יום שישי, כ״א תשרי תשפ״זFriday, October 2, 2026
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The medium is the message is an expression, coined in the last century, that argues that the way in which a message is conveyed communicates as much as the message itself.
It’s only the yeitzer hara that fools us and makes us think that we have so many better things to do.
He begins with a general overview of Teshuvah discussing topics such as Teshuvah rooted in fear vs. that rooted in love, how we establish our true identity through the process of Teshuvah, the need to maintain a positive attitude through the process, and creating a real connection with Hashem.
The birth of a new year is a time of reflection and resolution; a time when hope and inspiration fill the air. We dream about what this upcoming year holds in store; how we can make the rest of our life the best of our life.
Gentrification is a word Rabbi Overlander clearly dislikes, and when probed, both he and Rabbi Vogel say “no,” it’s not happening in Brownsville. A small percentage of homes are being sold to Orthodox Jews. Word of mouth spreads, and families, who come to see the homes, the parks, and other resources, decide to buy.
By Marc Gronich
The trip itself was just remarkable and an incredible experience. Seeing religious sites, the geography, people and learning about their political system in Israel, the threats that they face, it was very meaningful, said Senator Jake Ashby (R – Castleton, Rensselaer County).
Few people know that Bloch was also an accomplished photographer, a passion that began early in his teens and through which medium he further exhibits his extraordinary compositional skills.
We have all experienced the frustration of not following through on our goals, and feeling we are right back where we started. But hopefully we have also experienced some modicum of success and self-improvement. Wherein lies the difference?
Clearly the Democratic mantra that Trump is the quintessential criminal has not made significant inroads in Republican ranks.
By David Curwin
Since the shofar was blown at the 50th year following seven Shemitta cycles, that year itself became known as a yovel. Eventually, yovel entered English as jubilee, but because of the similarity to the unrelated jubilant, it came to mean the celebration of an anniversary.
They say Hashem provides the cure before the disease; sometimes, like Avraham Avinu, we need only open our eyes and acknowledge how Hashem has placed those who can help us within our midst.
Hashem transcends time, existing in the past, present and future simultaneously. If we ask Hashem to judge us based solely on our existence in this frozen moment, we would fail miserably.
This was an extraordinary ram, one of G-d’s final creations made at the end of the six days of creation just before the first Shabbos (Avos 5:6). Its mission was predestined 2,000 years before it was called into service.
By Adina Broder
Since Hashem had all of this foreknowledge, wouldn’t it have been kinder for Him to create a small, weak animal to deposit in the thicket for Avraham to find?
An individual who seeks to be a baal teshuva, to return to Hashem, must recognize that he needs Hashem for every single nuance of his life.
It is suggested that unmarried girls stopped lighting Shabbat candles because it was difficult and costly to get candles during and even between the two world wars. With this disruption the custom was lost, and unfortunately not reignited in the New World.
The religious leaders who supported me recognized, understood, and valued my emphasis on following the law while remaining committed to my religious values and chasidic tradition.
To be brief, the overwhelming rabbinic opinion presented is that one should only say Selichot after Chazot or in the early morning hours before davening.
The obvious question raised by Dheibah’s rant was whether it reflected the broad sentiment in the region about whether there could be Arab peace with Israel without Israel agreeing to the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Throughout history there have been great leaders and great rabbis who passed on to us the beautiful ways of life. Through these leaders we've been able to seek higher levels in worshiping Hashem and simply higher spiritual levels.
It is almost certain that the great majority of American high school and college students could not name five of the Ten Commandments (presuming they know what those are) or the names of two Shakespeare plays.
One of the biggest determinants of financial success is the ability to stick with a strategy through many different environments.
By dvora
Even though we know the score can even change once we are up there (through the mitzvos that our performed in our merit), what we must seriously keep in fresh in our mind is that our interactions have a lasting impact and a value for eternity.
A pot of coffee for the two of us, six gingersnaps and a buttered pita with jam ingested by Hubby, and I am now feeling marginally less destroyed.
The two friends have been studying together every day for 42 years and are completing the Talmud for the sixth time.
Moshe’s Request ‘I Love My Master, My Wife, My Children …' (Kiddushin 22a)
A Jew must escape from his egocentric existence and embrace a new life founded on the conclusions of true soul-searching and repentance.
By Alan Zeitlin
As a woman in particular in a war room, [Golda Meir] had to take control of the situation and make them understand that her voice as going to be an important part of the whole thing and they should not sideline her, Mirren agreed.
If the seller knew the buyer's intent to move, the seller is responsible for returning the merchandise. If not, the buyer is responsible for returning defective merchandise when he could have checked before distancing it, but seemingly not for mistaken merchandise.
Many women have lots of responsibilities aside from work while men are more able to hyper-focus on their careers. But as times are changing and more and more women are entering the field, this is something that women can do as well.
