An explanation of why the "logical" conclusion that one should avoid living in the Land of Israel when the state of religious observance there is lacking...is not so logical after all.
I have seen some chazanim wait, during their Modim, at “l’olam va’ed” for the tzibbur to finish Modim D’Rabanan. That seems to make the most sense, so everyone can hear all of Modim. Should everyone be doing that?
A look at commentaries on the second paragraph of the Shema found in this week's Torah reading Ekev to discover that Mitzvot (commandments) mean more when they are performed in the Land of Israel.
Rav Kook explains that there is no way to pretend and hide one's shortcomings and be an "imposter", for they eventually will be exposed and revealed, at least through Freudian slips. The solution is to focus, not on the façade, and not on the hidden self, but rather on improving my real inner self. This approach to truth explains how real tshuva actually turns even one's purposeful sins into benefits.
An open package of spaghetti fell out of the closet, with its contents spilling on the counter and floor. I swept up what was on the floor but left the spaghetti on the counter, as I was unsure if it was muktzeh. One of my boys noshed on some of it. Was he allowed to eat it or was it muktzeh?
