Few people who visit France visit Troyes, a city of fewer than 100,000 people, located some 90…
Ponderings from Paris: A Modern Day Sanhedrin
The emancipation of the Jewish people in Europe – begun in France in 1791 – brought to the fore a…
Ponderings from Paris: A Shabbat Light
The City of Lights. Paris gets its moniker due to its being amongst the first cities to use gas…
Chukat: Forty Years Later
The Jewish people demonstrated tremendous faith in following Miriam, Aharon and Moshe into a barren…
Shelach Lecha: Trees in the Desert
When thinking of parshat Shelach Lecha few people would highlight the story of the “mekoshesh…
Beha'alotcha: To Change or Not to Change
“The Lord spoke to Moses: Speak to Aharon and say to him, When you mount the lamps, let the seven…
Shavuot: Torah is for Sinners
It is rather strange that Shavuot is celebrated as Zman Matan Torateinu, the time of the giving of…
Bamidbar: The Book of Great Faith
One of the classic debates of biblical interpretation is whether or not the Torah is written in…
Behar: Not Yet Ready
One of the great blessings – and challenges - of the return of the Jewish people to the Land of…
Emor: 20/20 Vision
“'Love your neighbour as yourself’: Rabbi Akiva said this is the fundamental principle of the…
Kedoshim: Meet Rabbi Akiva
Moshe Rabbeinu and Rabbi Akiva first met – as our Sages anachronistically describe – when the Torah…
Metzora: Time for a New House
Four walls, tasteful furniture, great appliances, a great family room, lots of storage space and…
Shemini: Pork Tastes Great
Despite the fact – or perhaps precisely because – the reasons for the laws of kashrut are unclear,…
Pesach: Full of Contradictions
Pesach is a holiday of contradictions. The karpas represents both an appetizer for a fancy meal,…
Pesach: Welcoming Strangers
“I have come down to rescue them from the Egyptians and to bring them out of that land to a good…
Tzav: Welcoming Sinners
It is a universal custom in the Jewish world that one cover the challot when they make kiddush on…
Vayakhel: Shabbat - First and Last
For the umpteenth time[1] the Torah in parshat Vayakhel commands us to keep Shabbat. It is here…
Ki Tisa: Time to Forgive?
G-d was ready to destroy the Jewish people. A mere 40 days after hearing His voice these same…