Rabbi Sender Haber

Rabbi, Monsey, NY

Be Matir Neder

I had lived in Norfolk for a while when I met a “frum looking” Jew that I had never seen before. After the usual greetings, I asked him if he would like to spend some time learning with me once or twice a week. He responded in the affirmative and soon he was coming to...

The Door

Calvin Bakov supplies liqueur to the military. He owns thousands of dollars in alcohol which he keeps in his warehouse. He is not allowed to touch it. Because the liqueur is exempt from certain taxes, the government keeps Mr. Bakov’s property under lock and key....

Elul Smackdown

I got a letter from a Yeshiva. They don’t feel that their dinner is worthwhile so they are just sending out nice letters asking everyone to match last years donation. The assumption is that nobody is really interested in Dinner anyway. In contrast, two guys in...

Wrap the Grizzly Bear in a Towel!

The Parsha begins by discussing the rules of voluntary wars. The Torah is not against war and weapons but there are guidelines. My former Monday night Chavrusa was once innocently carrying a sword down Granby Street when he was detained by the authorities. He had...

Is It OK To Cheat?

Last week I experienced a brief moment of intense disappointment. I bought the latest of Rav Chaim Kanievsky’s trademark encyclopedic works, Derech Chochma and found the following introduction: “My goal was to compile the various commentaries on the words of the...