The combination of these two sections of the Torah constitutes the question, raised by all the commentators over the ages, as to whether there really
It is almost as if Parshat Matot is trying to be ironic. We read in the preceding parsha about Tzelofchad’s daughters’ desire and effort to
This week we explore how biographical knowledge can help us with punctuation. Sukkah 4b informs us that several Sages taught the same proof that a
The Talmud attributes our book to Jeremiah. Let us evaluate this suggestion. The book has five chapters. But there are three unusual aspects to its
B’nei Gad v’Reuvain asked Moshe to settle in a land that would help their livestock thrive. They said, we shall build “pens for the flock…and
One of my passions in learning Torah is to scratch the surface and dig out insights that serve a dual purpose. The first is to
It’s one of the most underrated interactions in the entire Torah—but to truly understand the emotions behind it, we need the entire picture. The fundamental
Yoma 73b, 79a Sitting next to my father, the rabbi, on the synagogue dais on Yom Kippur morning, I wondered how long I could last
I have the privilege of teaching a few halachot in between Mincha and Maariv each day, and lately we have been reviewing the laws of
Some alphanumeric sequences stay with you as you age, like your first phone number or your college dorm address. It’s 26 years later, and I
When I found out that I was recently selected as chair of social action on the Northeastern NCSY Regional Board, I was excited and hopeful.
Having reached the summer solstice, the realization that yet another school year has ended and half the calendar year is now history sets in. At
