With the rising cost of everything, including school tuition, some people may be wondering if the cost of tuition can be considered for maaser, giving one tenth of our income to charity. If so, are there differences between boys’ yeshivos and girls’ schools? And finally, are there differences within different boys schools as

At the end of our parsha, the Torah discusses the incident of when the body of a murder victim is found lying in the open, upon which the elders of the nearest town perform the eglah arufa ritual. Part of that process is the elders proclaiming that they did not kill this man (21:7), which Rashi explains that they essentially meant to say

There is no corner of human experience devoid of religious meaning. We stand before God in our grand moments of achievement as well as in the hushed silence of our own frailty. Every living organism, including humans, must remove the waste that is a byproduct of homeostasis and metabolism. Instead of viewing this experience as

Last week was the Bike4Chai ride. Over 650 people cycled 100 miles in one day to raise money for Chai Lifeline and Camp Simcha, for children with life-threatening illnesses. The scene at the finish line was incredible. Hundreds of families and friends of the riders waited at the finish line to greet them. A huge tent was set up

Parashat Re’eh opens with: “See I have put before you today a blessing and a curse.” The Sforno (Shemot 20:15) explains that wherever the Torah uses the term “see” and it cannot refer to physical sight, it connotes to ponder and contemplate (i.e. to see with one’s mind). However, we can ask how much contemplation does one need

Part II

Who Should Perform Chesed?

The mitzvah of chesed applies equally to men and to women. It should also be taught to one’s children. There is no better way to inculcate this most precious of traits than by example and by performing the chesed with family members.

Constant

I. Social Media Discontent

Social media is what we make of it. The different social media platforms—Facebook, Instagram, etc.—allow us to share thoughts and pictures with others and engage in conversation with them. What we share, what we discuss, is up to us. For some

In our parsha, Bnei Yisrael is cautioned not to worship the gods of the Canaanim after Bnei Yisrael conquer their territory and reside there: “When Hashem your God will cut down the nations … and you will take possession from them and settle in their land. Beware for yourself lest you be attracted after them after they have been

In American pop culture, Super Bowl Sunday rises to the level of holiday status. Besides the tens of thousands who prepare for the day by spending top dollar on travel and tickets, millions of Americans take the time to plan where and with whom they will watch “the big game.” You can only imagine the intense preparation taken by the

Program helps rabbis in Israel answer queries about kashrut from 40 countries in seven languages.

(Courtesy of OU) OU Kosher has created a training course for rabbis who operate a halacha hotline through the Sephardic Halacha Center. The free service provides

They heard the reports and they had seen the actual fruit. They had personally witnessed the gigantic grapes hauled back by the spies. They had gazed at outsized figs and succulent pomegranates. Additionally, they recalled Moshe’s promise, decades earlier, about a land of milk and honey. It was finally time to transition from

My good friend Rabbi Moshe Ginian told me he was trying to learn and complete a certain Gemara, but he found himself frequently distracted. So he went to the wine store and purchased an expensive bottle of wine to be opened only at his siyum of the Gemara. He left the bottle of wine on a shelf in his dining room. Every time he passed the