יום שלישי, ט״ו תמוז תשפ״וTuesday, June 30, 2026
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Halacha L’Ma’aseh A ‘Sinai’ Or ‘Oker Harim’? (Horayos 14a)
Our shidduch crisis is challenging. This column is my effort to make a dent in the crisis.
If we have wronged someone, it is essential to seek their forgiveness before turning to Hashem.
Elul is the season of return. Not just to G-d, but to self. To what’s bruised, unfinished, still becoming.
By Mendi Glik
The navi Yishayahu compares the return of Am Yisrael to Eretz Yisrael as doves who return to their home. The navi continues and describes how the gates of Israel will be open day and night for Jews to return home.
If you examine the paragraphs of the curses, both in Bechukotai and in Ki Tavo, you will see that they are preceded by a paragraph of blessings.
The gift of Bikkurim has to be wrapped in a way that is fit for a King. It must be offered in a beautiful basket.
Just the sight of her face brought a wrenching stab of pain, a reminder of his loss. How was he supposed to act around her now? There hadn’t been time to think about it, so all he’d managed to do was nod at her. Idiot! She must think he hated her.
Question: I recently returned from a trip abroad and wanted to say HaGomel. When I mentioned this to the officers of my synagogue, however, they told me – as per the instructions of the synagogue’s rabbi – that I would have to wait until Shabbos to do so. I was not given any reason for this and did not wish to display my ignorance, so I quietly acquiesced. Can you please explain why I had to wait? Name Withheld Via E-mail
The true national essence of Israel is not found in our markets, whether domestic or for export. In fact, Hashem made us with all the capabilities we require to subsist and even to thrive in our Land, which He endowed with all the ingredients we require to prosper.
In his preface, Yaakov ben Chaim offers a sober caution to readers: only those capable of comprehending these mystical teachings should engage with them, and the secrets within must not be disclosed to the unworthy.
As we recite this haftara, let us hope and pray to be deserving of a redemption that comes in a flash. The Jewish people of today, in Israel and outside it, has progressed spiritually beyond recognition in the years since the founding of the State.
Bikkurim is a prime example of hakarat hatov, recognition and acknowledgement of the good that G-d does for us.
Art historians and commentators, who are fascinated by the question of why Picasso singled out a specifically Jewish figure for The Old Jew, have presented many theories on the subject.
We don’t have to establish that you love your sister and you want to see her happy. We take this as fact. Regardless, the sadness, shame, and anger for feeling this way are eating at you.
We believe, of course, in the accuracy of the Torah. But it certainly strengthens our belief when we see the words of the Torah come alive throughout the ages.
I wrote this book because I lived at the paradox at the heart of so many modern lives: the pursuit of material success while at the same time yearning for meaning.
In an unrelated case which was settled with the New Jersey Education Department in August, parents of special education students secured the right to “stay put” in private school settings while they fight their claims that public schools are not providing them with a free and appropriate education (FAPE) under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA).
The larger Jewish community he’d spent his career serving helped him in his time of need. It wasn’t easy for him to let someone else take the helm, but it meant so much to be taken care of.
Every person who has leadership status – a governor, a parent, a teacher, or an employer –must consider that even the highest official, the king, is only who he is by virtue of what he does.
We don’t know whether Smotrich reflected the views of Prime Minister Netanyahu and or the Israeli government when he spoke. And it is certainly not for us to choose for Israel.
Hashem is merciful – are we showing mercy? He doesn’t repay evil with evil – do we hold back and try to give kindness even when it isn’t deserved? He is slow to anger – are we working on patience? He is truthful – do we live with honesty? The list isn’t only about Him; it is a mirror held up to us.
The word shehakol conjures happy memories of the first bracha under the chuppah, ‘shehakol bara l’chvodo’ – everything Hashem created is for His glory and honor.
By Akiva Kra
No matter how much effort you put into a recipe, whatever comes out, whether a crowd favorite or a kitchen disaster, ultimately exists because of His word.
