| Sort articles by: date | title | views |
 Chanukah - 8 Days a Week .: Viewed: 2007 times :.
The Beatles had a number 1 hit song called 8 Days a Week. Were they singing about Chanukah?
2,182 years ago the Greeks had outlawed Torah observance among the Jewish People in Israel. They made it a capital punishment to observe the three Mitzvot of Shabbat, Milah and Nidah, which happens to be an acronym of SHEMEN (oil) (שמן). Parshat Vayeishev always falls out around Chanukah time. Thus...
Published: November 29, 2018 |
The Exodus Message for CORONA .: Viewed: 2006 times :.
L’ILUI NISHMAT ASHER SHMUEL CHAIM Z”L ben EPHRAIM v’TZIONA
What can the events leading up to the Exodus teach us about dealing with Coronavirus? Rav Soloveitchik posed the question on the verse in Parshat Shemot, “And G‑d saw the suffering of the children of Israel and He knew He must help them.” Rav Soloveitchik asks that if G‑d knew that He must help us, then...
Published: March 30, 2020 |
Love your friend as yourself? .: Viewed: 1998 times :.
This verse is one of the most mistranslated verses in the Torah. Can the Torah command something which is not humanly possible? Unlike other religions, that have fancy slogans not meant for the real world, Judaism is based on realty.
Thus, Rav Soloveitchik explains that this is not what the Hebrew verse actually says. It is all about knowing where to place the comas. For example, I had a...
Published: May 5, 2017 |
The Awesome Power of Speech .: Viewed: 1997 times :.
Parashat Tazria tells us about the laws of TZARAT. TZARAT was a miraculous illness that was inflicted upon a person who spoke Lashon Hara about a fellow Jew. Anyone diagnosed with Tzara'at was sent outside the camp or city to live a solitary existence. Tzara'at is comparable to leprosy, although in certain ways it was very different.
When a person speaks derogatorily about a fellow Jew,...
Published: April 20, 2017 |
The Mishkan Altar - A Virtual Gan Eden .: Viewed: 1988 times :.
“G‑d tells Moshe, you must make the Altar of hollow planks of wood…” (Shemot 27:8) This Altar was situated in the Courtyard, outside the Mishkan itself. This wooden Altar was a hollow structure that was filled up with earth each time the Mishkan was set up.
Why did G‑d command that the Altar of Atonement should be filled up with earth? The Yerushalmi Nazir 7 and the...
Published: February 17, 2020 |
Seeing G-D In Nature .: Viewed: 1985 times :.
The Yeshiva students are now on vacation touring the Holy Land. Is this considered BITUL TORAH-neglecting Torah study? In Parashat Lech Lecha, G-D tells Avraham, "Get up and tour the Land". The Torah is not ancient history, it is G-D's GPS (G-D's Personal System). G-D was not just speaking to Avraham, but to every Jew.
G-D is commanding us to explore his Precious Holy Land. At the...
Published: August 26, 2016 |
Fearsome Days or Happy Days? .: Viewed: 1985 times :.
There was a TV program called HAPPY DAYS. Is Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur Happy Days or Fearsome Days? The Mishna in Tanit states that our most joyous and most happy Yom Tov is Yom Kippur. But Yom Kippur is the final seal of Judgement Day! So which is it?
These days are called YAMIM NORAIM. In English it’s translated as DAYS OF AWE. Where does the word NORAIM come from? The first time...
Published: September 6, 2017 |
Twin Torahs .: Viewed: 1984 times :.
“In the third month after the Exodus from Egypt, the Children of Israel came to the Wilderness of Sinai.” (Shemot 19:1) Rashi explains that Israel arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on Rosh Chodesh Sivan, 6 days before we received the Torah there. According to the Talmud in Shabbat, the month of Sivan is represented by תאומים which means TWINS. Why did G‑d choose to give us the...
Published: February 3, 2020 |
Jerusalem What’s In A Name? .: Viewed: 1983 times :.
The phrase “Yom Yerushalayim” is first mentioned in Psalms 137 verse7, 3 thousand years before the 6 day war. Where does the name Yerushalayim come from? The answer is given by Tosfot in Tractate Taanit, 16 who state that the name Yerushalayim is a combination of two words, one uttered by Avraham at the Akeda (Bereshis 22), "Har Hashem Yeiraeh", which means "The mountain where G-d...
Published: May 3, 2017 |
Is Questioning G-D Kosher .: Viewed: 1982 times :.
Moshe Rabbenu questions G-D. "Why G-D, have You brought evil on this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has brought evil on this people, and You have not rescued Your people at all." (Shemot 5).
G-D responds by promising Moshe, that the redemption will come, and it will overshadow all previous Divine Miracles. But in relating this, the...
Published: January 11, 2017 |
BIKUR CHOLIM - A Real Life-Saver .: Viewed: 1981 times :.
We learn the mitzvah of BIKUR CHOLIM from G-d’s visit to Avraham after his illness from his Brit Mila. Thus, the Sefer Mitzvot Katan 47 counts BIKUR CHOLIM as one of the 613 Mitzvot, citing the verse “You shall walk in HIS ways.” (Devarim 28:9)
However, Rambam in Hilchot Evel 14 states that all specific acts of CHESED, such as comforting mourners, BIKUR CHOLIM and hosting...
Published: October 31, 2018 |
How to Deal with the Terror Tunnels .: Viewed: 1981 times :.
King David tells us in Tehillim 100, “to serve G-d with joy”. The Mishna in Avot 1 tells us that we should “greet and welcome everyone with a joyful countenance”. Avot D’Rabbi Natan 13 states that a happy and pleasant facial expression is considered equal to giving a person the most treasured gift in the world.
I just returned from a mini Chanukah vacation in...
Published: December 13, 2018 |
Why Name Parshat Matan Torah after a GER? .: Viewed: 1980 times :.
Yitro, Moshe's father-in-law, is the name of the Parsha in which we read the account of the most important event in Jewish and World history, the Giving of the Torah. It is remarkable that this Parsha has as its title, the name of someone who was not even born a Jew. Yitro was a pagan idol worshipper, but only later in life abandoned his paganism and recognized the One True G-d.
Why was...
Published: January 18, 2019 |
Can Man Bless G-d? .: Viewed: 1977 times :.
“And Malchizedek blessed Avram, and said, ‘Blessed be Avram to the Most High G-d…and blessed be the Most High G-d’”. (Bereshit 14:19,20) Malchizedek first blesses Avram, and then blesses G-d. Shouldn’t the order have been reversed? First he should have blessed G-d and then he should have blessed Avram.
To answer this question, Rav Soloveitchik asks...
Published: October 10, 2018 |
The Mishkan for today's world .: Viewed: 1974 times :.
The main function of the Mishkan (the portable Tabernacle we used in the desert) was to offer up animal sacrifices to Hashem. For many people, it is easier to relate to the narrative portions of the Torah and Mitzvot (the commandments) that apply in our day than to those dealing with the Temple sacrifices. The last sacrifices were offered in 68CE, before the Second Temple was destroyed. So why...
Published: March 21, 2017 |