The crossing of the sea and the delivery of the Torah are each monumental events in Jewish history. As we crossed a swirling ocean, Hashem’s awesome power was on clear display. As we stood beneath a billowing mountain hearing the Divine voice, Hashem’s word was finally delivered to a human audience. Stylistically, it would make

Joe had just completed his fourth-year thesis in college, refuting the existence of God. Having received many accolades and awards for his veritable “proof” that no God exists, he walked into Yeshivas Aish HaTorah in Yerushalayim and challenged any of the rabbis to prove to him the existence of God. This was a very intimidating

Moshe’s father-in-law, Yitro, travels to the desert to meet Moshe and celebrates with him over the great salvation of the Jewish people. The next morning, Yitro finds Moshe sitting in front of a long line of his people who are waiting all day for their turn to ask him their questions. Yitro tells Moshe that this cannot work and proposes a

In Parshat Yitro, the Jews received the Torah at Mount Sinai. Accepting the Torah was something so special that Bnei Yisrael had to prepare for it. They purified themselves and washed their clothes so that they would be beautiful. One can learn from this action.

The commandment to keep and remember

This past week we celebrated Tu B’Shevat. The Talmud in Rosh Hashanah makes note of the fact that there are several days throughout the Jewish calendar that are considered “New Years.” Tu B’Shevat is considered the new year for trees and vegetation. Hence the popular Hebrew song, “Tu B’Shevat higiah, chag la’ilanot,” meaning

Recently, football icon and American legend John Madden passed away. As a child, I spent many Sunday afternoons at my grandmother’s house watching John and his partner Pat Summerall announcing the best football games each week. While Madden was known for his iconic video game and also for leading the Oakland Raiders to Super Bowl

My late relative, Rav Avrohom Genechovsky, zt”l, was commissioned by the Chazon Ish to write a sefer on Masechet Horayot, which he called Cheder Horarti. My uncle, Rabbi Genack, shlita, tells over that Rav Avrohom encouraged him to pen a sefer based on the following story related to Rav Avrohom’s sefer, Cheder Horati. Rav Avrohom told

Two simultaneous women’s events to pay tribute to neshei Dirshu.

For two nights next month, one of the storied, massive stadiums in Eretz Yisrael will undergo a remarkable transformation—a transformation that screams two words: “Kiddush Hashem.” Instead of a

Bruce Schechter and Michal Aryeh were middle-aged singles who had not yet found their match. They were suggested to each other, but Bruce lived in Atlanta and Michal was in Queens. Not easy. In January 2015 they were both going to be in Florida, so they scheduled a date. One date turned into two. They had a nice time together, but Michal

As the nation hastily quits Egypt, Moshe has other concerns on his plate. On this epic day of freedom Moshe is preoccupied with the bones of an ancient “grandfather” whom he never met. Two hundred years earlier, upon his death, Yosef had pleaded that his body be reinterred in Israel and, of all people, Moshe felt duty-bound to

If a person lights even a small candle in a dark room, the resultant light in a dark room is instantaneously recognizable. Even the flickering of the smallest candle shines brightly in an enclosed space that is dark. However, if one is to light even a large candle in a room filled with brilliant sunlight or an excess of artificial

Parshat Beshalach is known as Shabbat Shira, the Shabbat of Songs. In this week’s parsha, Hashem splits the sea so Bnei Yisrael can be saved from the Egyptians. Once they were saved, Bnei Yisrael were happy. The women took out their drums, and the men, women and children sang and danced. There is something about this that stands