The Baal Shem Tov taught that by speaking a blessing with awareness, we release sparks of holiness trapped in the physical.
Shehakol is the humble workhorse of blessings, ever ready, ever flexible, and ever reminding us that even in the mundane or overlooked moments of life (a sip of soda, a bite of chocolate), there is reason to pause, acknowledge, and give thanks.
To serve Hashem fully, we need to be aligned in everything: how we treat others, how we care for ourselves, how we grow emotionally, spiritually, physically. It’s not separate – it’s one. It's all Shehakol.
The fight has also been distorted by the actions of left-wing and left-leaning media outlets that applied a magnifying glass to Israel’s every move while blindly accepting casualty figures from the Hamas health ministry, relying on the claims of so-called journalists who were in reality Hamas operatives and agents of influence.
The New York Sun has reported that Mamdani plans to spend $65million on gender affirming care and has promised to investigate New York hospitals that stop providing the services and create an Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs at City Hall. Would this really address a pressing need for the city? He should be asked to tell us how.
By Michael Gati
Walking into the shul I saw an old man walking really slowly, I offered to help him down the stairs but was reluctant. He made an attempt to put on his tallis but was not able to. I walked over to help him but despite his reluctancy I insisted on helping.
Once it fell, it’s like the other candies, Sruli said. The same way you grabbed what was thrown, I grabbed what fell from you. He popped the candy into his mouth.
A child who struggles to read, follow directions, or write quickly may feel embarrassed in front of peers. This is especially true as children grow older and school becomes more publicly performative through reading aloud, presenting projects, or participating in class.
A Convert’s Benefit ‘Blemishes Are Only Post Sinai’ (Horayos 10a)
I do understand and empathize with singles who do not wish to go out unless they think that the suggestion makes sense as it is extremely frustrating to meet somebody that is totally incompatible at all right from the outset of the first date.
For us, the focus is building pro-social experiences for our students. So, we really spent a lot of time this summer investing in [asking] what does that look like? Neugroschl said.
We must remind ourselves that these experiences are not the “luck of the draw” or mere happenstance. Our strengths, weaknesses, and struggles – whether physical, emotional, or spiritual – are all a function of mazal, tafkid, and tikkun, designed for our ultimate growth and emanating from Hashem’s infinite love.
By Irwin Cohen
Rabbi Wein moved in many fields and was superb in all of them. What a resume he had.
By Mendi Glik
Moti used to listen to chazzanut for hours and try to analyze the pieces, to listen to the dynamics and understand their meaning.
Mindy felt guilty enough about depriving Chani of a fun Shabbos lunch that she behaved like a model mother and hostess for the remainder of Shabbos, lavishing care on Pinny and encouraging Chani to get out and attend a class in the neighborhood given by the rebbetzin of their shul. On the whole, Chani reflected, things had worked out quite well for her.
We know that it is already decided before one is born when and where one will die and there is no way of avoiding that meeting with the angel of death. If that is the case, why must one bother installing a fence? The accident is destined to happen anyway.
In this piece, I will cover accounts that may not be top of mind, but can be extremely beneficial for frum families with a range of wealth, lifestyle, and personal circumstances.
Question: I recently returned from a trip abroad and wanted to say HaGomel. When I mentioned this to the officers of my synagogue, however, they told me – as per the instructions of the synagogue’s rabbi – that I would have to wait until Shabbos to do so. I was not given any reason for this and did not wish to display my ignorance, so I quietly acquiesced. Can you please explain why I had to wait? Name Withheld Via E-mail
Gold in Torah doesn’t just stand for just wealth, it’s also trust. And trust begins with math. With integrity. With the quiet promise that value won’t be manipulated for profit.
This handwritten volume, recording the names and yahrzeits of nearly 1,500 neshamot, was copied for the shul’s last rav, Rabbi Shlomo Baumgarten, just before he fled the Nazis in 1938. It is only thanks to that copy that we know what we know today.
