Our rabbis famously debate the righteousness of Noach. Was he a tzadik only relative to the corrupt society in which he lived, or was his…
For years, psychologists have debated the impact of the environment (nurture) on the development of human beings. Can we be inherently changed by…
The holidays of Tishrei—with their emphasis on sin, repentance, reconciliation, and joy—are behind us. It is time to get back to our “normal”…
When writing a book, a good author will introduce the major themes of the book in the opening chapters, develop these and other secondary themes…
"Now, write for yourselves this song and teach it to the Israelites, so that this song will be a witness for the Israelites" (Devarim…
"You are standing this day all of you before the Lord your God: your heads, your tribes, your elders, and your officers, all the men of Israel…
One of the key aspects of our being created in the Divine image is the gift of speech. As the world was created with ten Divine utterances (Avot 5:1…
Until modern times, travel was viewed as something best avoided. It was slow, uncomfortable, and often quite dangerous. Our rabbis even instituted a…
The basic duty of every government is to provide security and protect its citizens from both internal criminal activity and external enemies. Parshat…
It is difficult to feel two contradictory emotions at the same time. Conflicting, if not contradictory, emotions such as joy and sadness,…
"According to the days that you spent exploring the land, forty days, a year for a day, you shall carry your sin and you will know My actions…
Our Torah encompasses all aspects of life: it regulates our existence from the day we are born until the day we die, and from the moment we awake…
With old age comes knowledge of life that can only be gained by experience. Thus, Jewish law insists that all elders, even non-observant or non-…
The centrality of the land of Israel is a basic tenet of Jewish thought. Our Sages note that mitzvot performed outside the land of Israel are little…
Bilaam, the heathen prophet, recognized that the strength of the Jewish people was in their high level of modesty. “How goodly are your tents,…
Judaism is a religion that celebrates life. "Better one hour of repentance and good deeds in this world than the entire life of the world to…
It is in times of crisis that effective leadership is most important—and the years spent wandering in the desert represented the first major…
How can two people witness the exact same events and yet offer two distinct and different reports? This question is one that jumps out as we examine…
A Jew is commanded to recite one hundred blessings each and every day (Menachot 43b). We need constant reminders to ensure that we recognize the…
Sefer Bamidbar opens with names and numbers, a theme that continues throughout the book; hence its name, Chumash Pekudim, the book of counting.…
Twice a year, before Shavuot and Rosh Hashana, we read the tochecha, the list of dire consequences that will, G-d forbid, befall the Jewish…
The Torah was wary of the employer-employee relationship. Almost by definition, an employee is not much different than a slave; both are told what to…
For those who write divrei Torah, the next few months will be a bit challenging and will demonstrate our geographical frame of reference.…
“Speak to the people of Israel, and say to them, ‘I am the Lord your G-d: Do not follow the ways of Egypt where you once lived, nor of…