יום רביעי, כ״ג תמוז תשפ״וWednesday, July 8, 2026
Follow Us
I’m awakened by the loud chirping of birds, and my first thought is how lucky these birds are to have been hatched in this land of miracles, and their whistles and cooing and cawing is their hakarat haTov to Hashem their creator – songs of gratitude.
There is a consensus amongst people in North America who are making aliyah, that it is at times a physically, emotionally and even financially draining endeavor. We joke that the reason it is so difficult is to test us. If you have the stamina and determination to get through the process, you’ll make it as an oleh.
The fourth son is what I call totally parve – he has no association, no involvement, no relationship with his surroundings. Because a narcissist is only interested in himself.
Some of these women have been agunot for years. They are trapped in a bizarre world where they are not single but not married.
The Torah revolves around one simple but powerful precept - to not treat others in a way you wouldn’t want to be treated. The following poem offers insight as to why.
We are assured that ultimately, justice does prevail. That there is a Day of Judgement in the Eternal World. Those of unwavering faith focus on adjusting to their new normal and embrace Hashem's will and continue to find purpose and simcha, as we are exhorted to do.
We turn to You, the G-d of mercy, You, who we fear and adore, Please heed our prayers and pleas and bring relief, For our battered souls cannot take too much more.
We ask for a long life, so why ask for strong bones? I realized that being blessed with many years of life, of a ripe old age – isn’t enough. One needs strong bones – physical well-being.
Any misstep is publicized globally, and with social media, it's on display almost immediately and intensely. That is the price of being royal – of being in the extremely tiny minority. Of having all eyes on you on the balcony.
As someone who used to be on the receiving end of this toxic behavior from friends and family – I say used to be because I stopped all contact with these health-destroying individuals – I have zero tolerance for any emotional and verbal abuse – I wonder why the spouse doesn't just walk away.
While it might appear that unmarried men and women have less complicated lives by virtue of being on their own, and hence have fewer responsibilities and obligations to take up their time and energy, life for them is nonetheless more difficult.
I realized that I should be a “patient” patient – I’m not the only person being looked at and should wait my turn.
But a doctor, even a specialist, is not a rav steeped in Torah knowledge, whose daas Torah is indisputable. I know that in most medical situations, there is a second opinion by an equally learned specialist who can disagree with his colleague’s conclusion as to the best course of action to take and when.
Over the years, people have shared horrific stories of financial and verbal and emotional abuse from family members and friends, and I ask myself, how could these so called frum people sleep at night.
If the extremely wealthy are worried about the financial well-being of their descendants, how much more so should regular people be worried.
Unlike King Solomon, I cannot communicate with animals and had to keep my sage advice to myself. Perhaps the next generation of genius, Israeli high tech innovators will figure out animal translation and resolve that dilemma.
The little engine, despite the fact he wasn’t built to pull a large train, wants to try. If he doesn’t, then for sure he won’t succeed.
According to their misguided logic, life must have a seder – a specific order – with the oldest getting married first, followed by younger siblings. However, their thinking is so illogical.
Kristallnacht, when Jewish-owned properties and synagogues in Germany were smashed and set on fire by frenzied mobs, will seem like a mild precursor to what Islamic fundamentalists are going to do to their soon-to-be minority neighbors.
Hashem was very clear about how you deal with Amalek, of which Hamas is a spiritual, if not physical descendant (which it likely is with Ishmael commingling with Amalek over the centuries).
Whereas good-hearted Leah went the proverbial “extra mile,” her siblings couldn't be bothered giving her an extra inch.
It felt so right to be where I was. I was HOME with my family. Come what may, this is where I was supposed to be. And I fully embraced this belief.
Jews had freedom of religion and were able to avoid assimilation no matter where they lived in the empire. They had no legal restrictions to live Jewishly.
In memory of of the Chayalim of the IDF whose lives were prematurely snuffed out when they still had so much living to do.
We turn to You, the G-d of mercy, You, who we fear and adore, Please heed our prayers and pleas and bring relief, For our battered souls cannot take too much more.
With these real life happenings in mind, I want to suggest that people consider an unusual arrangement that is a win-win for all potential participants as a solution to a complex and emotionally difficult situation.
They are all heroes, I thought to myself, those who go – and those who let go.
