Eradicating Hatred in Our Generation

Iron Swords: The War Against Hamas, 5784 (2023)

Avraham’s Prophecy

Parshas Vayeira begins with Hashem appearing to Avraham. When a Navi, Avraham included, receives a prophecy, he is in a prophetic trance or a dreamlike state, as we will see later in the words of the Rambam regarding prophecy. Yet, the very next Posuk has Avraham seeing travelers, racing out to invite them into his tent, cooking and serving them a meal, and carrying on a conversation with them. How could he do this if he was in the middle of having a prophetic vision?

Some Light Chanukah Questions

On the Light of Hanuka and Israeli Independence

Are the Hanukah miracles of 2,000 years ago relevant to our generation? The answer is: Yes, more than ever before! Why is that? Let us begin the explanation at the beginning – from the first book of the Pentateuch...

The Curse of Loneliness

The battle against antisemitism can be won, but it will not be if Jews believe that we are destined to be alone. That is Bilaam’s curse, not God’s blessing.

What Do We Do When No Kohen Is Present for Torah Reading?

Taking Out the Sefer Torah

Which Keil Erech Apayim should I say? My wife is due to give birth shortly, and I am saying kaddish for my father. Should I be the Chazan, do Pticha or both? When do I recite Berich She’mei?

What Is the Significance of the Number 40 in Jewish Tradition?

The Heroism of Tamar

It is thus no coincidence that Tamar, a heroic non-Jewish woman, became the ancestor of David, Israel’s greatest King. There are striking similarities between Tamar and the other heroic woman in David’s ancestry, the Moabite woman we know as Ruth.

11. The Menora and the Shamash

Chapter 12: Lighting the Hanuka Candles

It is proper to beautify the mitzva by using a beautiful menora (ĥanukiya, candelabrum), each according to his means.In order to prevent people from violating the prohibition of benefiting from the Ĥanuka candles, the custom developed to light an additional candle to serve as a shamash.

The Words of the Prophets

Hashem appeared to him in a vision and instructed him to tell me that this coming Shabbos, but only this Shabbos, I am supposed to drive him somewhere in my car. Am I supposed to listen to him?”

How perfect were the matriarchs and patriarchs?

In an extraordinary series of observations on this week’s parsha, Ramban delivers harsh criticisms of Abraham and Sarah. What is deeply interesting about Ramban’s approach is his willingness to point out flaws in their behaviour.

Did the Brothers have a Right to Sell Yosef?

Vayeshev

Who Lights the Chanukiya - When, Where & How?

The Son of a Convert Feeling Looked Down Upon

My father converted (his mother was not Jewish). I have struggled with my identity due to what I have read in the Kuzari, Maharal and Kabbalistic and Chassidic works, which seem to view gerim as lesser than born Jews. Does Judaism view someone like me as somewhat defective?

The Seudah of a Bris

Feeding the Birds

The Mitzvah of Levayas Hameis

Take Responsibility!

Eglah Arufah

Understanding the Shalom Zachor

White and Nice Clothes and Gold on Yom Kippur

Is it indeed proper to wear white clothes and not wear gold on Yom Kippur? Is there a difference between men and women? Should one wear or avoid nice clothes on Yom Kippur?

Donating a Sefer Torah to a Shul

People who own sifrei Torah often lend them to a shul. Is there any reason they cannot donate them (which can get them a tax credit)?

The Chanukah Miracle

Selah

Was the song "Ma'oz Tzur" written for Chanukah?

What Makes Bread Jewish?

Do I say Yaaleh Veyavo, Retzei or both?

Bimah in the Middle‏

Prior to Shavuos is an excellent time to review some of the less-known halachos germane to kerias haTorah, including whether the Bimah needs to be in the middle of the shul.

Flying High – A Traveler’s Guide to Kindling the Menorah

Non-Edible Oils for Lighting the Menorah

Double Wrapping Food in a Treif Oven

I know that sometimes when warming something in a not kosher oven or a milchig food in a fleishig oven, he double wraps the food. When is this necessary and why?

Musaf or Hallel?

After davening Mincha on Rosh Chodesh, I (a woman) wanted to make up Hallel and Musaf that I did not have a chance to do in the morning. I saw that I did not have enough time before sunset to do both. Which one should I have done?

A Chinuch Primer

In parshas Lech Lecha, the Torah (Bereishis 14:14) refers to the chanichav, the people trained by Avraham Avinu to believe in Hashem and observe His mitzvos.