This article refers to the classic coin and usage, and does not address the fact that an actual Judean Bronze coin now can fetch hundreds of dollars or more on the open market.
Ma’oz’s soul brought you together. He was your matchmaker. You studied in the same school for twelve years without ever having a real conversation. And yet, here you are – connected because of this Jewish hero, and through your shared love of Torah. This is not only Benji and Eliana’s private story. We are all part of something much greater.
There are 674 parshiyot in the Torah – 295 petuchot and 379 setumot. And Ki Teitzei has more parshiyot than any other sedra.
Willpower is the scholar’s strength to seize back the microphone. To choose what I should do over what I want to do. But it is finite. Like a phone battery, it drains over the day, leaving the teenager in charge by nightfall.
How many beautiful souls have given their lives for Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael as their seats remain mournfully empty? How many broken families, and broken hearts?
No couple has a completely seamless dating experience. None. Sure, some daters go through this process with ease and some struggle, but regardless, there is no perfect dating journey.
On a spiritual level the rebbe is greater than the father, therefore his property is returned first. But with regard to the transgression itself, obviously that it is more egregious to hit or curse one’s own parent than the rebbe, and therefore the punishment is harsher.
Although protesters feel justified blocking highways and disturbing the families and neighbors of elected officials, many Israelis find the practice abhorrent.
When we pray for Hashem’s return with the coming of Moshiach, the rebuilding of His House, the Beis HaMikdash, the restoration of His monarchy, the Malchus Beis Dovid, that is the ultimate ani l’Dodi, I am for My Beloved, for that is for Hashem Himself.
By Baruch Lytle
The Jewish community has to organize itself. The gentile community has a history of promising the Jews they are going to be there when you need them, and then suddenly the Jews find themselves helped by no one.
While Jacob Frank emphasized transgression and mystical dialectics between good and evil, Eva’s theological voice, while less documented, seems to have emphasized divine femininity, purity, and mystical royalty.
Although we likely take it for granted that berachos are a pillar of our daily lives, they have not always existed as they do now.
Of course, the media is typically playing fast and loose with the facts. Even under the Biden administration, American defense officials were reporting that Israel was taking measures to spare enemy civilians from avoidable harm that were unprecedented in modern warfare.
It’s all illusion. The players aren’t from your neighborhood. They’re often hired from across the globe. The team is just a business. The connection you feel is manufactured by marketing departments. You, the fan, are the product.
Even if the judge tells you that what appears to you to be right is left, or that what appears to you to be left is right, you have to obey him. The question is: How literal is this? Is one to really doubt their own sense data and override it, relying on the Sages?
An inflection point in this process was reached during the Covid school lockdowns of 2020-22, when many parents were shocked, even outraged, to discover what their children were being taught.
Equally important is resisting the urge to retaliate. A sharp remark often provokes an even sharper response, and the tone can quickly descend into bitterness.
What’s the point? Why so many? Are you actually going to read all those sefarim? Why not read them online?
By Rabbanit Dr. Adena Berkowitz
Our sefarim are not merely books with values and wisdom. They represent something far deeper. They hold honored places in our homes and their departure is akin to saying a tearful goodbye to loved ones.
I wondered then: Why is she selling these new sefarim from her bookshelf in Washington Heights? Were they not wanted anymore?
I tell my husband I'm bringing the ones with cracked spines to sheimos. He tells me there's an inyan about not getting rid of sefarim. I ask for the source but he can't tell me where it is.
From the moment G-d spoke at Sinai, the Jewish people have been listeners, readers, and scribes. The Torah isn’t just a story – it’s a constitution.
According to the DSA, terrorists have legitimate grievances, and the root cause of terrorism is – you guessed it – America’s “imperialist” foreign policy. In the eyes of Mamdani’s comrades – DSA members actually call each other that – the nation’s power, prestige, global reach and influence is a menace.
G-d is not in a popularity contest. In fact, He Himself endows man with the ability to deny His Presence or to believe in any falsity he chooses. That itself is the epitome of awesomeness, in its true meaning.
