by Rabbi Yaacov Haber | Jul 5, 2013 | Massei
Why do we sing when we travel? While reading this week’s parsha the baal korei will burst into a delightful song. He will not be reading about the splitting of the sea or be announcing the Ten Commandments. Rather, he will be reciting the travelogue of the Jewish...
by Rabbi Yaacov Haber | Jun 28, 2013 | Pinchas
I have some very dangerous and risky advice that I give my children and anyone else willing to listen. Be a Pinchas! Don’t settle for any injustice and don’t get used to seeing wrong. I was marveling at the story of the great Talmudic sage, Rabbi Yehoshua...
by Rabbi Yaacov Haber | Jun 21, 2013 | Balak
G-d instructed Abraham to take his beloved son Isaac, bind him on to an alter, and sacrifice him to G-d. The Torah reports that Abraham “ROSE UP IN THE MORNING” to perform G-d’s will with enthusiasm and zeal. Bilaam intended to place a fatal curse on...
by Rabbi Yaacov Haber | Jun 7, 2013 | Korach
Many people enjoy a good argument. It helps clarify the issues, it creates a passion, challenges the mind and stimulates the heart. Much of the development of Judaism was through machlokes. Arguments were never considered a tragedy. I can remember being challenged to...
by Rabbi Yaacov Haber | May 31, 2013 | Shelach
The people of Israel needed to see for themselves. They needed to check out Israel with their own eyes before they would agree to the Land of Israel as their homeland. This little due diligence that they performed, however, had catastrophic consequences which seemed...