While a woman might be initially flattered that her spouse has so much confidence in her and tells her to go ahead and make the decisions, it can backfire.
Chances are that the members of the band think they are impressing their audience with their talent by equating ear-splitting with cool. In a misguided attempt to win over fans and potential bookings, they blast their music. But their reasoning is totally off.
Ironically, many people, especially men become put together after marriage, when they are under the loving guidance of their wives who ensure that e.g. missing buttons are sown or stained shirts are dry cleaned and pressed, and fingernails trimmed and clean.
It’s like being told you’re fat, and even after actually losing weight and looking slim and svelte for years, the person will likely see herself as a fat person masquerading as a thin one.
Make sure when walking alone on Shabbat and Yom Tov, that you have your name and/or address in a pocket (if there is a eruv) since you won’t have your purse or phone with you.
When it appeared that I was going to be okay and the teachers could start breathing again, they asked what in the world made me do such a dangerous thing, jumping off the swing in midair.
I am convinced that when it comes to expressing one’s feelings or opinions about anything under the sun, Yiddish is one of the best languages to do it in.
Sadly, those who should be supportive and encouraging may be pessimistic by nature or have their own agenda for not wanting the individual to succeed.
I am well aware that if both spouses had the ability to compromise, capitulate and cooperate in order to emerge with an acceptable division of what is mutually theirs, they most likely wouldn’t be divorcing in the first place.
Kids, and of course adults, have an ingrained need to be validated; to have the ups and downs in their life acknowledged.
We assure ourselves that we will take the high road and refrain from lashon hara or spreading gossip – even if the information is true.
Why consider yourself as being less? Aren’t you also made b’tzelem Elokim – in Hashem's image – and aren’t you worthy of help – from yourself?
The odds of me bumping into this stranger whom I had never met previously, or since, were extremely low except that Hashem had engineered this scenario.
It's extremely daunting and time consuming to basically put two strangers together and be a frequent go-between, negotiator, and adviser, but when it happens, and eventually children are born, you become a partner with Hashem in creating worlds.
Over the years, I have been asked how I get ideas for my articles – often from conversations with random strangers! That’s actually how I was discovered way back in 1985!
I have an accomplished friend who is careful to maintain a healthy weight and works out several times a week – yet she cannot accept a compliment.
The last worldwide pandemic to hit the global population was the Spanish Flu, over 100 years ago. Over the last few months, I've asked myself why a pandemic now – and for over two years?
The beginning of wisdom is rooted in fearing Hashem. I realized that it is a supreme declaration of faith, emunah when one truly fears G-d.
There are subtle signs of a potentially problematic person. I have often said, people should marry people with compatible meshugasim.
I'd like to point out certain lifesaving classes that I think would be in the best interest of all students to be taught, and should be part of the curriculum.
What struck me this time was the fact that these animals have no guyvah chinam – baseless snobbery. (Remember, you saw this phrase first here.)
There have been numerous tragedies that have resulted in premature death and irrevocable injury – some extremely unlikely to happen, and quite rare, but none were inconceivable.
There are judges and lawyers both in secular and religious courts who ignored the facts so as to curry favor with the more prominent party in a financial or custody dispute. They frame their actions as being halachically justifiable.
It’s one thing if you are responsible for your own misfortune, but so much more unbearable if you did all the right things and someone else who was not paying attention, or who took safety shortcuts, or used shoddy materials, caused horrific, irrevocable harm.
Visitors have to be mindful when they are visiting family in a private house, that they are not in a hotel, where they feel it's ok to leave a mess for someone else to clean up.
Ruth knew that Torah was the fount of all spiritual and emotional growth. And like the sage Hillel,... Ruth too was willing to suffer both physically and emotionally to honor her vow to be a Torah Jew.
The teacher was so distraught and horrified, both by the murder and his undeniable failure to get through to his students, that he packed up and left.
There are dissenting opinions by health experts globally, especially now, a year later, but it’s not that simple to uproot yourself and go to a less hysterical jurisdiction.
As a consequence of these negative thought processes, opportunities to achieve one’s goals are flitted away, having never been given a chance to develop.
If one can’t watch the simcha live, there is the option to view it in its entirety at a more convenient time.
The city decided to have a forum at which people could express their opinion for or against Sunday closures. My parents had a shoe store and I decided to argue on their behalf as to why they should be allowed to open on Sunday.
