Articles in Shabbos
A Shabbat Fast
It is forbidden to fast on Shabbat. In fact, if we fast on Shabbat (even with halachic sanction) we must fast on a different day to atone for fasting on Shabbat. This is why the fast of Tishah Be’av—the ninth of Av, is postponed when it falls on Shabbat —as …
Mishpatim: Sift and Sort
The Torah portion that follows the awe-inspiring story of Mount Sinai, presents formulaic monetary laws and laws of personal injury. Why should the resolution of petty squabbles be the first subject to follow the Sinai event, which surely placed our ancestors on a higher plane? Many answers have been offered, …
Shmini: Bribe Yourself
The Bribe
This scene has probably played out in every family home. You are going to a wedding and don’t want to be late. But your children couldn’t care less and take their merry time getting ready. At your wits end, you do what any desperate parent does; you offer a …
Emor: Shabbos Rest AND Exhilaration
A Curious Phrase
The lyrics to a popular Jewish children’s song proclaim, “If I would have the might I would run into the night and I would cry SHABBOS, SHABBOS, SHABBOS, SHABBOS.” Shabbos means to rest, but running around and screaming Shabbos doesn’t sound overly restful to me. What is the …
Vayetze: Talking the Talk and Walking the Walk
Is Talking Enough?
We live in a world of action. If you want something to be real, you can’t just talk about it, you have to do something about it. Talking about love is not enough. Even if you truly love your words aren’t real until you do something to show …
Mishpatim: Whom do You Serve?
One and Others
Have you ever noticed that the classic proclamation of Jewish faith, the call Hashem Echad – G-d is one, can be easily mispronounced as hashem Acher – another G-d? Rather than proclaiming our faith in a single – one and only – G-d we can inadvertently slide into …
B’har: The Nature of Shabbos
Shabbos – The Crown of the Week
“When you come into your land… the earth shall rest a Shabbos for Hashem. For six years you shall sow your land but the seventh year shall be…a Shabbos for Hashem.” (Our Parsha, Leviticus 25, 2-4) This verse begins with a discussion of Shabbos, …
Shabbos: The Theology
A Testimony to G-d
The raw elements of the
universe that G-d created are for the most part non-utilitarian. G-d
created man and charged him with the responsibility of reshaping this
nature so that it would better provide for man’s needs.. From the
beginning of time men have struggled to manipulate the forces of
nature.
We …
