Articles:
A History of the Shechinah
Lately I have started praying for something new. I still pray for good health, for my children, for peace in Israel, and for parnossa — but I now realize that it really all comes down to one thing. I have started praying for the Shechinah. I realize that when G-d...
Receiving the Torah – In the desert
When important meetings, conventions or summits take place location is of the utmost importance. The greatest political minds come together to choose Oslo or Geneva. They search the globe for political neutrality, proper security and appropriate ambiance. The location...
Getting Out Of Slavery
The Jewish Exodus from Egypt took a little of our effort and a lot of God’s.
Diagnosing Tzoraas
In this week's parsha we learn about the diagnosis and treatment of "tzoraas" (a leprous disease, which one would suffer because of some moral failing) by a kohen. The kohen might observe a whitish sore on the person's skin, and, if he diagnosed it as "tzoraas", he...
Simchah During Frightening Times
When Adar comes we increase in Simcha! The people of Israel are still in mourning over the tragic murder of eight of our purest souls. Mothers in Sderot and now in Ashkelon are not sleeping or eating as they wait for the next bomb to drop. We hear about it on...
The Merkaz HaRav Shiva is Over
Remember how you felt when you first heard that Yeshiva students from Merkaz HaRav were brutally murdered last week in Jerusalem? Have you calmed down? Tens of young boys just returned from the Kotel where they went to recite the Yom Kippur Kattan prayers. They were...
The Merkaz HaRav Shiva is Over
Our reaction to Mercaz Harav massacre. What Amalek did to us. Have we gotten used to the idea?
Teruma – Finding Our Purpose in Life
Whatever happened to Betzalel? The Talmud tells a story. Rabbi Tarphon was ill and his very important friends, Rabbi Akiva, Rabban Gamliel and others, came to visit. They met his mother at the door crying. She pleaded with the Tzaddikim to “please pray for her son...
What happened to Moshe’s Children?
There is an interesting story told in the Book of Judges, Chapter 17. Someone by the name of Michiyahu founded an idolatrous cult. He had an idol and built a temple for this purpose. He sought someone with leadership qualities, charisma and spirituality to lead his...
Don’t Sleep There!
Imagine going to sleep and having the most spectacular dream humanly possible. Yaacov dreamt of a ladder standing with its feet planted firmly in the ground extending deep into the heavens. This became the trademark for spirituality. On it walked Angels of G-d. They...
Do Your Thing!
Something occurred to me today. Why are we all different? Why do we all have different talents, natural skills and different likings? The answer is because we all have a different contribution to make. It is our unique abilities that define the contribution we need to...
Noah and Abraham
Abraham saved the world Noah saved himself. Although Noah was a righteous man and did whatever G-d told him to do, Noah’s silence was deafening. As far as we can know, all the years of Noah he didn’t say a word! G-d told him to build a boat – he built a boat. G-d told...
Noah and Abraham
Abraham saved the world Noah saved himself. Although Noah was a righteous man and did whatever G-d told him to do, Noah’s silence was deafening. As far as we can know, all the years of Noah he didn’t say a word! G-d told him to build a boat – he built a boat. G-d told...
Rainbow -Beautiful or a Curse?
The rainbow symbolizes peace because it demonstrates how so many can become one. It symbolizes curse because it shows how one can be divided into so many. Noach and his family emerged from their ark and saw a rainbow. The rainbow represented a covenant of peace...
Where Do You Stand
The following drasha was given at the Saranac Synagogue in Buffalo on Shabbat Vayera, 5748 (1987), and transcribed from memory by Jeffery Zucker. The Torah relates a heart-rending story. Abraham evicts Hagar and his son Ishmael from his house. He supplies them with...
Vayeira 5761 / 2000 (Jerom Haber)
Friday is my busiest day, especially since we changed the clock. Last Friday I received a call from someone who needed to talk. It was a stranger who had been recommended to me by a local therapist. I suggested some possible times for a meeting - Saturday night,...
Vayeira 2001
When we think about a bris milah we immediately conjure up images of a new life, a new beginning and a fresh start. Our Parsha begins when Avrohom Avinu was ninety-nine years old. He had just had a Bris Milah. It is difficult to consider ninety-nine years old a new...
Selling Torah
The following drasha was given at the Saranac Synagogue in Buffalo on Shabbat Lech Lecha by Rabbi Yaacov Haber, and transcribed from memory by David Sher. This weeks Torah portion describes how Abraham performed the Mitzvah of Bris Milah on himself. Our sages list...