“And the entire land were of one language, and the same things” (Breisheet 11:1). What a beautiful description of a world at peace! A world in which…
A history book, a law book[1], a book of theology, editorial comments, a book of philosophy, a description of G-d, a code of ethics, a lesson on…
If one wants to get a quick overview of a book one tends to read the introduction or perhaps the opening pages. That is where a typical author sets…
“Haazinu Hashamayim vadebera, vatishma haaretz imrei pi, Give ear, O heavens, let me speak; Let the earth hear the words I utter” (Devarim 32:1). In…
"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: your…
Why does misfortune befall the Jewish people? While there is no simple answer – or perhaps no answer at all - to this complex problem of theodicy,…
One of the beautiful aspects of our Torah is the fact that it deals with real-life issues, and with real and thus imperfect people. Nezikin, damages…
Long before Lord Acton, the Torah well understood that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. It is for this reason that the King –…
Each of the five books of the chumash has a unique theme – otherwise there would be no need for five books. Breisheet discusses why there is a need…
One of the primary goals of the Torah is the inducement of fear of heaven. “Now what does Hashem, your G-d ask of you? Only to fear Hashem your G-d,…
“Moses summoned all the Israelites and said to them: Hear, O Israel, the laws and rules that I proclaim to you this day! Study them and observe them…
“Moshe said to the Lord, "I beseech You, O Lord. Lo ish devarim anochi, I am not a man of words, neither from yesterday nor from the day before…
“And a lot of livestock did the children of the Reuven and Gad have and they saw the Ya’azer, and Gilead areas that were good for livestock” (…
While it is undoubtedly true that people get the leaders they deserve, it is also true that great leaders are often—though not always—able to inspire…
This week's devar Torah is dedicated in honour of the bat mitzvah of Temira Koenig. Mazal tov to her parents, Tali and Jason, and to the entire…
“Im Bryiah Yivrah, But if the Lord creates a creation, and the earth opens its mouth, patzta et piha, and swallows them and all that is theirs, and…
One of the most fascinating features of the Torah is the mixing of law and narrative. Nowhere is this more evident than in sefer Bamidbar. Sefer…
One can reasonably argue that the primary theme of sefer Bamidbar is that of leadership. How much responsibility must a leader take for the failings…
It is amazing how two people can look at the exact same thing and yet see things very differently. This is likely the reason that the Torah often…
One of the hallmarks of a strong society is its ability to smoothly effect change. New leaders and policies, crises and confrontations are all dealt…
The major theme of sefer Vayikra is, arguably, that of tumah and taharah, purity and impurity. When one reads the Torah, one senses what seems almost…
“The majority of the essence of the Torah is dependant upon it”. So asserts Rashi as he begins his commentary to parshat kedoshim. It is because of…
There is no aspect of our life that is beyond the purview of Torah. People need its rules and regulations in every area, to keep their natural…
At times of crisis, true leaders often emerge, be they political, military or religious. Their ability to effectively provide inspiration, motivation…