity because his 'helper' decided to go to sleep and call later. How would he break this to Rabbi Kerelenstein?!
We constantly ask Hubby to tell us when he wants to rise up from the sofa or a chair, so that we can assist him. We remind him because we are programmed to do so. That is what normal people say to others, it is reasonable. What is not easy for caregivers to absorb, is that the person in their care will not be able to process the message.
There is a coin on the bimah, presumably from one of the tzedakah boxes, said Chaim. It's likely from the box for the shul, since it was near it, but I can't say for sure. What should I do with the coin?
Children with experiential insatiability, are extremely hard to satisfy. School-related routines such as processing information and producing written work do not quell their appetites for intense experiences.
The ‘False’ Rumor “If One Found Notes of Acquisition” (Bava Metzia 14a
We waited another few days. Then came this order that all the slave laborers have to come to the camp. If somebody would be caught outside, he'd be put in – whatever they were threatening us with. So we did.
Let us hope that children from Be’eri, Sderot, and Kfar Aza can gain strength from his story. This is not only a personal story of Yisrael, the orphaned child. This is the story of the nation of Israel.
How, we are often asked, do we manage to sit idle for 24 hours on Shabbos without going stir crazy? Is it not human nature to be workaholics?
It is important to be respectful and assertive. You can respectfully share your wants and feelings while considering your spouse’s wants and feelings as well.
Those first days, we couldn’t believe the numbers. First, it was 50, then 100, then over 250 hostages? Could it be true? How could we ever bring them home?? It has been 150 days of asking the same question.
The classroom and home are not places from breaking down personalities only in order to build them up to specification. It is in these gentler spaces that seeds are planted, shoots watered, sunned, and sheltered in turn, where tall trees are eventually to be found and enjoyed.
Think of questions that are both light and deeper to get to know your date as organically as possible while still focused on the goal: to see if you are compatible.
While nearly every correspondence of the Rayatz was collected and published for posterity in his Igrois Kodesh, this letter appears to be unpublished and the discussion within lost until now.
Though Judaism attributes great value to Torah learning and accumulating wisdom (Talmud Torah k’neged kulam), actions are more important.
After the chag, when the horrors became known, they said, Shai, just go do whatever you have to do. Shiva homes, supporting orphans, injured soldiers – whatever it is, we’ll support it.
By Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l
Art in Hebrew – omanut – has a semantic connection with emunah, faith or faithfulness. A true artist is faithful both to his materials and to the task...
The question is why is it considered as if the Nesi’im were indifferent? After all, if the Jewish people would only have come forth with half the money or gold that was necessary, the Nesi’im were ready to generously contribute the other half.
Within the context of Shabbos and each festival, Muskat-Brown discusses many important issues such as education, parenting, relationships, and lifestyle and, more importantly, gives us points to ponder and discuss.
...not knowing when they’ll have to return to the frontlines is only one of the challenges facing the released reservists.
The Rebbe stresses that part of the nature of tzimtzum – the expression of Divine Will whereby Hashem makes it possible for some aspect of Himself to be present in every one of His creations – is that in recognizing and acknowledging the G-dliness in our material world, we give strength to these Divine aspects in the world as well as in ourselves.
By Ben Rothke
Rabbi Bezalel Naor has masterfully taken Rav Kook's commentary and made it readable and comprehensible to the English reading audience in The Legends of Rabbah Bar Bar Hannah with the Commentary of Rabbi Abraham Isaac HaKohen Kook.
We can be certain that it was not a quest for fame that motivated Esther HaMalka. One explanation of Esther’s desire for the accounts of Purim to be included in the Scriptures is that she recognized the timeless lessons of the story of Purim.
Hamas recently acknowledged that Israel has successfully eliminated 6,000 terrorists, approximately half the number that Israel is claiming. It is worth bearing in mind that Hamas has been training kids as young as eight years old to attack Jews, so many of their “civilian” statistics are highly questionable.
