Category: Judaism

When Innocence Really Isn’t

Remarkably, in response to Avimelech’s protest over being punished for taking Sarah, Hashem confirms the king’s insistence that he had acted innocently, believing that Avraham and Sarah, as they had claimed, were brother and...

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First Person Singular

It’s par for the course, in society today, to publicize ourselves uninhibitedly. Check out my blog! Visit my website!  Self-promoting “shout-outs” are the way to go. But once upon a time, not so long...

No, Thank You

When, as they approach Egypt, Avram asks Sarai to pretend she is his sister, he explains “so that it will be good for me and I will remain alive because of you.” (Beraishis, 12:13)...

Plumbing the Meaning of the Torah’s First Word

The Torah’s first verse is purposely unclear.  As the Ramban, Nachmanides, points out, the deepest truths of how the universe was created are unfathomable and inscrutable, hidden, ultimately, in the realm of mysticism, not...

The Devarim-Beraishis Bridge Idea

The Chasam Sofer notes that the Torah’s last word, “Yisrael” and its first one, “Braishis,” share the letters aleph, shin, resh and yud… spelling ashrei. Ashrei can be translated as “praiseworthy” or “fortunate.”  That...

The Threesome Chain

Over the past few weeks, I have been sending out short thoughts on the upcoming parsha to my list of subscribers, who receive links to my Ami Magazine column and other things that might...

My Final Post on the “Open Letter”

And so the pilpul chaverim — and chaverim we are and will always be — goes on! But this will, bl”n, be my final posting about the much discussed (b”H) open letter about Torah...

Thank You, R’ Avrohom

Thank you, R’ Avrohom, for responding to my question. (Hey, we might as well address each other directly, and just let others “listen in,” no?) I understand why you feel that my point #2,...

Truths Both in Theory and Application

I was gratified to see my good friend Rabbi Avrohom Gordimer — whose writings have always made me thankful for his pen — address the “Open Letter” that a handful of people, myself included,...

An Open Letter

Sinai, Not Washington An Open Letter to the Torah Community The unhealthy confusion of Torah values with politics brings disrepute to Torah and harm to Torah Jews. No party platform can substitute for our...

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