A Dangerous Request Esther’s demand for a three-day fast seems excessive and dangerous. Indeed, the Rama (Orach Chaim 624:5, citing the Ohr Zarua) objects to

Clinching Haman’s Fate Charvona—one of Achashverosh’s advisors—abruptly enters the scene at the end of the tension-filled seventh chapter of Megillat Esther. He shows the gigantic

The Danger of Thinking Everything Is Good It is fascinating that the word ra (evil) does not appear in the first six chapters of Megillat

Megillah Pesukim Read Aloud Hands down, this is my favorite Sephardic Purim practice. But first, a little background… As is well known, the Rama (Orach

Rav Daniel Osher Kleinman (Teshuvot Bigdei Chamudot Yoreh Deah 107:9), a great Talmid Chacham who resides in Brooklyn, asserts that when shaving using a trimmer,

A Bold Prediction In January 1990, I served as a scholar-in-residence at a shabbaton at the Young Israel of West Hempstead, held by the organization

Rav Judah Mischel tells the following story about the Lubavitcher Rebbe: In May 1957, the small fledgling community in Kfar Chabad—founded by Russian Lubavitcher immigrants—was

The following thoughts emerged from discussions from the beautiful Shabbat surrounding the Shalom Zachor of my beloved grandson, Yeshaya Naftali, on the Shabbat of Parshat

Sanhedrin 97a describes the city of Keshot where lying was loathed and no one died prematurely: “Concerning the lack of truth, Rava says: ‘Initially, I

The Mishna Berura (28:9) notes that men should wrap their tefillin to appear like a dove’s wings. He explains that the intention is to commemorate