It is the rare business that looks to create competition for itself. In fact, the success of a CEO is often judged less by profits than by market…
Avodah Zarah 27: Time for a Haircut
Imagine going to the barber and fearing that barber may take his razor and slit your throat. Or going to a doctor who may purposely give you medicine…
Avodah Zarah 36: By the Rabbis; For the People
It is axiomatic that Biblical laws are of greater importance than rabbinic laws. After all, the former emanate from a Divine Creator, whereas the…
Avodah Zarah 19: The Right Person for the Right Job
Considering the amount of time one spends at work, there is little sadder than being in a job one does not like. How wonderful it is when…
Avodah Zarah 19: Learn What You Like
“The age of five for the study of Tanach, the age of ten for Mishna and the age of fifteen for Talmud[1]” (Pirkei Avot 5:21). Our Sages…
Avodah Zarah 18: Too Much Torah!
While we often tend to view the ancient Romans as evil enemies out to eradicate Judaism and kill Jews, the truth is that the relationship between…
Avodah Zarah 18: The Power of the Letters
One of the differences between Ashkenazic and Sephardic culture, both religiously and otherwise, is in their view of the mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem,…
Avodah Zarah 17: Just One Minute
One of the highlights of learning with Rav Aharon Lichtenstein, zt”l, were his occasional “press conferences”, where we could…
Avodah Zara 7: Let's Get a Second Opinion
When seeking out expert opinion on any matter, it is irresponsible not to get a second opinion. It is the rare—and foolhardy—person who…
Avodah Zara 5: It Takes a Long Time
Forty years is a long time. In Biblical numerology, the number 40 indicates transformation. Forty is the number of days it takes for a fetus to…
Avodah Zara 2: Holiday Greetings
In 1964, as the Second Vatican Council was reassessing its most negative view of Jews and Judaism, Rabbi Soloveitchik penned Confrontation,…
Avodah Zara 2: Thank You Rome
As all who study Daf Yomi are well aware, halacha and aggadah—the legal and extralegal portions of the Talmud—“co-exist” side…
An Introduction to Masechet Avodah Zara
It would be hard to argue with the notion that the primary goal for the Torah is for all to know that there is one G-d who is Master of the Universe…