Creation The Torah begins with Hashem’s creation of the world. It tells about each step of creation, but nothing about the thought process behind them.
Faith in Mankind The Jewish people were nervous and scared. Forty days had passed, and Moshe had yet to return from Har Sinai. They approached
אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי … וְהַלֻּחֹת מַעֲשֵׂה אֱלֹקים הֵמָּה וְהַמִּכְתָּב מִכְתַּב אֱלֹקים הוּא חָרוּת עַל הַלֻּחֹת (שמות לב), אַל תִּקְרָא חָרוּת אֶלָּא חֵרוּת, שֶׁאֵין
רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר, הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה דּוֹמֶה לִפְרוֹזְדוֹר בִּפְנֵי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. הַתְקֵן עַצְמְךָ בַפְּרוֹזְדוֹר, כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּכָּנֵס לַטְּרַקְלִין: הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, יָפָה שָׁעָה אַחַת בִּתְשׁוּבָה וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים
הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, עֲשֵׂה רְצוֹנוֹ כִּרְצוֹנֶךָ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה רְצוֹנְךָ כִּרְצוֹנוֹ. בַּטֵּל רְצוֹנְךָ מִפְּנֵי רְצוֹנוֹ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּבַטֵּל רְצוֹן אֲחֵרִים מִפְּנֵי רְצוֹנֶךָ. (אבות ב:ד) Rabban Gamliel—the son
Though the Seder night focuses on Yetziat Mitzrayim, we also mention antisemitic episodes that preceded and followed the events in Egypt. The very first Jews
Veha’ir Shushan Navocha The Jews of Shushan were confused. They considered Shushan and the Persian empire their home and viewed themselves as central to its
True Pleasure Last week, we saw that Rebbe Yaakov describes our world as the “corridor” that leads to the “palace” of the next world, where
רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר, הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה דּוֹמֶה לִפְרוֹזְדוֹר בִּפְנֵי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. הַתְקֵן עַצְמְךָ בַפְּרוֹזְדוֹר, כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּכָּנֵס לַטְּרַקְלִין: הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, יָפָה שָׁעָה אַחַת בִּתְשׁוּבָה וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים
Express Our Faith The mizmor dedicated to Shabbat ((Tehillim 92) encourages singing Hashem’s praises: “Tov l’hodot laShem u’l’zamer l’shimcha elyon.” It continues with the famous
Death as Ingathering Whereas Lech Lecha and Vayera depict the lives of Avraham and Sarah, Chayei Sarah describes the transition from them to the next
Day of Purification Though we generally associate Yom Kippur with atonement, the Torah defines taharah (purification) as the day’s goal. “For on this day, He
