Leaders, Reluctant and Otherwise
Although the Torah tells us that Moshe did precisely what he was commanded to do and transmitted his leadership role to Yehoshua, along with a degree of his spiritual splendor, the pasuk relates, seemingly...
Trump Is No Fascist, And There Is No War Against Torah
We would not expect better from someone as morally and intellectually handicapped as AOC. She had this priceless response to an unnamed, senior House Democrat who said that Democratic leaders had resigned themselves to...
Biha’aloscha – Being Aharon
Something special about Aharon HaCohein is telegraphed in the sentence “And Aharon did so,” after Moshe’s brother receives instructions about lighting the menorah in the Mishkan (Bamidbar 8:3). Rashi, paraphrasing Sifri, comments: “This tells...
Naso – Kosher Favoritism
To some, chumros, or stringencies beyond what halacha requires, are always laudable. But in the Vidui Rabbeinu Nissim, recited on Yom Kippur Katan, we confess, amid actual sins, that “What You declared pure I declared impure… what...
Bechukosai – Embracing Simplicity
While there are various Midrashic comments on what “chukos” – the embrace of which leads to the overflowing blessings described at the start of the parsha – refers to, the simple meaning of the...
Response to Rav Feldman
Quite literally, Rav Aharon Feldman, shlit”a, is a gentleman and a scholar. I know the former from personal experience. Despite the fact that ani hakatan have taken issue with things he’s said or written...
International Commemoration of the 100th Yahrzeit of R Avraham Eliyahu Kaplan zt”l Thur. May 25
[Editor’s Note: With trepidation and pleasure, we bring news of the commemoration of the 100th yahrzeit of one of the most incredible Torah figures of the early 20th century. The commemoration will emanate from...
Behar – The Torah’s Take on a Stitch in Time
Folk maxims reflect truths, which is why the Talmud often invokes such aphorisms with the introduction“kidi’amri inshi” – “as people are wont to say.” One valuable truth is the subject of two English sayings...
Emor – Living in Our Own Worlds
Any “blemish” on a list of congenital or acquired conditions prevents service in the Mishkan or Beis Hamikdash (Vayikra 21:17-24). And there are dozens of other non-listed disqualifying blemishes (see Rashi, ibid 21, and...
Kedoshim – Looking Out for #1… and #2… and #3…
“Love your fellow like yourself” (Vayikra 19:18) cannot be meant literally. Ultimate concern for oneself is ingrained in our essences. There is a striking Midrash on the pasuk “For my father and mother have...