Pidyon shvuyim, the rescuing of captives, is one of the greatest mitzvos in the Torah. The Rambam writes that whoever fulfills this mitzvah is mekayem,

A somewhat cryptic mishna on Kiddushin 28a seems to discuss chalipin, such as exchanging a donkey for an ox and when each is acquired. The

One Shabbos afternoon—during the summer of 2010—in the Staum bungalow at Camp Dora Golding, a 4-year-old boy (whose last name happens to be Staum) decided

Generally, we have direct forms of interacting with one another. Say, spotting a friend across the room and calling for their attention. When playing hide-and-seek,

How can we stand before God and do teshuva, repent, after all of our mistakes and follies? The answer comes from last week’s parsha, Nitzavim,

I’ve written before about airline and travel status. In today’s world, there are dozens, hundreds or maybe thousands, of experts, gurus and insiders who can

Hundreds of thousands of children around the world daven for klal Yisrael and internalize the Chofetz Chaim’s message. “There is nothing more important that we

(Courtesy of FountainView) Rabbi Viener, the mara d’atra at Congregation Shaar Hashamayim in Spring Valley, New York, spoke on Labor Day to a crowd at

The Talmud gives an ingenious reading to the line, “Moses commanded us a Torah, as a heritage of the congregation of Israel.” Noting that there

Editor’s note: This series is reprinted with permission from “Insights and Attitudes: Torah Essays on Fundamental Halachic and Hashkafic Issues,” a publication of TorahWeb.org. The

No one has ever been to Heaven and back … except for our greatest leader, Moshe Rabbeinu. Three times, he ascended heaven to draw the