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 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...
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...
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, 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,...
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,...
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...
A piece I wrote for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency about how several example of recent Israeli television shows, including a new “reality series,” are serving to “normalize” charedim for non-observant Israelis can be read...
[photo credit: Rathkopf Photography] If there were a contest for the most tasteless use of a slogan this summer, it would be hard to pick one out of several recent candidates reacting to...
A piece I wrote for Forward about what the Talmud has to say about the nature of men and the need for governmental authority, and the movement to “defund” police, can be read here.
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