Dear Rabbi Klass: As most of us know, in Elul and until Shemini Atzeret we say the 27th chapter of Tehillim (“L’David Hashem Ori – [A Psalm] of David: The Lord is my light”). The second verse states: “Bikrov alay me’re’im le’echol et besarai…– When evildoers approach me to devour my flesh….” Why does it not say “reshaim – wicked ones” or “anashim ra’im – evil people?” Tzila Kleinbart Brooklyn, N.Y.
There was another side to the man who devoted the best years of his life to educating Torah-observant Jewish youngsters and preparing them for the future. That was his love, his dream, and his deep desire to enter the land of Israel.
By Rabbi Dr. Matisyahu Shulman
A lot of times, we don’t know what our deepest values are. Rosh Hashana is a great opportunity to think about the values that are truly important to us.
By Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
The importance of not squandering opportunities to learn is not just an abdication of personal responsibility or failure of personal growth but has larger repercussions for the national survival of the Jewish people, and that is why Rabbi Chanina uses such strong admonishment.
By Ben Rothke
The importance of having the embassy in Jerusalem is not just a real estate decision. It is about the very core of the State of Israel and its legitimacy.
By Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l
The answer to the question, Who am I? is not simply a matter of where I was born, where I spent my childhood or my adult life or of which country I am a citizen.
During our exile – and indeed our exile goes back to the original exile from the Garden of Eden – the forces of corruption that hold us back from realizing our true potential and separate us from our Creator suffuse the world of our experience.
By Ariela Davis
Parents have become afraid to say no. And parents have become afraid to parent.
When we make the mental calculation of whether we can improve, we tend to think only about our ability. Then, we might correctly assess that it’s beyond our ability.
I knew she must be a fascinating person, and reading the biography only opened my eyes to just how complex and varied a life she led. I’d never guessed, however, the personal family connection we would have.
When one contemplates all the misfortunes in our sedra, it is a cause for trepidation, yet the Torah states clearly that these adversities are because you did not serve Hashem, your G-d, amid gladness and goodness of heart, when everything was abundant (Devarim 28:47).
Looking back at Jewish history, we see that periods of suffering were always followed by periods of success and growth.
Although the Pavilion drew broad and favorable media coverage and won awards, it ultimately failed in its greater purpose: to sell the nations of the world on the idea that Jewish resettlement of Eretz Yisrael was both a solution to the Jewish Question and in the interests of the international community.
It was the greatest gift I personally received then, because it was something that I really wanted/needed and was not able to take care of myself. Had he asked me if he should do it for me, I undoubtedly would have told him not to, not wanting to bother him so much.
While no two groups share the exact same persecution, and some people hold multiple identities, there’s a lot that the Jewish community can learn from the Black community when it comes to organizing, educating and eradicating a problematic practice.
It was often said that for Rav Aharon, everything was about his talmidim, and for them everything was about him.
Nevertheless, there are authorities who justify leaving Eretz Yisrael for the Uman pilgrimage and other similar trips, arguing that doing so can be no worse than leaving Eretz Yisrael for business purposes, which is permitted.
By Sara Blau
So, what's a Jew living in the Diaspora to do with that feeling, if they are currently not in a position to pick up and move there?
While classically the Diaspora refers to geographic relocation and isolation, I can’t help but think about individuals who feel isolated from their communities as if in personal diasporas.
To all my loved ones and friends, and to everyone I know, when the time is right for you, leave the Diaspora and come join me.
Life rarely moves forward in a straight line. Likewise, we should not feel obliged to follow a logical and direct progression in our spiritual development.
At the same time, I yearn for the homeland. Israel is such a unique place. As comfortable as I am in the Diaspora, there is an inner call to return home.
An introspective and humble man, word of his erudition and his reputation as a fount of Torah-based wisdom soon spread; people flocked to him for advice and counsel, both from within the ranks of his chassidim and the general public. His role in the community became legend.
I’ll have my foot in the door. When the approach is collaborative and not oppositional, that’s when you can talk to people, talk to colleagues, and work things out.
Kefitzas haderech enables one to transcend the laws of time and space. Why is this possible? It is due to the unique location in which kefitzas haderech always occurs: Eretz Yisrael, the land that transcends the bounds of time and space.
We should back Democrats who may think like we do and who are also able to forge a working relationship with the Democratic leadership on key issues.
Ultimately, it is through knowledge of and dedication to the truth that we draw closer to Hashem.
It should also not be forgotten that there is little likelihood that Donald Trump can get a fair trial in the liberal jurisdictions in which he is being prosecuted – something we believe the prosecutors have been counting on all along.
In this article, we explore the etymologies of ravak and two other Hebrew terms for an unmarried or single man – panui and bachur – try to zone in on the nuances they express.
