Sukkot is a holiday full of contradictions. At the time we celebrate our harvest, we are bidden to…
Yom Kippur: The Day After
“It was on the next day…” (Shemot 18:13). Apparently, something of significance had happened on the…
Yom Kippur: A Great Day!
Our society worships greatness. Whether it be athletes, rock stars, actors or successful business…
Aseret Yemi Teshuva: I Confess
Integral to the teshuva process is the act of vidui, confession. One can intellectually know…
Vayelech: Poetic Licence
"Now, write for yourselves this song and teach it to the Israelites, so that this song will be…
Rosh Hashanah: Early, Late or Just Right
"And on the seventh month on the first day of the month, it shall be a day of rest. It is a sacred…
Nitzavim: Pass the Water
"You are standing this day all of you before the Lord your God: your heads, your tribes,…
Keritot 28: Please Go First
“Rabbi Shimon says: Kevasim, lambs, precede se’irim, goats, in all places…
A Tribute to Rav Binyamin Tabory z"l
The transition from elementary to high school was quite a jarring one. My school day was some two-…
Keritot 28: And All Its Pathways Are Peace
Rav Chaim Soloveitchik, when asked to define the main role of a rabbi, responded that it is to help…
Ki Tavo: Speak Up
One of the key aspects of our being created in the Divine image is the gift of speech. As the world…
Keritot 25: When in Doubt
One brings a korban for one of two reasons: either because one wants to or because one has to. One…
Ki Teitzei: On The Way
Until modern times, travel was viewed as something best avoided. It was slow, uncomfortable, and…
Keritot 13: Under the Influence
In our last post, we discussed the serious prohibition of issuing halachic rulings after having had…
Shoftim: Nothing to Fear
The basic duty of every government is to provide security and protect its citizens from both…
Keritot 13: Let's Not Drink to That
Jewish tradition teaches that we are to celebrate joyous occasions—Shabbat and Yom Tov,…
Keritot 8: The Rabbinic Market
The most basic rule of economics is that of supply and demand. The interaction between these two…
Re'eh: Conflicting Emotions
It is difficult to feel two contradictory emotions at the same time. Conflicting, if not …