Having the right people for the wrong job can lead to tragic consequences. Such was the fate of the meraglim. Twelve handpicked leaders, who…
“[Then journeyed] the flag of the camp of Dan m'aseif, the gatherer, of all the camps” (Bamidbar 10:25). As the Jewish people prepared to march to…
The first chapters of the book of Bamidbar focus on readying the people to enter the Land. The primary focus is on the physical aspects of entry; the…
In order to be effective, leaders must be sensitive to the feelings and concerns of the general populace. It is not only fact, but also perception…
Judaism demands that we do what’s right because it’s right, without thought of recognition or reward. Similarly, our avoidance of wrong should be…
“I am the Lord your G-d, Who took you out of the land of Egypt”. While we associate these words with the first of the aseret hadibrot, the words…
Sefer Vayikra deals with the role of the Temple and that of the Kohanim in Jewish life. So it seems quite strange that the laws of the five Biblical…
Commenting on the Torah's charge "to be holy, since I the Lord your G-d am holy" (Vayikra, 19:2) the Ramban explains that it is not enough to keep…
“Do not follow the ways of Egypt, where you once lived” (Vayikra 18:2). The Jewish people's formative years were those spent in the land of Egypt,…
The home plays a critical—if not the critical—role in the development of Jewish life. The efforts of schools, shuls, camps, Israel trips, and the…
During Jewish leap years, Parshat HaChodesh, the special maftir portion we read on the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Nissan, generally coincides with…
"Moshe said to Aharon: This is what G-d meant when He said I will be sanctified amongst those who are nearest to me” (Vayikra 10:3). So we read of…
If one were to survey 100 Jews and ask them their least favourite book of Torah it is likely that the vast majority of them would say sefer Vayikra.…
One of the fiercest debates amongst Biblical commentators of the medieval period was to what extent, if at all, parts of the Torah may be seen as…
Often it is the crises of life that strengthen us. By confronting the challenges that surround us, we emerge more resilient and wiser from the…
"There is no man on earth of such righteousness that does good and is free from sin" (Kohelet 7:20). Being human means to sin, and since G-d created…
“G-d said to Moses, ‘Write these words for yourself, ki al pi hadevarim, since it is through these words that I have made a covenant with you and…
The billions of dollars spent by the fashion industry, not to mention the celebrity status of fashion gurus, testify to the importance attached to…
The Torah is a description of the relationship between G-d and man, and between G-d and the Jewish people. The Torah begins with G-d’s creation of…
How does one come close to G-d? How can one hold on to great religious experiences as we go through the daily routine of life? This was the problem…
In his categorization of mitzvot, the Rambam lists as the first mitzvah belief in G-d. He begins his monumental code by telling us that “the…
The book of Shemot details the emergence of the Jewish people as a nation. Though descending from spiritual giants, the nascent nation displayed…
One of the great difficulties we often have is making a clear distinction between people and the ideas that they espouse. While one might reject an…
One often hears people bemoaning the dearth of leadership that seems to surround us. Whether it is in politics, religious life or in the sphere of…