We Are What We Remember

Komemiyut

On Yom Ha’atzmaut we celebrated the establishment of the State of Israel, which became a reality, to a great extent, by our miraculous success in the War of Independence. In Hebrew that war has a few names – including, Milchemet Hakomemiyut. The word komemiyut is a mila yechida’it – a word that is found only once in the Torah. In this case, it is found in our parasha: “I am Hashem who took you out from the Land of Egypt from being slaves, and I broke the staves of your yoke, and I led you komemiyut” (Vayikra 26:13). I refrained from translating the word, and for good reason. One of the ways commentators and translators know how to explain a word is by comparing it to its other appearances in Tanach, including some in which the meaning is clear by context. Since we cannot do that for komemiyut, we will use other methods: context in our pasuk, analyzing the root, along, of course, with looking at our classical commentators.

Lighting Candles When One Needs to Leave the House

My husband and I were going away for Shabbat, walking to a different side of the neighborhood to eat with relatives and sleep at a neighbor’s empty home. We left late, so we knew we would not make it in time to light at our destination. What should we have done about Shabbat candles?

Of Donuts

Automatic Payment on Shabbat or Yom Tov

Washing Hands with Soap on Yom Kippur

Days on Which Tachanun Is Not Recited

Chapter Twenty One-Part Three

Chapter Twenty One-Part Three

Working in a Non-Kosher Establishment

When we need to wash our hands?

Chapter eight-part three

Chapter eight-part three

Removing Muktzah from the Table

The Mitzvah of Settling the Land of Israel

Granted, we are not yet in control of the entire Land, and we are partially dependent on the nations of the world, but we are actually fulfilling, once again, the mitzvah of Yishuv HaAretz.

Methods of Receiving Pay for Work on Shabbat

Chanuka Candles and Havdala – Which Comes First?

Prayer for Redemption and Blessings for Mashiach

Special prayer to hasten our final redemption attributed to the Ramchal. Which blessings will we say when the Messiah comes?

Keeping Kosher - Eating Out

How Does a Person Convert to Judaism?

Understanding the meaning of Gerus, reasons, the process of Giur, important aspects, the very speacial status of a Ger Tzedek.

It’s About Time - Bein Hashemashos

About Bein Hashmashot, the impact on important mitzvot, how will it affect the time of the bris? Dovening Minha, Shabbat, Rosh Hashana, the Gra and Rabbeinu Tam.

The Need for a Shamash Candle These Days

Milk Spoon in a Meat Sink or Dishwasher

Kashrut in a Nutshell

The Halacha of meaty, dairy and parve cutlery washed together in the sink or dish washer, with hot or cold water.

Laws of the Etrog

How to choose an Etrog

How to choose a Kosher Etrog? A few Halachot brought in a short and clear way.

Washing One’s Face on Yom Kippur

Must My Car and Table Observe Shabbos?

Is it forbidden to earn money on Shabbat from our rented property? How do Chazanim - Cantors, get paid for there prayer on Shabbat?

Showering on Shabbat

May someone soak an infected toe in hot water on Shabbos? May I take a quick dip in the pool on a Shabbos when it is 105 degrees in the shade? Is bathing on Shabbos permitted to alleviate a minor skin condition?

Writing on Shabbat

May I write my initials on a frosty window on Shabbos?, May I communicate with someone on Shabbos by making the motions of writing the letters?

Double Parashiyot

When is it a good idea to have doubles?

In most calendar years, our policy is to have several weeks when we read a double parsha so that we are able to complete the Torah every year and make a Siyum HaTorah on Simchas Torah. Why and when does this happen?

Covering for Food on the Hot Plate

How Do We Make Kosher Wine?

The laws of Kosher wine, Yayin Nesech, Stam Yeynam and wine made or touched by a non Jew.

Chanuka

Non-Edible Oils for Lighting the Menorah

How is olive oil produced? What is extra virgin oil, and what is virgin oil? What types of oil are fitting for lighting the menorah?

Chanuka and Shabbat Priorities

One has enough money to either buy wine for Kiddush or candles for Shabbat. What has priority? Does the wine have priority since Kiddush at night is from the Torah or do candles of Shabbat have preference for the sake of "Shlom Bayit"?

The Dangers of Dominion

Lighting the candles on Friday night

Where should I light if i'm staying at somone else's house for Shabbat? Should we light before or after Havdalah?

Use of Harchaka D’Rabbeinu Tam

Chanukah

Flying High – A Traveler’s Guide to Kindling the Menorah

Did the Brothers have a Right to Sell Yosef?

Performing a Proper Hesped

The Halachot of a 'Eulogy'

The Torah’s Instructions to Non-Jews—The Laws of Bnei Noach

The 7 Noahide Laws, Non-Jews and everything in between.

How Does a Heter Iska Work?

What is the prohibition of "Ribbit"? who does it apply on? How does the "Heter Iska" bypass the prohibition? and more...

A Little Light

Who is Obliged, and Who is Exempt from Chanukah Candles

Fulfilling the Mitzvah in the following cases, according to the Sephardic and Ashkenazi customs: lighting in the Synagogue, travelers, women, single and married children living at home and away from home, Yeshiva students, soldiers, roommates, mourners, and blind persons.

