by Rabbi Yaacov Haber | Sep 21, 2012 | Vayelech
How does the Ribono Shel Olam decide our destiny for the upcoming year? How does He judge us? The answer is simple. The same way we judge others. A Medrash. Hashem said to Moshe “Hain Kirvu Yamecho Lamus”. Your time has come. The end of your life is here....
by Rabbi Yaacov Haber | Sep 14, 2012 | Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Elul, Ten Days of Repentance, Nitzavim
The Parsha speaks about Teshuvah. The great Ezra designed the calendar so that this Parsha will always be read before Rosh HaShanah so that at this exact time of year our hearts and minds should be focused on improving our relationship with the Almighty. Recently I...
by Rabbi Yaacov Haber | Sep 7, 2012 | Ki Tavo
Rav Moshe Feinstien ZT”l once commented that early on we used to see fierce arguments in Shul over who should get an Aliya and who shouldn’t. He observed that as the years went on things seemed to have become much more civilized and gentlemanly. “Please, you take the...
by Rabbi Yaacov Haber | Aug 31, 2012 | Ki Tetze
A Jewish man goes to war and there at war he encounters amongst the enemy a beautiful woman. The Torah says that he can take her home but he must cut off her hair and “do” her nails. It’s interesting that the two ectodermic appendages, hair and nails...
by Rabbi Yaacov Haber | Aug 17, 2012 | Re'eh, Elul
Here we are getting ready to usher in the last month of the year. There is a vast amount of discussion and literature on how to start off the year and very little about how to end it. Even the last month of the year Elul, has been marketed as the preparation for the...