Since Israel unwisely withdrew from Gaza in 2005, the only things that have not flown over the fence into Israel are doves of peace.
My Mother, a”h, passed away last August. That meant I needed to find many minyanim along the way. I figured if there were ever a place to do it, it was Israel. What follows are the highlights of my adventures in minyanim.
By Robert Isler
As a child, Bertram knew little about his father’s service to his country other than the fact that he had been a “radio man.” When pressed to reveal more, such as whether he had ever killed anyone during the war, his father would respond by rolling his eyes, which taught young Bertram not to ask too many questions.
Havdalah and Kiddush are therefore flip sides of the same coin; the essence of Kiddush is to distinguish between the mundane (weekdays) and the holy (Shabbat), and the essence of havdalah is to differentiate between Shabbat and weekdays.
One who writes his own Sefer Torah should never give that Sefer Torah away. This is because, according to some authorities, the mitzvah of writing a Sefer Torah also requires one to keep that Sefer Torah in one's possession forever.
Some of us spent a lot of time seriously parsing the constitutional language and its history. But the experts jumped up and down and insisted that they were right and Trump was ineligible to run.
By Rabbi Shimshon HaKohen Nadel
Historically, some challenged the permissibility of a modern aliyah, and later the validity in founding the State of Israel, based on the Three Oaths. They argued that we have no right to settle the Land of Israel before the arrival of the Mashiach; some even suggesting that the Holocaust was a punishment for re-settling the land prematurely.
Hearing the word can also conjure a sizeable shul we may remember from childhood or the comfort we feel when we slide into our seat on Shabbos morning.
By Maayan Zik
One definition of sanctuary is a holy space. One way to create a holy space involves defining boundaries as indicated by the above passage from Shemot. Another definition of sanctuary is a place of refuge and safety.
What if we approached our fellow person in distress with the same amount of thought and consideration? What if we took time to think about the recommended guidelines instead of just saying or doing what popped into our minds?
While on the subject, there is one other sanctuary that we are indeed all familiar with, although we never refer to it with this term. And that is the chuppah.
A modern-day version of sanctuary would be a foreign embassy. If the good or bad guy being chased by local authorities could get into the embassy, he was untouchable.
If a deaf-mute and a fully rational person attempt to jointly acquire an object, neither ends up owning it. The deaf-mute cannot function as an agent for the rational person, so the rational person has no partner in acquisition.
How often in life do we think that if we only had that one more thing, then we would be truly happy and then we could really appreciate our blessings. It could be a new car, moving to a different neighborhood, having a little more money, a better boss, better employee, better behaved children, a shidduch, health, etc. That one missing commodity contains the key to our elusive happiness.
Today, IVF enables couples who, in the past, would not have been able to have children to become parents. This is an amazing blessing of our generation.
While it may still be too early to tell whether the uncommitted will eventually trigger dramatic change in the Biden policy, it is clear that it continues to be slowly blunted in drip-drip fashion.
This woman of Israel. Have the fear and love of a Hashem in their heart, and in their soul. They shall be praised forever and ever.
It appears as though he is now unable to retain any new information. At the same time, he is still able to discuss his career from 70 years ago with a moderate amount of accuracy.
When the lender instructs the borrower to return his item or money through someone else, replied Rabbi Dayan, the Rishonim derive from the Mishna (B.M. 98b) that the borrower is exempt if the messenger loses it.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a common behavioral disorder that affects between 8-10% of school age children. Boys are three times more likely than girls to be diagnosed with ADHD.
The Split “…If There Are Witnesses They Divide Without an Oath” (Bava Metzia 2a)
In the beginning, I think, you know, from the heat of the battle, they were all very rude, the Americans – I mean to the Germans. There came this Dr. Hauser, who was actually a very decent fellow, and this American officer who kept spitting all the time, just spitting as far away as he can. But later on they all behaved very well.
September 18, 2026 