By Irwin Cohen
You put the little fork at third base, she said, the big fork at shortstop, the knife at second base, and the spoon at first base. That was my guide every time I set the table.
By Ann Goldberg
It had just passed its test, when a friend offered us a newer car for a very reasonable price. It was a shame to just discard our old ‘friend’ but we also knew it wasn’t sellable.
By dvora
The lovely lady in charge asked me to sing “Happy Birthday” over the telephone. I noted that that night, Rosh Chodesh Tammuz WAS actually my birthday. I sang and I was accepted.
The first thing you can do is show her how her passion is really connected to academics... Aside from the ways that her goal can be linked academically, this will also help your daughter gain self-esteem.
It’s In The Will ‘A Non-Jew Receives His Father’s Estate’ (Kiddushin 17b)
Just as there are grieving parents and siblings after someone is killed, in this case there are grieving children – those who will start the school year without their beloved preschool teacher.
Even just deciding you will work on the task for 15-30 min can help kickstart the activity and prevent more procrastination.
It is impossible for anyone (even the best doctors), to know exactly which medication will fit which patient until they are tried. The dosage is also something which must be determined with great care.
When the farmer sees the king in his field, does he keep on plowing? Does he behave as if this were just another day in the fields? Of course not.
The last time I saw so few cars on a Los Angeles freeway was in the first weeks of the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. Apparently, many people were just as spooked as they were in 2020.
This is not a celebration and in no way does this indicate that what has happened is something good or desired.
In some of his book catalogs that have survived, as well as ads he placed in newspapers promoting his bookstore, we find many titles from European presses of the day, indicating that he was in close contact with the printing presses of Europe.
I experienced the tiniest foreshadowing of my daughter's motherly instincts when that baby bird fell out of the tree so many years ago.
On the one hand, the sentence is to be publicized, but on the other hand the publicity should be tempered.
By Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l
Love is central to Judaism: not just love between husband and wife, parent and child, but also love for G-d, for neighbor and stranger.
By Baruch Lytle
Wine is truly a living, breathing item, and finding the right wine is a lot like buying stylish clothing; every season new styles are coming out.
We are currently standing at an important threshold of human innovation and technology. We are not just developing the ability to build taller homes, but are beginning to re-engineer nature herself.
Dear Rabbi Klass, As most of us know, now that it’s the month of Elul, we say the 27th chapter of Tehillim until Shemini Atzeret (“L’David Hashem Ori – [A Psalm] of David: The Lord is my light”). The second verse states: “Bikrov alay me’rei m le’echol et besarai… – When evildoers approach me to devour my flesh….” Why does it not say “reshaim – wicked ones” or “anashim raim – evil people?” Tzila Kleinbart Brooklyn, N.Y.
By Rabbi Yitzchak B. Rosenblum
The reader will both enjoy and benefit from the clear organizational structure of each chapter which starts with an introduction that provides historical context as well as an appreciation for the educational and sometimes polemical mission and style unique to each commentator.
One consequence of the final redemption is that the nature of things themselves will be altered – their ability to receive and to reflect holiness will be enhanced.
By Aryeh Wiener
This series wasn’t conceived in a vacuum. A cluster of converging phenomena have contributed to the vibrant interest in Tanach among North American modern Orthodox Jews.
Every good Jew should start their day with the declaration of, Modeh ani lifonecha... This praise deliberately omits Hashem’s Name so that we can proclaim it even before we wash negel vasser and our hands are yet still tomei.
In the book, Resnick argues that both Bloom and Roosevelt deserve credit for possibly saving British Jewry from extermination.
A medical maverick, he frequently challenged prevailing medical norms, maintaining his faith in his own theories and abilities in the face of strong opposition, and he was colorful and combative when defending his most enduring contributions to medicine.
Every appointment every week was anxiety provoking. It was like having Yom Kippur constantly.
The clearance process is mandatory for former CIA officials seeking to go public about intelligence-related matters and it usually takes several weeks, if not months; yet in this case, somehow, it was conveniently completed within five hours...
Hashem promised Avraham the land of Israel as a sign of their eternal covenant. There are a number of mitzvos that can only be performed in Eretz Yisrael. Our question, then, is twofold. What is the underlying uniqueness of this special land, and why does Eretz Yisrael possess this unique quality?
We must remind ourselves that everything, including suffering, emanates from Hashem. Though Hashem is the source of ultimate good and wants the best for us, we know that grief also comes from Him: a person does not stub his toe below unless it was declared from above (Chullin 7b).
All that was over forty years ago in 1980. We were unaware that protecting our children then was an infinitely simpler task than it would be when they occupied the same roll for their four children in 2023.
I was always amazed by the lyrics of the Israeli folk song, Yesh lanu tayish, l’tayish yesh zakan – We have a goat, our goat has a beard…
October 2, 2026 
