I once read an astounding study that affects us all. A certain philanthropist in Long Island is funding an academic study on the “fallout” from Judaism. Why are so many children falling through the cracks of the Jewish community? We all have our own ideas and theories...
Shining Our Souls
'What good is a lamp in the sunshine!' Our characters have been marked with Poland, Hungary, Germany, Spain, Amsterdam, Morocco and Turkey. All of our ancestors have traveled through the desert. Our character has been altered - how could it not be? In this week's...
Holiness in Judaism
In today's parsha we read about the various restrictions applying to kohanim (or "priests", although I am uncomfortable with this translation, for reasons which will become clear). For example, a kohen may not "contaminate himself" ("lo yitama", whatever that means...
Jewish Self Consciousness
Do not shame My holy name; sanctify me amongst the people of Israel, I am G-d. (Vayikra 22; 32) This is a strange juxtaposition. Chilul Hashem is the biggest aveira. Kidush Hashem is the biggest mitzva. One would think that the person prone to making a chilul Hashem...
How to Choose an Orange
In this week’s parsha, we find the Jews journeying in the desert. They have not yet developed a national character—nor do they have a country. But for now they are travelling from one country, Egypt, to another, Canaan, and being warned severely against emulating the...
Holy?!
I ask myself regularly if I really want to be holy. In the year 1930 the Chofetz Chaim traveled to Vilna. He went to speak in the oldest and most central Shul in Vilna. In honor of the Gadol HaDor all the candles were lit and the tall beams that held up the roof were...
A Different Kind of Rosh Hashanah!
Depending on who and when you ask the Jewish year either begins in the month of Tishrei, at Rosh Hashanah time, or a couple of weeks before Pesach in Nissan. Why do we have two new years? The answer lies in the season of each New Year. Tishrei and Rosh Hashanah occur...
Bow Low, Climb High
In honor of the Aufruf of our daughter Nechama to Avrohom Walkin of Bayit VeGan which will take place this Shabbos. The Holy Ari once taught his students a guaranteed segula or formula for success. In the morning when we pray we bow our heads to say Modim. If while...
The Poor Man’s Offering
In today's parsha, we read about the "korban olah" (elevated or burnt offering). This has three forms, according to the economic status of the man who brings it. It may be an animal, from the man's cattle of sheep (the Cadillac of burnt offerings). Or, if he cannot...
The Challenge of Chosenness
After the Nazis invaded the small village of Klausenberg, they began to celebrate in their usual sadistic fashion. They gathered the Jews into a circle in the center of town, and then paraded their Rebbe, Rabbi Yekusial Yehuda Halberstam, into the center. They began...
The Company Man
"Do not shame My holy name; sanctify me amongst the people of Israel, I am G-d." (Vayikra 22; 32) This is a strange juxtaposition. Chillul Hashem is the biggest aveira. Kiddush Hashem is the biggest mitzva. One would think that the person prone to making a Chillul...
Israel Independence Day
I originally wrote this article in 2008 but as I review it and read the headlines of the Israeli newspapers it seems even more relevant today. There is nothing that brings out my identity crises more than living in Eretz Yisroel on Yom Haatzmaut. This week a large...
Fire At the Seder
One of the great heroes of the Holocaust was Reb Kalman Klonymus Shapiro, the Piazetzner Rebbe. In the prime of his life as a Rebbe he was taken into the hell of the Warsaw Ghetto. He had a work load like everyone else, suffered from malnutrition, and was surrounded...
God Called Him Moshe
God called him Moshe The name “Moshe” is perhaps the most famous name in Jewish history. Moshe saved the Jewish people; Moshe performed miracles; Moshe told us how to act; Moshe brought us the Torah; Moshe led us through the desert. It is significant to note that...
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...
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...
Moses the Peacemaker
How Moshe made peace between Hashem and Aharon, and what we can learn from this regarding ourselves and our children.
Shabbos Hagadol
Parshas Shmini 2000
"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 moment. There were so many things that we needed to know. How do we build the...
The Intrinsic Holiness of the Jewish Soul
Why is Kidoshim Tihyu not a mitzva? Because every Jew is intrinsically holy!
Shemittah 1989
A thought for the week on Parshas Behar
When Does a Partnership Work
Parshas Shmini 1988
Parshas Behar 1986
A thought for the week on Parshas Behar