Haazinu – Not Bad But Best
A man once visited the saintly Chafetz Chaim and the sage asked him how things were going for him. The visitor responded, “Well, it wouldn’t hurt if they were a bit better.” “How can...
Author: Avi Shafran
Driving Like It’s Rosh Hashanah
Some Jews attend shul only on the Yamim Nora’aim or for a yahrtzeit. They “compartmentalize” their Judaism. It’s called on only for special occasions. And yet, as always, there’s more to be gained by...
Parshas Vayeilech — Prepared to Not Progress
Children brought to shul need to be controlled by their parents, of course. They mustn’t be permitted to disturb those gathered there to daven. But, at least from an age when they can be...
Two Articles
A piece I wrote for Religion News Service about Orthodox efforts to help beleaguered people around the world was picked up by the Washington Post, and can be read here or here. And my...
Parshas Nitzavim – The Role of Failure
Reflecting the time of year when we read Nitzavim, before the “Days of Awe,” the parshah’s major themes are sin and repentance. And while much of Nitzavim concerns potential punishments for sin, there is...
NYDN — Antisemitism on the loose
Anti-Semitism on the loose By AVI SHAFRAN NEW YORK DAILY NEWS | AUG 26, 2021 A very old, very wry, very pointed Jewish joke: Goldberg is in the waiting area of a European airport holding the...
Parshas Ki Savo – Happiness Doesn’t Happen
What is arguably the most shocking pasuk in the entire Torah is in this week’s parshah. No, it’s not any of the descriptions of horrors in the portion of the parshah we call the...
Parshas Ki Seitzei – We’re All the “Beautiful Woman”
It’s edifying to compare the larger world’s celebrations of its various New Years and the Jewish celebration of Rosh Hashanah. The former is characterized by revelry, drunkenness and, hat tip to Auld Lang Syne,...
Parshas Shoftim – We’re All In This Together
Why, of course the elders of the nearest city didn’t kill the man! So what is the meaning — in the case of a person found murdered on the road, where the ritual of...
Parshas Re’ei — What’s With the Wealth?
Affluence isn’t something extolled by the Torah. In Judaism wealth is neither a praiseworthy aspiration nor a meaningful achievement. Which makes Rabbi Yochanan’s homiletic interpretation of the Torah’s words “A tithe shall you tithe...
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