parshat Shlach Lecha

The story of the mekosheish, the man caught gathering wood on Shabbos, in Parshas Shelach, contains a host of conflicting and unusual midrashim. The story also serves as a springboard for many halachic and hashkafic issues.

Clarifying the spies' argument for not entering the Land of Israel...and then clarifies why it's so important to enter the Land anyway.

One of the fundamental tasks of any leader, from president to parent, is to give people a sense of confidence: in themselves, in the group of which they are a part, and in the mission itself.

The Torah is not a book of Fairy Tales. Fairy tales almost always have happy endings, but not every story in the Torah has a happy ending.

The land of Israel has always posed a problem for the Jewish people. On one hand, it is and always has been our national homeland. On the other hand, the record of the Jewish people in the land of Israel, and their behavior and attitudes, has often been a spotty one.

Our Parasha refers to the different reactions of three groups. Yehoshua and Kalev returned from their mission to Eretz Yisrael with reinforced belief in Hashem. The ten spies returned confused and lacking in belief. The Ma’apilim tried to reach Eretz Yisrael after Hashem had commanded them not to.

What brocha should I recite before eating a donut? Does it make a difference whether it is an American-style, hole-in-the-middle donut or an Israeli-style jelly donut? Must I separate challah from the donuts I am frying for Chanukah? I just purchased a donut shop that is quite distant from any Jewish community. Must I make sure that challah is taken?

Clarifying the spies' argument for not entering the Land of Israel...and then clarifying why it's so important to enter the Land anyway.

Clarifying the spies' argument for not entering the Land of Israel...and then clarifying why it's so important to enter the Land anyway.