Getting married is a very big deal, and a mitzvah that supersedes almost all else. And like all mitzvoth, this is something we should do at the…
The Yomim Tovim celebrate monumental events in Jewish history. The focus of these days is on bringing Jews together as a people and as friends.…
Matzah is the most basic of foods. Mix some grain with water and bake ASAP, and presto! We have the most important course for the most important meal…
I imagine I am not the only one who has dozed off during a lecture. While I might manage to pick up a point or two, surely such dozing limits my…
Soon after the editing of the Mishna in the land of Israel, Jewish life and learning started slowly shifting towards Bavel. This was set into motion…
On the first page of the laws of Shabbat, the Mishnah Berurah discusses the problem of price gouging by fishmongers. Knowing the desire of observant…
“Shimon Ha'amsoni—and some say, Nechemia Ha'amsoni—used to derive [laws] from all the etim (plural of et) in the Torah.…
The halachic legal system is much more than a set of abstract principles or technical details. It incorporates factors such as human…
"Two verses that contradict each other, until a third verse is found and reconciles between them". This 13th and last of the interpretive…
Rav Yisrael Salanter, the 19th century founder of the mussar movement, was asked by his students what the most important concern is when baking…
Landlord-tenant disputes are the bread and butter of many a lawyer. No law can account for any eventuality, and the inherent conflict of interest…
Great leaders are great strategists. The Talmud (Pesachim 3b) relates that a certain non-Jew was bragging of how he used to travel to…
"To tell of Your loving-kindness in the morning and Your faithfulness at night" (Tehilim 92:3). Night and day, from a Jewish…
"On the night of the 14th [of Nissan], one [begins the] search for chametz". So begins mashechet Pesachim, the tractate dealing with…
In Talmudic times, it was common for one to wear tefillin all day long. As the Torah does not limit its observance in any way, there would seem to be…
As more and more of our economy runs on credit, as we increasingly pay for purchases with debit cards or even smartphones, the necessity—or…
For thousands of years, a meal was defined by the eating of bread. Not only as did bread serve as an appetizer, the main course itself was consumed…
I dedicate the thought below to the memory of my mother, Rachel bat Chaim (Ruth Kelman) z”l, whose yahrzeit we observe today. May we celebrate…
The concept behind an eiruv is that the people making it join together as one large household. Each household contributes some food, which is put in…
One of the key components of the legal discussions of the Talmud is the bringing of proof texts to support a given position. At times, the proof…
One of the methods used to help people remember those whom they meet is the mnemonic device of associating the person with some easy-to-remember…
The teacher/student relationship is a most special one. A teacher must treat his student as he would treat his own child, and a child must…
To tell someone that his words are those of prophecy would seem to be the highest compliment one can give. The prerequisites for being a prophet are…
The mitzva of Talmud Torah consists of both learning Torah, and knowing Torah. And of the two, it is the former that is more important. One can…