One of the highlights of learning with Rav Aharon Lichtenstein, zt”l, were his…
Avodah Zara 7: Let's Get a Second Opinion
When seeking out expert opinion on any matter, it is irresponsible not to get a second opinion. It…
Yitro: Honouring Parents, Teaching Children
The command to respect our parents, kibud av v'eim, is one that needs little explanation. It is…
Avodah Zara 5: It Takes a Long Time
Forty years is a long time. In Biblical numerology, the number 40 indicates transformation. Forty…
Beshalach: The Best of Intentions
Whether we are preparing for an exam, a simcha, a job interview, or retirement, our success is…
Avodah Zara 2: Holiday Greetings
In 1964, as the Second Vatican Council was reassessing its most negative view of Jews and Judaism,…
Avodah Zara 2: Thank You Rome
As all who study Daf Yomi are well aware, halacha and aggadah—the legal and extralegal…
Bo: Changing Times
One of the central tenets of our faith is the eternal relevance and unchanging nature of our Torah…
An Introduction to Masechet Avodah Zara
It would be hard to argue with the notion that the primary goal for the Torah is for all to know…
Shevuot 45: Where is My Pay?
“All who take an oath, take an oath and are exempt [from payment]” (Shevuot 45a). Violating an…
Shevuot 30: You Go First
In a recent highly publicized murder trial in Toronto, the jury was not told that the accused…
Shevuot 30: A Woman Dayan
“The oath of testimony applies to men, but not to women” (Shevuot 30a). Beginning with…
Shemot: 59 Years!
What a difference 59 years can make. Despite Yaakov's insistence to be buried in Israel,…
Vayechi: Excellence in Exile
"And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years, and the years of his life were one…
Vayigash: Painful Reunion
Etiquette and diplomatic niceties are the hallmarks of the world of politics. Political leaders are…
Shevuot 13: Need I Repent!
Rebbe Yehuda Hanasi said:…One should be as careful with a light mitzvah as with a heavy…