Today I was sitting with my studies in my dining room when my neighbor knocked on the door. He was insistent: "You must come and look!" Behind my home sits one of G-ds masterpieces. The beautiful green Judean hills go on for miles toward Jerusalem and Hebron. One can...
Right Eyed
Some people are right handed while others are left. Apparently, there are right footed people and left footed people. Neurologists have discovered that there are right brained men and women and others that are left brained. The mekubalim have taught us yet another...
The Jewish Response
At this time, during the three week period before the Ninth of Av, when so many afflictions have befallen the Jewish people, I want to suggest to you an outlook appropriate for the period. Let me begin with a true story from the Six Day War. As you may know, many...
Off The Derech?
One of the greatest tragedies of our times is when every once in a while a young man or women makes a decision to walk away from generations of tradition, from years of education, from the love and encouragement of his or her parents to embrace a way that our fathers...
Fire Made by God
How can you tell the difference between a fire made by man and a fire made by G-d? A fire made by man gives warmth and light, but only burns while consuming its fuel. If nothing is consumed -" the fire goes out. A fire made by G-d gives light and heat but does not...
Spiritual Competition
The Torah speaks of the greatest moral heights and the lowest moral depths to which we can sink. " ... and if you despise My Laws, and your soul reject My social regulations so that all My commandments be not fulfilled, whereby you break My covenant, then I also will...
Why Did G-d Create Flies?
I spent just a few minutes researching flies. I couldn’t find too much useful information about them. I learned that once the adult house fly hatches from the pupal stage, it has an approximate life span of 15 to 30 days. I also learned that a female house fly can lay...
How To Make Synagogues Holy
An American industrialist once came to visit the Chofetz Chaim of blessed memory. The Chofetz Chaim proudly gave the man a personal tour of his Yeshiva and asked him if he too would like to be a partner in the building of Torah. The man looked at the saintly Rabbi. He...
The Pharaoh Syndrome
Regarding the case of the Aguna of Vilna I see you are leaning toward stringency. You feel the woman should not remarry. The reason you are leaning this way is because you are not here. You do not hear the crying of this woman nor do you see her tears. If I would be...
The Nachas Vacuum
Moshe was eighty years old. He was commanded to become the leader of the Jewish Nation. G-d determined that he had what it takes to be the greatest Jewish leader of all times. Yet, he insisted on the approval of his older brother Aharon. Let's take a closer look....
Yaakov Avinu and Gaza
Being that we have the privilege of living in Israel , I’ve been getting many calls from concerned friends and family that want to know the feeling in Israel over the war in Gaza. Truth be told, I am no political expert (I hope the people making the decisions are) and...
Struggle and Success
"And Yaakov went out…" I picture our father Yaakov leaving Beer Sheva all alone. As his ancestors before him he was walking from Southern Israel to Charan, (the area of Turkey) to search for and discover his marriage partner. He was around eighty years old as he...
Open Your Tent!
As I prepare this essay the world is in the middle of a nightmare in Mumbai. Innocent people were slaughtered, hostages have been taken and closer to home, we are all praying for a miracle for those that have dedicated their lives to Ahavat Yisroel manning a Chabad...
Hebron
Prince Rudolph, son and heir to the Austrian monarch Franz Josef, visited Palestine at the turn of the century and recounted his trip to Chevron in his memoirs: Upon reaching Hebron I immediately went to the cave of Machpela. There I was overwhelmed at the realization...
Praying For Others
The following Dvar Torah was given at the Saranac Synagogue in Buffalo on Shabbat Vayera 5747, (1986), and transcribed from memory by Dr. Jeffery Zucker. We dedicate this essay in memory of Jeff's mother Ita bat Shalom, A"H, who shares her Yortzeit with Rochel Imeinu....
After The Flood
There have never been as many institutions of Torah as there are today. Schools that were started then have record attendance. For those that took advantage of the time and rebuilt Yiddishkeit, Yiddishkeit was built. For those who put their energies into other movements and projects, they too succeeded. In under fifty years, as in Noah’s vineyard, a miracle has occurred.
Time For Renewal
A couple of years ago I had the great honor of being called up for Choson Torah in Jerusalem. It was an emotional moment. Often an Aliya is a celebration of a new relationship such as a new child or grandchild, a new Choson or Kalah. This Aliya was a celebration of a...
Let’s Get Rid Of the Boxes
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. The Hebrew...
Off The Derech!
If there are so many people going ‘off the derech’ maybe it’s the ‘derech’ that is ‘off the derech”! There are too many people that just don’t seem to fit in. Let’s open a window into Jewish history just where this week’s Parsha takes us. By this time Moshe had...
The Vision of Bilaam
We tend to understand the eye as an instrument that transfers information to the brain. Similar to the ears its function is intake. According to our teachings, however, the eyes have yet another function. They transfer energy, produced by the Neshama, outward into the world. When you look at an item or a person you are actually transferring some energy of your soul onto that item or person. If you transfer good soul energy it is called ‘Ayin HaTov’. If you transfer negative soul energy it is called ‘Ayin HaRa’. When we feel genuinely happy for another person’s successes and acquisitions we are giving them, through our eyes, a blessing. When we are full of jealousy,covetousness and hate we disadvantage them with an ‘Ayin HaRa’.
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...
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...