Over the past week, we have seen anti-Israel college takeovers with protestors openly declaring their desire to kill Jews and to render Israel—from the river to the sea—Juden Rein. The brazen tactics and bullying have left many Jewish students and faculty members afraid to venture onto campus. As we approach …
Read the full story »Sunday: Inherent Sanctity
The Kohen (priest) must be holy for G-d is holy. It is not easy to be holy; holiness requires discipline, devotion, commitment and constant vigilance, which is why there are so few holy people. Yet the entire tribe of Levi was holy. The Levite’s holiness was not the …
Sunday: Shared Ownership
Addressing the entire Jewish nation, the Torah states, “When you reap the harvest from your fields (plural) do not fully reap the corner of your field (singular). . . leave it to the poor.” The first stitch of the verse is written in the plural whereas the second …
The First of Nissan
The Pascal Lamb was offered in celebration of our ancestors’ liberation from Egypt, yet it is curious that G-d gave the instructions for this Mitzvah while our ancestors were still enslaved in Egypt. (1)
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Sunday: Repentance
The Holy of Holies was closed to human traffic throughout the year, even on Shabbat and holidays, Yom Kippur was the only exception. Yom Kippur is unique because it is a day of repentance. Our sages taught that the penitent’s deep remorse and yearning for G-d catapult him to …
Sunday: Sequence of Portions
The Torah portion we read last week dealt with the affliction of Tzaraas, its symptoms and treatment. The Torah portion we read this week deals with the process that renders a past Metzorah ritually pure. Allegorically these two portions can be viewed as metaphors for the Jewish …
Sunday: What we Eat
Nutritionists believe that the quality of our food is critical to our state of health. We are directly affected by the food we eat; heavy foods cause sluggishness and light foods boost our energy. The Torah maintains that food also affects our spiritual character. Kosher food hones …
Sunday: A Transcending Number
Why was the first day of service in the Tabernacle referred to as the eighth? It was preceded by seven days of training, but it was still just the first day of actual service. The number eight represents transcendence. Seven is the number of days in the …
On Thursday, February 28, 2008, men and women from all walks of life were shaken to the core by the heinous murder of eight innocent men as they poured over sacred tomes in a Jerusalem seminary. Their tragic death was eulogized by communities the world over, who were horrified by …