“And G-d spoke to Moshe in the Sinai desert in the second year of the Exodus from Egypt, in…
Nasso: More is Less
The Torah uses its words sparingly—and sometimes not at all. The Torah tells us very little…
Zevachim 38: Do it Right
One of the first innovations of the Reform movement was the removal from the siddur of all…
Shavuot: Eating Out
How should one celebrate the receiving of the Torah? The Talmud (Pesachim 68b) quotes a seemingly…
Behar: Money in Trust
In his thematic enumeration of the 613 mitzvoth, the Rambam has as the very first mitzvah that of…
Emor: G-d's Name
“Do not desecrate My holy name. I must be sanctified among the Israelites" (Vayikra 22:…
Lag B'Omer: Opposites Attract
It is hard to imagine two people who had a greater influence on the development of Judaism during…
An Introduction to Seder Kodshim
One of the benefits of learning Daf Yomi is that it “forces” one to learn subject areas…
Metzora: Open House, Closed Doors
The power of the spoken word is enormous. Even more powerful is the desire to gossip, a vice…
Horayot 14: Seeking Kavod
We have often commented on the fact that our tradition does not shy away from pointing out the…
Yom Ha'atzmaut: Turning Seventy
“And Yaakov worked for Rachel for seven years, and they appeared in his eyes like just a few…
Horayot 14: Standing for Eliyahu
Not every question has an answer and not every problem has a solution. This may be depressing…
Horayot 10: A Pure Sin
Judaism has long rejected the notion that the ends justify the means. One of the most basic of…
Horayot 6: You Call This A Temple?
In his best-selling book, Predictably Irrational, Dan Ariely notes how very rare it is for…
Horayot 2: What Do You Think?
In the days before instant replay took over much of sports officiating[1], the rule of thumb was…
An Introduction to Masechet Horayot
One of the most inspiring aspects of the Torah is its very real portrayal of its personalities.…
Pesach: Preparing to Eat
Twice a year, on Yom Kippur and at the Pesach seder, we conclude with the prayer L’…