In this, what was the summer of our discontent, it is worth looking at the words that were commonly…
Some Opening Thoughts on Masechet Chagigah
The mitzvah of aliyah laregel--going up to Jerusalem on Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot--was a…
Some Concluding Thoughts on Masechet Moed Katan
The commitment to learn Daf Yomi is a remarkable one. It is the only study project I know that…
Moed Katan 28: Beyond Our Control
It is to be expected that, in a chapter dealing with the laws of mourning, a discussion of the…
Moed Katan 27: Leading By Example
No idea is stressed more in the Torah than that of being kind to strangers, “because we were…
Re'eh: Behind the Scenes
Showing extra sensitivity to the needs of the poor, the widow, orphan, servant, and stranger is a…
Ki Teitzei: Hit 'Em Less
What is the role of a Rabbi? When this question was asked to Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein, author…
Ki Teitzei: Leave G-d Out of It
For the religion that first brought the message of ethical monotheism to the world, Judaism sure…
Shoftim: To Tell the Truth
"Tzedek tzedek tirdof, justice, justice you shall pursue in order that you may live and…
An Outsider: Moed Katan 17
One of the greatest and the most tragic figure of Talmudic literature is Rav Eliezer ben Hurcanus,…
Moed Katan 17: How to Sin
The primary way we can tell which commandments are more important than others is by the punishment…
Moed Katan 9: To Fast or Not To Fast
The Gemara (Megillah 5b) relates that Rebbe wanted to abolish Tisha B'Av. Interestingly, no…
Moed Katan 8: Mazel Tov--Soon
As we discussed in our last post, mourning and Yom Tov[1] are polar opposites, and mourning…
Moed Katan 8: Mixed Emotions
Halacha reflects not only legal truths, but moral, psychological, and philosophical (and other)…
Moed Katan 5: Stand By
For better or worse most people pay little attention to the proof texts brought to support various…
Moed Katan 5: The Right Path
One of the fascinating features of the Talmud is how it seamlessly moves from topic to topic. The…
Eikev: Pain and Gain
“And they placed upon them taskmasters lema’an anoto, in order to afflict them in their burdens” (…