Tisha B’Av As I sat down to share thoughts about this week’s haftarah, it occurred to me that, over these years, I have never commented
Parshiyot Mattot-Masei This second perek of sefer Yirmiyahu—also the second selection of the pre-Tisha B’Av haftarot, comprises the bulk of this week’s haftarah—stands in contrast
Parshat Pinchas This week’s haftarah is—in a number of ways—a story of beginnings, or, better yet, of introductions. As the first chapter in the book,
By Rabbi Neil N. Winkler Parshat Chukat-Balak The Gemara in Makkot (24a-b) tells us something interesting about the final pasuk of this week’s haftarah: “Six
Parshat Shelach The saga of Yehoshua’s spies and their encounter with the resident(s) of Yericho that is read for this week’s haftarah is a well-known
Parshat Beha’alotecha Over the past seven plus years, I’ve been granted the privilege of sharing with you varied textual methodologies, diverse philosophical approaches and different
Parshat Naso Throughout my years of studying the story of Shimshon HaGibor, whose miraculous story of his birth is detailed in this week’s haftarah, I
Second Day Of Shavuot Shavuot. “Z’man Matan Torateinu.” And, given that we see these days as the time when we received the Torah’s laws, (when
Parshat Behar-Bechukotai Today’s reading is an especially difficult one to follow as almost half of its pesukim describe the horrific punishments that would befall Israel
Parshat Emor There is an old joke (?) that, after Moshe Rabbeinu shattered the luchot, the people began to pick up the pieces left from
Parashiyot Acharei Mot-Kedoshim, Yom Ha’atzmaut HaRav Simcha Assaf writes in his book “T’kufat HaGeonim V’sifrutah” that, upon the passing of the great Rav Sherira Gaon,
First Day of Pesach “Shal na’alecha me’al raglecha … ”As this haftarah closes, we read of an event that should strike a familiar chord to
