Practicality It is a striking halacha that a melech must carry a Torah wherever he goes. The first question regards feasibility. It does seem overly
Meisit Treated More Harshly Than a Navi Sheker Devarim, perek 13 describes two different types of people who try to influence us to serve avodah
Uncomfortable Memories Recalling moments of discomfort and hunger in a motivational speech seems out of place. Yet, sefer Devarim (8:1-4) records Moshe Rabbeinu sharing memories
Historically Inaccurate? Shimmy Gabbay, a beloved congregant at Teaneck’s Congregation Shaarei Orah, came to be puzzled about Devarim 5:3-4. Moshe Rabbeinu—in these pesukim—tells us that
Expected Contradictions We are not surprised to find the meraglim story presented differently in sefer Devarim than in sefer Bamidbar. After all, there would be
Editing Our History One of the Torah’s most empowering ideas is that we are not condemned to repeat past mistakes. While our parents’ mistakes and
I decided to do something different on the last day of this year’s Chumash shiur in June at Torah Academy of Bergen County. I discussed
Part I Reactions abound to the “Halachic Haircutting Handbook,” we released in June 2021, especially to our strong support of Rav Hershel Schachter and Rav
The Navi Chagai made great promises in his prophecies, urging us to build the second Beit Hamikdash. These include the nevuah that the second Mikdash
Rashi At Torah Academy of Bergen County, we recently discussed whether we wear a cap or a kippah to a ballgame based on an intriguing
Benefitting From Chillul Shabbat Many living on the east coast ask about their watching on Motzaei Shabbat, a baseball game being played on Shabbat on
Megillat Esther Not surprisingly, our guide to political involvement in a non-Jewish government is Megillat Esther. It teaches us when to include ourselves and when