Bringing Benefit to a Talmid Chacham

Chanukah – An Illuminating Faith

The Chanukah candles teach us that Jewish faith does not lose its strength. To the contrary, despite the hardships and darkness, faith persists, and even blossoms. The refined spirituality that is revealed through the Torah is eternal, and it grows.

Some Light Chanukah Questions

Some Light Chanukah Questions. Eating in one house ans sleeping in another, when is the optimal time to kandle the Menora? Lighting candles in a Hotel, Where does a Yeshiva Bachur light? and more....

Hatzalah and Shabbos Emergencies

A summary of PIKUACH NEFESH Halachot on Shabbat. What if I do not now if it is a life threatening emergency? Who should drive? A man or a woman? A Jew or a Non-Jew? and more....

Flying High - A Traveler’s Guide to Channukah

What does one do about Channukah candles in a hotel, while traveling and in other complicated circumstances?

Lighting the Chanukah Candles

It is the act of lighting the Chanukah lamp that constitutes the precept. Therefore, even if the head of the household is sick and cannot get out of bed, we may not bring them to him to light by his bedside and then set them down in their proper place.

Should I Limit How Much Tzedakah I Give?

Who should I give Tzedaka to? How much? What are critical cases? How do we help them?

The Three Keys

"R' Yochanan said: Three keys the Holy One blessed be He has retained in His own hands and not entrusted to the hand of any messenger, namely, the Key of Rain, the Key of Childbirth, and the Key of the Revival of the Dead"

The Laws of Blowing the Shofar

The Jerusalem Talmud relates that the enemies once heard Jews blowing the shofar during morning prayers. They thought it was a war cry and attacked the worshipers. Therefore, the sages instituted that the shofar be blown during the Mussaf prayers.

The Connection Between Chanukah and Sukkot

21. The Dangers of Pride

Just as “cleanliness” must reside in deeds, so must it reside in traits. The work involved in changing one's traits is more difficult than that involved in changing one's deeds. This is because changing traits means doing battle with one's own nature.

20. Distance Yourself from Falsehood

“Distance yourself from that which is false.” This implies that not only should a person avoid outright and deliberate lies, he must distance himself from any semblance of falsehood. That is, a person must be even avoid giving a wrong impression.

19. Revenge and Grudge-bearing

Man is called upon to overcome his natural desire to take revenge. He must overlook the offense and refrain from retaliating when the opportunity to do so presents itself. Not only should one not take revenge, one should not even hold a grudge.

Parasha Summary - Vayeshav

An Overview of the Torah Portion

An Overview of the Torah Portion

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.

49. True Faith Brings Trust in God

True and complete faith in God causes one to believe that whatever He does is for the best. This provides a most sturdy defense against hardships and suffering. One who has faith in God is not broken by hardships, but actually receives them lovingly.

"A Miracle in This Place"

The sages instituted the lighting of Chanukah candles because it “takes us back” to the site of the miracle. We are therefore called upon to sense that our kindling of these candles is tantamount to the lighting of the menorah in the Holy Temple.

The Minor Fasts and Their Laws

Did Jews fast over the destruction of the First Temple when the Second Temple stood? Must pregnant and nursing women abstain from eating and drinking on minor fasts? Rabbi Eliezer Melamed addresses these and other important questions.

Husband and Wife

If a husband and wife are worthy, the Divine Presence dwells between them. They merit greater spiritual perfection than when they are separate, and their entire Divine service, both prayer and practice, achieves greater perfection.

The War of the Kings and its Significance

Parashat Lech Lecha

This week’s Torah portion describes at great length the war between the four and five kings, detailing their names and lands. Yet, what is so important about this particular battle that caused the Torah to describe it in such detail?

The Crowns of Jerusalem

Jerusalem’s eminence stems from its being the city of the Holy Temple, the home of the kingdom of Israel, and the Torah center of the world. In liberating Jerusalem we merited advancing toward the full revelation of the greatness of the Holy City.

"Even in Darkness..."

Parashat Miketz

The purpose of "darkness" is to present man with a challenge - the challenge of strengthening his faith and uncovering God's presence. Because Joseph faced the trials of faith and stood up to them all, he merited the light of redemption.

Bilam's Predicament

Parashat Balak

Prophecy No Guarantee of Greatness. The Power of Speech. Nowhere to Move.

The Four Fasts of the Destruction

After the First Temple was destroyed, the Prophets instituted fasts marking the tragic events surrounding the Destruction and the ensuing exile of the Jewish People. This step was taken in order to prompt the nation to grieve and mourn over the Destruction and Exile.

The Commandment to Settle the Land of Israel

Part 1

Part 1