The Spiritual Summit Moshe Rabeinu, into his eighties, has been through a lot in the last two years. He’s been G-d's messenger to bring the people out of Egypt, he performed miracles, he split the sea, he was the conduit for Torah descending from Heaven to Earth. By...
"In memory of my father in law Matisyahu ben Chaim Refael Poliakoff and his father Chaim Refael ben Menachem Mendel, whose Yohrtzeits we are commemorating this week. May Hashem give them a lichtigen Gan Eden." There are two stark admonishments in the Torah, in our...
The Torah tells us in stark terms what the outcome will be if we do not live up to specific expectations. The recurring theme is that we must not do what is described as ‘going with G-d ‘b’keri’ or indifference - casualness. “If you will be indifferent to Me; I too...
There is a Midrash that at Aharon HaKohen’s funeral procession he was accompanied by 80,000 young men. There was a curious fact about all of these young men - they were all called Aharon. They were, in fact referred to as the Aharonim. Why were there so many young men...
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 post the Hadrian Decrees, Rebbe Yehudah HaNasi ushered in a new generation of renaissance....
We are waiting for the Shechina to come down. It's not happening! What can we do? "And it came to pass on the eighth day of inauguration of the Mishkan" Six Parshios and at least 12 difficult tractates of the Talmud are dedicated to getting us ready for this great...
When Moshe came down from Mount Sinai, the second time, his face was shining. The Torah describes this as ‘karan ohr panev’. ‘ His face was radiating light’. Although Moshe himself was unaware of this , the shine was so striking that the Jewish people were afraid to...
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...
I’m feeling okay about the nine days this year. Even Tisha B’Av! That may sound radical, so let’s explain why. The Talmud (Yoma 5) describes a scene toward the desecration and destruction of the Beis HaMikdash by the Babylonians. According to the Medrash in Eicha, a...
“If I could give only one bit of advice to my students, I would tell them that whenever they meet someone new, no matter who it is, they should try to find at least one thing that they like about that person.” (Rav Yisroel Salanter) Once you don't like someone, that...
Shabbos we can actually enjoy and experience the presence of His Shechina. We can experience a new level of light, of holiness, of spirituality and of peace. As Shabbos comes in we offer a special welcome to G-d in our lives.
Miriam took her tambourine, took the women aside and led them in song. Today Moshe's sister is introduced to us by name. Until now we didn't know her name. She was called "Achos Moshe", Moses' sister. We also learn today about the new title she received: "Miriam the...
I was once a proud member of the Boy Scouts of America, we had a pack of frum boys who met in a local shul. The troop was run by my father. Once he announced that we were going to learn about ‘the great divide’. I had no idea what he was talking about but guessed it...
The Book of Shmos begins with a new reality for the Jewish People. A reality which introduces on the one hand the prosperity of the Jewish people and their assimilation into Egyptian culture, and at the same time a growing anti-semitism which ensued. This was a new...
Our function in this world is to activate G-d's light. G-d said: "Light the Menorah and the world will see that it is not I that illuminate the world but you." (Medrash Shmos Rabba 36;2) When the world was created G-d said "Let there be light!" From the beginning of...
This week's Torah portion describes the envy between Joseph and his brothers, “Sinat Chinam”, and to what extent that envy can damage even the greatest and holiest of families. The jealousy and hate that Joseph's brothers had toward him motivated them to plot Josephs...
In Israel and the world over we are mourning the loss of innocent and wonderful Jews. Children and teenagers are cut down by forces of evil. The tragedies are at times unspeakable. How can we respond? Esau anguished Yaakov in injuring his thigh. Esau's descendants...
This week’s Dvar Torah is dedicated to Mrs. Toby Singer who passed into Gan Eden this past week. Growing up in Buffalo, NY, Mrs. Singer’s home was my second home. She taught me by example about Judaism, Torah and life. It was there that I learned about the light of...
Avrohom Avinu is often referred to as ‘the first Jew’. He stood out from the masses in one important way. He searched for truth. He lived by the truth. He always did what was right. “Avraham, from his earliest childhood, began his own intellectual search for truth and...
Abraham in his life time endured ten great challenges. He withstood them all. (Pirkei Avos 5) Abraham was not the first human being to be tested by G-d. Adam and Eve were also tested; but they were not able to stand up to God’s test. The generations following Adam...
Adam and Eve had three sons. The first two were the famous Cain and Abel. The third is introduced in the following manner. "When Adam had lived 130 years, he begot a son in his likeness after his image [bid'muso k'tsalmo], and named him Seth" (Gen. 5:3). Similar...
Pashkevil are protest posters that are pasted on walls. They are particularly common in Jerusalem as a means of conveying directives to the public. I had the privilege of living in Jerusalem. Everyday there are posters about a new threat or problem facing the Jewish...
On a spiritual voyage, the expedition, the trek, searching, yearning, finding it and just getting there, is the mission in and of itself! If we would know where it is then it wouldn’t be as holy.
The three weeks and the nine days are behind us and the High Holidays are not yet here. So, it’s party time. Concerts, barbecues, hiking and a lot of junk food in the Mountains. The Catskills have the feel of a Jewish Woodstock. It is a break between crisis and...
"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...
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 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...
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...
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...
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...