Arrogance and Bachelorhood

Parashat Hashavua: The Extent of our Guarantor Status

Five Reasons for Torah Sacrifices

"ON KVETCHES & PROPORTIONS"- Haftarah of Vayikra

Jews have an understandable tendency to Kvetch, but Yishayahu teaches us in the Haftara of Vayikra that in the process of ge'ula, we must learn to appreciate and focus on the positive and not complain so much. We should not tell G-d how to run His redemption, and in fact, we can understand the complaints about 3 AM sirens to shlep down 3 flights to the shelter with a child on each arm and a third on your shoulders on an average of once a night, but don't forget that just 2 weeks ago it used to be several times a night (and thank G-d we have shelters!). For decades the worst scenario imagined in Israel was a full-scale war with Iran, our largest, most sophisticated enemy with the most oil, Russian aid and nuclear plans. Well, that day is here, and we must profusely thank G-d and the IDF for pre-empting them with unprecedented intelligence, and professionalism to take out their entire leadership, anti-aircraft missiles and blow up their boats, planes and launchers pitifully uncontested. Our complaining shouldn't hide the glory of the G-d-sent victory, which COULD NOT HAVE BEEN ANY EASIER (except were more Jews willing to share the burden).

Parashat Hashavua: Re“calling” Moshe

MI LAHASHEM ELAY- THE TORAH MINDSET- P. Ki-Tisa

Parashat Hashavua: Torah from the Heaven, and the Reuniting of Broken Pieces

Superficial Spirtuality

Parashat Hashavua: The Persian Empire, the Golden Calf, and the Divine Presence

Light Up the World!

Parashat Hashavua: Joint Rachel/Leah Leadership and Megillat Esther

Who's in the Center?

Parashat Hashavua: Rachel, Leah, and King David – What Happened? – part V

REFINING 'PATIENCE' W/ KIDS WHO LEAVE 'DERECH'

There's a common question today: how to deal with the unfortunate phenomena of children from religious homes who somewhat leave Torah. This innovative approach shows how to stay sane, not blame ourselves, and even turn that issue from being a major problem, into a G-d given opportunity to improve one of the 13 G-dly traits we are meant to emulate: Erech Apayim (Patience).

The Half-Shekel – Then and Today

Can We Have Both Truth and Peace?

Parashat Hashavua: Rachel, Leah, and King David – What Happened? – part IV

WHAT CONVINCED YITRO MAY SWAY THE ANTI-ISRAEL TOO

We find that Yitro was convinced to follow the G-d of Israel for "Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the deities, for (precisely) with the thing that they plotted, [G-d brought] upon them(selves) (18, 11)." Rashi explains that the Egyptians drowned the boys of Israel, so in the end, G-d drowned their men as well. Why was this "Midah k'negged mida" (literally: "a measure for a measure)- so convincing for Yitro, even convincing him to actually change his life & join Israel? Similarly, this can help us understand why this theme of "V'Nahafoch hu…" (literally: "it was reversed", that the Megila flips everything Haman planned to do Israel, 180 degrees and brings upon Haman himself is so central also to Megilat Esther & the forthcoming holiday of Purim? We are not just speaking of irony, but of justice.

Honor Your Parents – and Yourselves!

Ten Commandment Comparison

Many have attempted to solve the question, what is THE difference which can find the common denominator between all 31 differences between the 2 versions of the Ten Commandment? This innovative article suggests that our sages already answered this with one sentence in a well-known Midrash, just most never noticed that seemingly innocent sentence. It deals with the basic difference between the masculine side of the Torah and the feminine.