“Do not sacrifice to G-d, your Lord, an ox or sheep that has a blemish; any bad thing, it is an abomination to the Lord, your G-d” (Devarim 17:1).…
"For the sin that we have sinned before You through hardness of the heart." With the month of Elul approaching, our thoughts turn to…
Had things gone according to plan, the chumash would be a much shorter book. If not for the sin of the golden calf, there would have been no need for…
"Shamor v’Zachor b’dibur echad". This phrase, sung every Friday night, notes the most famous difference between the recording of the aseret hadibrot …
"Eleh Hadevarim, these are the words that Moshe spoke to all of Israel" (Devarim 1:1). In Biblical Hebrew, the word eleh comes to differentiate and…
Sinning is meant to be enjoyable. If not, there would be no point to it. How ironic, then, when a person sins and does not derive any pleasure. A…
We tend to think that the names of the weekly parshiot have little intrinsic meaning; they are just taken from the opening word or two of the parsha…
Those of us living in Canada are especially sensitive to the importance of language to the fabric of a country. The language that one speaks is, more…
"All of man's earnings are decreed on Rosh Hashanah, except for expenses regarding Shabbat and Yom Tov and expenses…
"The hand of the witnesses should be against him first to put him to death, and the hand of the nation at the end" (Devarim 17:7). Giving…
One of the most vexing issues we face today is how to deal with those who violate, wilfully or not, the precepts of the Torah. Whether our approach…
"And now, Israel, what does G-d, Ma Hashem, want from you but just to fear the Lord your G-d, to walk in all His ways, to love Him and to…
The most obvious connection between Tisha b’Av and parshat Vaetchanan—which is always read on the Shabbat following this…
The true state of health of any society can be determined by an examination of the justice system that it provides for its citizens. Are rich and…
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-…