According to The New York Times, the party’s divisions over Israel and the war in Gaza were on “messy display” at the meeting as members debated dueling resolutions about how to respond to Israel’s Gaza policy.
If someone were to ask you to prove that you exist, you would seriously struggle to do so. One’s own existence simply cannot be rationally proven.
Despite its unsettled reception, The Man in the Glass Booth was neither suppressed nor forgotten; to the contrary, its notoriety ensured its place in the canon of post-Holocaust drama.
Tehilla understood that nights of interrupted sleep and scampering into the safe room was a small price to pay compared to the price others paid in the terrible loss of life and limbs.
Even though Pinchas explicitly cancelled the agency before witnesses (the other friends), since David was not aware and purchased the pizza as instructed, Pinchas is liable to reimburse David for what David laid out with reliance on him (Nesivos 182:3).
A guy who immediately suggests that you change in order to meet their approval is not someone you can keep in your life.
Fear sees a threat. Anxiety imagines one. Fear screams, Get out! Anxiety ponders, What if?” While fear results in running away or fighting, anxiety inspires gloom and doom.
The Mitzvah To Obey The Wise ‘If Beis Din Issued A Ruling’ (Horayos 2b)
It is important to understand why some children struggle with stealing and lying so you can handle these situations appropriately and help your son navigate what he may be feeling.
By Irwin Cohen
The Orthodox community in Harrisburg is under 100. Some wear their tallis over their head while davening and some don't.
In our fixed calendar of today, there is no doubt as to which day Yom Tov is. Yet the practice of one day in Israel and two days outside still applies.
Forgiveness is strongly associated with lower levels of anxiety, stress, and hostility, as well as fewer symptoms of depression and a reduced risk of alcohol and substance abuse.
Honestly, part of her did want to see Effi again, if only to see his face and get a sense of where his head was at. She missed him! Despite the years, she still treasured her memories of their time together.
One of the hardest feelings, especially now, is uncertainty. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, and so many people search for answers that can guarantee the future.
By Mendi Glik
I’ll be very honest with you: This new trend of using different tunes for the High Holiday tefillot really ruins the davening for me.
Question: I recently returned from a trip abroad and wanted to say HaGomel. When I mentioned this to the officers of my synagogue, however, they told me – as per the instructions of the synagogue’s rabbi – that I would have to wait until Shabbos to do so. I was not given any reason for this and did not wish to display my ignorance, so I quietly acquiesced. Can you please explain why I had to wait? Name Withheld Via E-mail
Once a month, on days meant to be marked by personal introspection, Hashem challenges us to recognize and value the quiet enablers in our midst.
The Hitler Haggadah takes the traditional Passover narrative and reimagines it through the lens of wartime realities, framing the Allied victory over the Nazis as Divine intervention.
The architecture of Shoftim invites reflection not just on governance, but on restraint. It cautions against excess and sanctifies balance. It insists that power must be regulated by humility, and that leadership demands a commitment to the law: not a manipulation of it.
Elul is a deep dive into ourselves, into the hidden recesses of who we are. Without this introspection, we cannot grow into better people. Even as the national situation rightly demands our attention, we must not forget this personal journey into the inner worlds that shape us.
The mitzvot of Parshat Shoftim are relevant to the governance and political practices of an Israelite (or Israeli) society ruled by law. The king is interchangeable with the elders, as we find in the present passages (Devarim 21:1-9), and stands in for the collective of Israel at large.
The winery is not simply a commercial enterprise, says Aharon Ziv, one of the founders and the head winemaker for the past ten years, but part of our community’s core mission.
One can live free of restriction and obligation and even own slaves, but actually be a slave because he feels beholden to society’s expectations. Conversely, many are physically enslaved but truly free because they maintain their spiritual independence.
Although one may protest that he would never take a bribe the Mishna in Avos (2:4) states, “Do not believe in yourself until the day you die.”
June 26, 2026 