A situation that I’m sure happens way too often is when a friend or relative pressures someone who can’t afford to lose money to “invest in a sure thing.”
Without fail, as I would approach the curve and continue on the sidewalk that was near the road, there would be one or two squirrels recklessly darting into the road, pausing and darting back as they sensed a car driving by.
In the book of Ruth, we learn that Boaz married his late kinsman's childless widow. King David was a descendant of this union – and Moshiach.
Uttering this plea is my verbal version of going after rodfei Yisrael. In Jewish law, one can initiate pre-emptive self-defense, and "take out" someone before they do it to you.
It was the mask. A very cute mask with a witty message – but nonetheless, I realized that the mask represented something deeply distressing. Forced separation.
We tend to eat too much; smoke, and under exercise. For some, the only significant movement they do is walk to shul and back – but only because driving is forbidden on Shabbat.
Tthe kids will become creative and inventive and innovative. One teenage sibling I know, with a talent for sewing, is teaching her younger siblings how to use a sewing machine, including the boys.
Like an oversized umbrella it covered the entire land.
The consensus was that it had become exorbitantly expensive to be a frum Jew.
I always feel that it’s important to fight back – even if you are going down, at least the opponent will have a scratch or bruise as well.
Whether there is a medical issue, a mental health illness or an addiction, it must be confronted. The first step to "fixing what is broke” is facing reality and admitting that something is broke.
She is afraid to ask for the going rate for her skill set, aware that she is replaceable – and she needs the income from her job to help support her family.
She would not focus on what she didn't have, but on what she did have.
It’s important to be mindful of changes not just in yourself, but in the activities, habits and personality of family members and close friends.
There is another element to mindful walking that I want to point out – being on guard against those who deliberately want to disturb or cause harm.
Remember how as children we were told to look both ways before crossing the street?
When parents insist that their children, especially their daughters, wait for an older sibling to get engaged/married before green-lighting them to enter the “parsha,” they are sabotaging their futures.
Truth be told, if you were to ask graduate students in ancient history who Amalek was, you’d likely get blank stares.
Being positive and upbeat is a valuable weapon in the battle to stay healthy.
Looking at the story, one could argue that Mordechai was somewhat responsible for what happened and it was only through Esther’s heroic sacrifice that the Jews were saved.
Young children observe and absorb even the tiniest details of their parents behaviors.
Every choice comes with potentially life damaging risks.
In cyberspace, the virtual sky's the limit in the game of one-upmanship.
My all powerful Father hadn’t protected me. He had let a biological bogeyman grab me.
As I mentioned in Part One, my journey to diagnosis was launched by a simple sneeze that caused a sharp pain for a few seconds in July 2017. And that was the only time that happened.
Don't we all complain about being tired or having aches and pains somewhere?
The fact is more people are getting cancer – but not necessarily dying from it. Many are cured, or at least are in remission for years.
If I am a victim of some mishap, let it be because of my own shortcomings, not someone else’s.
Hitler's destruction of the Jewish family continued long after the liberation.
Anyone who walks on a regular basis has likely, on more than one occasion, been startled by the enraged barking of an angry dog, eyes ablaze with fury, clawing frantically at the fence thankfully separating it from you. Since I enjoy walking, this “verbal” abuse by a crazed canine would happen often. What is your […]
Internal bullying is a private version of lashon harah.
I know that in the great scheme of things, these irritants are minor, but they do tend to add up.
I knew that there would be many women at this Chanukah party who, like me, were reeling over the news that a friend of ours had been niftar a couple of days earlier from cancer. We were beyond shocked.
As a round-faced child with big cheeks, I was often pinched by visitors to our home, or in shul by acquaintances of my father.
Hashem gave us the right to storm the gates of heaven with an avalanche of requests, even demands.
So is this demoralizing situation fixable?
In my book, all medical appointments take priority. But just as vital as going to your medical appointment is actually booking one (pun intended) in the first place.
Don't assume that the "no" from a doctor is based on "know"ledge.
Why did no one speak up and warn this young lady?
The inevitable conclusion of the study was that holding back, delaying gratification, leads to a more stable and positive life.
As Torahdik Jews we are expected to view every day as Parents Day.
Why does Chani have a lollipop in her mouth? I told you not to give her another one!
July 3, 2026 
