Articles by Lazer Gurkow
Acharei Mot Kedoshim: Chai to Life
We are all familiar with chai, the Hebrew word for life. Chai has a numeric value of eighteen, which is why it is common for Jews to donate to charity in multiples of eighteen. The Talmud tells us that charity saves us from premature death.[1] When we donate in multiples …
Tazria Mezora: Judging from Past Behavior
Past behavior is often a harbinger of the future, but to judge fairly we must consider the very latest episode of the past behavior. I was once at a wedding, where the groom’s elderly venerated teacher danced with vigor and joy, and his many students, their eyes sparkling with admiration …
Shemini: What Is Impurity
Why does one who eats non-kosher food become impure? What does impurity even mean?
Hebrew is a delightful language and if we pay attention to the words we can often gain insight into the meaning. The Hebrew word for impure is ta’me. The word is comprised of three letters, a taf, …
Passover: No Salt Rule
Matzah has a no salt rule. It is made of flour and water. Nothing else. No liquids, no spices, not even salt. This is because the Matzah that we eat at the seder represents the poor person’s bread and the poor can’t afford to add flavor to their bread. The …
Tzav: Smoking Hot
Smoke and FireThe temperature in the Temple was smoking hot. One can only imagine that the summer months in Jerusalem were hot enough as it was. Add to that the myriads of people that filled the temple on a given day, and the many fires atop the altar, and you …
Vayikra: Coming to Shull
When you live in a small Jewish community, you often need to recruit people to attend services at the synagogue just to ensure that you have a Minyan (quorum of ten men for prayer). Many grow frustrated with the process and wonder what value there is in attending only because …
Vayakhel Pekudei: Playing Host to G-d
A Wise Host
The host of the party was worried that there were too many people and not enough refreshments. He was sure that not everyone had been invited, but he had to identify the crashers. So, he called for silence and asked, “Will those from the bride’s side of the …
Purim: The Nature of Miracles
Haman wasn’t the first villain in his family. He came from an illustrious line of Jew haters. He was a descendant of the infamous Amalek, the first to advise Pharaoh to enslave us and the first to make war against us after the exodus.
The Torah describes the dramatic war that …
