2024-08-30

It is difficult to feel two contradictory emotions at the same time. Conflicting, if not contradictory, emotions such as joy and sadness, love and…

2024-08-12

Some of the most stirring and beautiful Biblical words – or any words – are those spoken by the prophet Yishayahu. “Nation shall not lift up sword…

2023-10-06

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…

2023-09-22

“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…

2023-09-08

"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…

2023-09-01

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,…

2023-08-25

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…

2023-08-18

Long before Lord Acton, the Torah well understood that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. It is for this reason that the King –…

2023-08-11

  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…

2023-08-04

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,…

2023-07-28

“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…

2023-07-21

“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…

2022-10-09

“The deeds of the Mighty One are perfect, for all his ways are just. He is a faithful judge; never unfair, righteous and straight is He" (Devarim 32:…

2022-09-30

The time has come for new leadership. “I am no longer able to come and go, and G-d has told me you will not cross the Jordan” (Devarim 31:2). While…

2022-09-23

It is customary that on the shabbat before a new month we "announce" its arrival with a prayer that the upcoming month be filled with the blessings…

2022-09-09

When studying Torah we must study not only its content, but also its form; not just what the Torah says, but also how it says it. Proper study…

2022-09-02

Judaism has always placed tremendous emphasis on intellectual achievement and development. Talmud Torah k’neged kulam—the study of…

2022-08-26

How can you tell if somebody loves you? We all understand that words alone are hollow, and that it is actions that count. Even so, it is not always…

2022-08-19

The measure of a human being is revealed by the little things. The greater the person, the more one understands the significance of the small details…

2022-08-12

Our Sages ordained that we should read parshat VaEtchanan on the Shabbat after Tisha B’Av. As they phrased it, “tzumu v’tzlu, fast and pray”. On…

2022-08-05

Each one of the five books of the Chumash has a unique central theme, be it the choosing of the Jewish nation (Breisheet), redemption (Shemot), …

2021-09-17

Despite our long and frequently miraculous past, the actual study of Jewish history is an oft-neglected field. It is perceived by many, to a large…

2021-09-13

Rare is the person who measures his success by looking only at themselves, trying to determine how they can build on their strengths and improve on…

2021-09-10

"And G-d said, 'My spirit shall not continue to judge him forever; he is nothing but flesh, and his days will be 120 years'" (Breisheet 6:3). Man had…