"There are four primary categories of damages - the ox, the pit, the man and…
Some Opening Thoughts on Seder Nezikin
"One who wants to sharpen his mind should involve himself in monetary law as there is no…
Career Choices: Kiddushin 82
One of the most important life decisions we make is the choice of a career. As Judaism is most…
The Rabbi Who Wanted to Sin: Kiddushin 81
"Do not judge a person until you are in his place." (Avot 2:5) We…
I Love Converts: Kiddushin 70
One of the rules of Rashi's commentary to the chumash, made famous by Nehama Leibowitz z…
Behar: Legal Loopholes
Legal loopholes are a mainstay of the legal profession. People are often frustrated when criminals…
What a Story: Kiddushin 66
One of the fascinating, exciting even suspenseful aspects of learning Gemara is how a…
I Don't Know You: Kiddushin 65
In our last post we discussed the unusual situation, to say the least, of a father or…
Who Did I Marry?: Kiddushin 63
You have to wonder sometimes about the strange relationships between parents and children…
Come Work for Me: Kiddushin 59
A poor person who is examining a piece a cake and another comes and takes it from him is called…
Let Him Have It: Kiddushin 59
If you are going to have someone do work for you it's probably best to ensure they have your…
Becoming a Tzadik: Kiddushin 49
"The signature of G-d is truth." (Shabbat 55b) As beings created in the image of G-d we…
Yom Ha'atzmaut 68
“In every generation one must see himself as if he had left Egypt.” Pesach may seem like a…
Loans and Grants
I write these words from Israel on the eve of Yom Hazikaron, the saddest day of the year as we…
Delegate It Yourself: Kiddushin 41
"If you want something done right do it yourself" is a nice idea in theory but one with…
Good Habits: Kiddushin 40
We are creatures of habit. We tend to do what we have done in the past, which is why it is so…
This or the Other: Kiddushin 39
There is no more tragic figure in Talmudic literature than that of Acher, the Other. Destined for…
Pesach: Old Questions, New Answers
“Chanoch lena’ar al pi darcho, train each child according to their way” (Mishlei).