The Talmud tells us that the two happiest days in the Jewish calendar are Yom Kippur and the fifteenth of Av (Tu B’Av) because on those days the single woman of Jerusalem would go out into the vineyards wearing borrowed (so as not to embarrass the poorer girls) white dresses and call out to the […]
At the Seder we read about the four sons and learn how to relate to each of them. When the wise son asks us to explain the laws and customs of Passover, we respond by teaching him the laws beginning with the regulations relating to the Afikomen. Out of all the fundamental laws relating to […]
At the beginning of Parshat Vaera, God tells Moshe that His name is Hashem – the four letter name that is unpronounceable. God then says that He never revealed this name to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Why not? Were they not worthy enough to hear that name? Rashi explains that the “name” represents absolute truth. […]
I’ve been getting requests from people who ride the public transport system and like to listen to Torah on their ipods, so here you go! Listen to a podcast on Parshat Vayigash-Vayehi right here. Just right-click and hit “save link as” to download.
The Kabbalah categorizes miracles as those that are completely initiated from the heavenly realm, and those that are initiated or “pulled down” by actions in the physical world. The splitting of the Sea of Reeds during the Exodus was purely a heavenly initiative since, according to the Midrash, the Jews were no more deserving of […]
The first word God spoke to our forefather Abraham was “go!” Move. Leave your comfort zone, where you feel in control of your fate. Go to a place that is foreign, unfamiliar, a total mystery to you. Face new challenges. Form new alliances, teach new students, make new friends. Create a legacy for yourself that […]
The Rambam, in his Guide to the Perplexed, cites the following question relating to the verse in Genesis that warns Man not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge lest he become like a god, able to differentiate between good and bad. This ability to know good from bad is what makes Man unique, raising […]
This post is directed primarily to the guys out there, simply because I don’t think the gals need this bit of unsolicited advice. So Gals, just read on and gloat. Oh, if this post does in fact apply to you, take your medicine and move on. Young, upwardly mobile, professional, single Jewish men in Manhattan […]
I just heard a rumor that someone has offered $1,000 to anyone who, over Simchat Torah, makes a shidduch that leads to marriage within a year. Sounds awesome! This should solve everything, right? Not so fast. Although I absolutely applaud the intentions of the person offering this extremely generous bounty, I don’t think it will […]