“And Avraham awoke in the morning” (Breisheet 22:3). It is from this verse that the Sages (Pesachim 4a) derive the principle zerezim makdimim…
Lech Lecha: Family Feud
“G-d said to Avram, go away from your county, your birthplace and your father’s home, to the land that I will show you” (Breisheet 12:1). While it…
Noach: Too Close to G-d?
Noach was, in the words of the Bible, “righteous and pure”. Twice in the space of few verses the Torah tells us that “Noach did all that G-d…
Breisheet: Purposeful Ambiguity
"G-d said: What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is screaming to Me from the ground" (Breisheet 4:10). G-d approached Cain after the…
Haazinu: The Straight Path
“The deeds of the Mighty One are perfect, for all his ways are just. He is a faithful judge; never unfair, righteous and straight is He" (Devarim 32:…
Vayelech: Helping Others
The time has come for new leadership. “I am no longer able to come and go, and G-d has told me you will not cross the Jordan” (Devarim 31:2). While…
Parshat Nitzavim: the Missing Moon
It is customary that on the shabbat before a new month we "announce" its arrival with a prayer that the upcoming month be filled with the blessings…
Ki Teitzei: Form and Content
When studying Torah we must study not only its content, but also its form; not just what the Torah says, but also how it says it. Proper study…
Shoftim: Intellectual Honesty
Judaism has always placed tremendous emphasis on intellectual achievement and development. Talmud Torah k’neged kulam—the study of…
Re'eh: Divine Love
How can you tell if somebody loves you? We all understand that words alone are hollow, and that it is actions that count. Even so, it is not always…
Eikev: The Big Bribe
The measure of a human being is revealed by the little things. The greater the person, the more one understands the significance of the small details…
Vaetchanan: Seeking Comfort
Our Sages ordained that we should read parshat VaEtchanan on the Shabbat after Tisha B’Av. As they phrased it, “tzumu v’tzlu, fast and pray”. On…
Devarim: Where is the Temple?
Each one of the five books of the Chumash has a unique central theme, be it the choosing of the Jewish nation (Breisheet), redemption (Shemot), …
Mattot-Massei: United We Stand
When the eighth day of Pesach falls on Shabbat, those of us living outside of Israel lain the special Torah reading for Yom Tov Sheni[1], while those…
Pinchas: Next Leader Please
Success and great leadership go hand in hand. That is why organizations, sports teams and even countries can continue to excel or flounder year after…
Balak: Reality Check
In a world in which image and marketing play such a crucial role, perception is often more important than reality. In fact, perception often creates…
Chukat: It's Only Natural
Judaism has always understood that miracles have very little long-term impact on one's behaviour. During our nation's infancy in Egypt miracles were…
Korach: Power Outage
The lust for power can destroy a person. It is amazing how people who are otherwise very competent are blinded to reality when the smell of power is…