31 Lessons
Honoring the Parents Must I Honor My Parents if They Tell Me Not to Live In Judea/Samaria?
What if one's parents tell him not to live in Judea/Samaria? Is living there considered an extra important mitzvah, and therefore he should ignore his parents, or is it only a "beautification" of the existing mitzvah of living in the Land of Israel?
Revivim Oh, Freedom!
Why did the Torah allow the impoverished to be sold into slavery, instead of forcing the rich to support them? And how can we learn to deal with thieves from the Torah?
Revivim How Binding is Minhag?
Should a person continue praying in the traditional style of his fathers’, or can he change? Educate children about the importance of marriage, and don’t stress the problems.
Berachot - Blessings “Hatov Vehametiv”
Wine is unique in that it not only satiates, it also gladdens the heart. Each type of wine has its own unique character, and when additional types of wine are consumed in company there is greater joy - and therefore a special blessing is recited.
Prayer Mentioning and Requesting Rain
Mistakes related to the mentioning and requesting of rain are the most common in prayer. This is because the appropriate wording changes every six months. After accustoming ourselves to one version it is difficult to make the switch to the other.
Various Subjects The Laws Relating to Converts
The laws relating to Jewish converts are most astounding. Despite the criticism directed at the Jewish people on the grounds that Judaism is racist, the Torah teaches us that any non-Jew who earnestly seeks to join the Jewish people may do so.
Berachot - Blessings Counting Blessings . . . and Calories
The Sages teach that “jealousy, greed, and honor remove a person from the world” (Avot 4:21). These negative traits stem from the fact that a person is not satisfied with his own life and believes that his happiness depends upon exterior factors.
Women in Judaism Women, Precepts, and Perimeters
As a rule, women are obligated to observe the commandments of the Torah just like men, with the exception of positive time-bound precepts. Yet, if a woman wishes to voluntarily perform a positive time-bound commandment, she receives merit for this.
Women in Judaism The Woman and Her Commandments
Essentially, men and women are created equal and both are graced by the divine image through which every human being is created. Likewise, the unalterable chosenness of the Jewish people and their innate holiness embraces men and women alike.
Various Subjects A Woman's Obligation to Pray
According to most authorities, women are no less obligated to pray than men. Therefore, they must pray “Amida” in the morning and the afternoon (“Shacharit” and “Mincha”). The evening Amida prayer (“Maariv”), on the other hand, is voluntary.
Subjects of Jewish Thougts 46. The “Hassid” - Further Discussion
A saintly person controls his tongue. He does not emit a word from his mouth without thinking about it first. Every word is weighed and considered. Hence, the prayer of such a person is not a thoughtless, perfunctory act, like the speech of a parrot.
Subjects of Jewish Thougts Torah Study or Profession?
After a student has studied for a number of years and has received a firm Torah foundation, it is best to direct him according to his talent and ambition – whether in the field of Torah, viz., education or the Rabbinate, or some practical vocation.