Rabbi Yochanan ben HaChoranit must have been a great Sage. I imagine that many reading this devar…
Shoftim: A Beautiful Animal
“Do not sacrifice to G-d, your Lord, an ox or sheep that has a blemish; any bad thing, it is an…
Sukkah 28: A "Weak" Student
To state that Rav Yochanan ben Zakai is one of the most important leaders in all of Jewish history…
Sukkah 26: Snack Time
One of the requirements of a sukkah is that it be a dirat arai, a temporary dwelling. A permanent…
Re'eh: It's Elul Time
"For the sin that we have sinned before You through hardness of the heart." With…
Sukkah 20: A Great Servant
Psychologists have long known that two people can—and often do—see the exact same thing, and yet…
Eikev: Missing Commandments
Had things gone according to plan, the chumash would be a much shorter book. If not for the sin of…
Tu B'Av: The Happiest Day
“Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: There were no days more joyous than the 15th of Av (Tu B'Av) and…
VaEtchanan: An Extra And
"Shamor v’Zachor b’dibur echad". This phrase, sung every Friday night, notes the most famous…
Tisha B'Av: Greetings and Salutations
Judaism places great emphasis on the proper greeting of people. The Talmudic term for a greeting, a…
Devarim: The Beginning of the End
"Eleh Hadevarim, these are the words that Moshe spoke to all of Israel" (Devarim 1:1). In Biblical…
Sukkah 2: Looking Skyward
“A sukkah that is taller than 20 amot, cubits (approximately 30 feet), is invalid; and Rabbi Yehuda…
Mattot-Massei: The Journey Continues
The Torah is full of repetition. Whether it is law or narrative, much of the Torah seems to deal…
Yoma 86: Time for a Cheeseburger?
One of the fundamental mitzvot of the Torah, one we acknowledge at least twice a day, is the…
Pirkei Avot: A Broken Transmission
“Moshe received the Torah at Sinai and transmitted it to Yehoshua, Yehoshua to the Elders, and the…
Pinchas: Not Fit for Leadership
“Pinchas, the son of Elazar, the son of Aaron the priest was the one who so zealously took up My…
Balak: Missed Opportunities
What a waste of talent. “No other prophet like Moses has arisen in Israel who knew G-d face to face…
Yoma 69: Who is Great
It is hard to imagine Jewish life without davening or brachot. They are amongst the most important…