Articles:
“We Need Our Space”
"We love Torah and we love G-d, but we can't live together with the rest of the Jewish people. We are willing to support you, teach you, do business with you; we'll even fight in your wars! But we need our own space." These were the words of the leaders of Gad and...
Finding our Moment – the Lesson of Pinchas
How to draw energy from deep within us to do what is right. The lesson of Pinchas is to be able to do what is right at that moment, no matter what everyone in the world thinks.
The Cow of Infinity
The Parah Adumah or Red Heifer is the classic example of a Mitzvah which is beyond our comprehension. As described in the Bamidbar (19:1-22), the cow had to be slaughtered outside the camp and its blood sprinkled in the direction of the holy of holies in the...
Greatness: A Jewish Definition
Determination and strong backbone can be the ingredients of true greatness or it can be the prelude to stupidity. I watched a documentary while on vacation. It made such an impression on me that I must share the inspiration. "Into Thin Air" is a gripping account of...
The Divine Mitigating Factor
According to the Wex Legal Dictionary the definition for Mitigating Factor is “any fact or circumstance that lessens the severity or culpability of a criminal act. Mitigating factors include an ability for the criminal to reform, mental retardation, an addiction to...
When Blessings Conflict
A dream is the first step of any new venture. We see a vision for our lives, our families, our community and the world we live in. We dream about how the world can be improved, and of the contribution that we can make. I personally dream of a life of Torah and a home...
The Cry of The Shofar
I recently came across the ‘tzavaa’, or the ethical will of Rav Menachem Mann Shach OBM, famed Rosh Yeshivah of Ponevez. This document was written when the Rav was over one hundred years old. The Rosh Yeshiva reflects on the whole of his long life and the possibility...
Defining Greatness – Emor
In Kedoshim, the portion of the Torah that teaches us how to be holy, we learned that being a holy person, is primarily focussed on interpersonal relationships. The classic themes of holiness refer to asceticism, a serious demeanor, and so on, may be part of the...
Be Holy! Kedoshim Tihiyu
The title of the Parsha is Kedoshim. This is a section about holiness. Moshe commanded the Jewish people to be holy, what are the parameters of holiness and explained that holiness is perhaps the underlying theme of being a Jew. “You should be holy; because I am...
The Danger of Renaissance
Rav Yanai was a giant in his generation, the generation immediately following the leadership of Rebbe Yehudah Hanasi. After a long period of persecution by the Roman Empire and the Hadrian Decrees, Rebbe Yehudah HaNasi ushered in a new generation of renaissance. He...
Keep It Honest
"Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When any man of you bringeth an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd or of the flock." The word used for “any Man’ in the Torah is ADAM. The usual noun used for man...
Choosing Your Grandfather
"He is a wise child who chooses a good grandfather." I recently spoke at a conference of baalei teshuvah. Someone came over and introduced himself to me as a great grandson of the Pnei Yehoshua. While in college he learned that he had such an illustrious grandfather....
Something to Smile About
The Torah recounts the reunion of Moses and his father-in-law Yisro. Moses tells him of all the wonderful miracles G-d has done for the Jews. In response the Torah tells us "Vayichad Yisro" (Exod. 18:9). Rashi gives 2 explanations for this phrase: (1) Yisro rejoiced...
Heroism
Some Talmudic history. When Rav Yehudah HaNasi died his son suggested that Rebbe Chanina become the new leader of Klal Yisroel. Rebbe Chanina declined. He knew that he had qualified colleagues that had their heart set on the top job. The last thing he wanted to do was...
You Go First!
G-d said, “…And also I heard the cries of the Children of Israel as they are slaves in Egypt; and I will remember My covenant.” G-d also heard! Who else is important? Who else can listen and answer our cries except G-d? Who else should hear our prayers? The answer is...
A Man Without A Name
In Australia I ran a beginners minyan. One Shabbos morning an older man came in. He wasn’t the usual type of attendee, he stood out. He was an old-timer, a European Jew During minyan he sat motionless in the back. It was a participatory Minyan, but he didn’t seem to...
Moshe – A Leader?
‘Anyone who has the humility of Moshe Rabeinu can also have his Torah.’ The more Moshe argued for his under-qualifications, the more God wanted him for the job. God didn’t want a politician. He wasn’t looking for a smooth talker. He wasn’t looking for someone who could work the crowd; He was looking for someone who could work his soul.
Don’t Hog The Blanket!
This Thursday we will commemorate the Tenth of Tevet. The day Nebuchadnezar began his occupation of Jerusalem. All the Jews had lived in the Land of Israel for eight hundred and fifty years. The Bais HaMikdash in Jerusalem, built by Shlomo HaMelech, was four hundred...