Universally beloved and respected for his righteousness and scholarship, Rabbi Yisrael Meir haKohen Kagan, “the Chofetz Chaim,” was both a leading ethicist as well as

Anger is all the rage these days. It infects personal, familial and professional relationships and is the hallmark of our politics and the key ingredient

“Gesundheit!” “Labriut!” “Bless you!” These are expressions we all use when we hear someone sneeze. Where did this custom come from? Why do we only

Parshat Vayechi The completion of sefer Bereishit marks the conclusion of an era—the era of the patriarchs. And, together with that we find the resolution

 לעילוי נשמת יואל אפרים בן אברהם עוזיאל זלצמן ז”ל Question: Some reputable kosher wines claim to be kosher for Kiddush because they are not mevushal

What follows may be an innovative way in which to teach all about the ta’anis of Asara B’Teves:   The Dream of Asara B’Teves Setting:

The Mishna in Sanhedrin 3:3 lists people invalid to testify due to their occupation. These include: one who plays with dice for money, one who

If my memory serves me correctly, which it generally doesn’t these days, it was about 25 years ago that I typed and emailed a dvar

Our parsha relates that Yaakov’s life span was 147 years. Interestingly, the Daat Zikeinim (Bereishit 47:8) quotes a midrash which teaches that originally Yaakov was

וַיִּקְרְבוּ יְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לָמוּת וַיִּקְרָא לִבְנוֹ לְיוֹסֵף וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ אִם נָא מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ שִׂים נָא יָדְךָ תַּחַת יְרֵכִי וְעָשִׂיתָ עִמָּדִי חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת אַל נָא

What is the greatest blessing you can receive? To truly know who you are. In this week’s Torah portion, our forefather Yaakov bids farewell to

In Parshat Vayechi, Yaakov Avinu dies, leaving the brothers and Yosef in Egypt. After Yaakov’s death, the brothers get worried and feel that Yosef will