At prestigious Yeshiva Shaarei Shmuot in Beit Chilkiya, 500 students attend Rabbi Genack’s shiur on Masechet Yevamot.

(Courtesy of OU) OU Kosher CEO Rabbi Menachem Genack delivered a shiur in January on masechet Yevamot to the 500 students of Yeshiva Shaarei Shmuot,

(Courtesy of OU) This past week, the Orthodox Union’s Torah Initiatives’ All Daf held its first siyum for completing Maseches Berachos of Daf Yomi Yerushalmi. Drs. Judd and Chassia Bozcko hosted the event in their home in Woodmere, New York for 75 participants.

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Can morality exist outside of religion? This question has been debated throughout history, addressed by ancient philosophers such as Plato and Socrates, as well as by modern thinkers such as Kant and Dostoyevsky.

Unquestionably, we possess the capacity for moral thought and decision making even

A student of mine recently gave me a book about the great sage, Rabbi Yitzchok Scheiner, zt”l— rosh yeshiva of Kamenitz in Eretz Yisrael—who passed away two years ago. The book quotes a conversation Rabbi Scheiner had with a student of his learning in a yeshiva in America who was struggling with shidduchim (dating). Rabbi Scheiner

 In last week’s Parshat Yitro, the Torah recounts Am Yisrael’s response to what they saw and heard at Har Sinai: “And all the people perceived the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the voice of the horn and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled, and stood afar off…

In Parshat Mishpatim, we learn how to treat one another fairly. We are told by the Torah, don’t follow people if what they are doing is evil! If you know what is right, follow yourself. It’s better to be alone and correct than evil, cheating and wrong with supporters. That being said, if only these things were that simple.

The well-known explanation for parshat Mishpatim—following the revelation at Har Sinai—is so we learn that even seemingly secular laws were given on the mountain and have a divine character. Yet, at first blush, the organization of laws seems random. Moreover, the parsha deals with far more than civil law. The parsha is carefully

Parshas Mishpatim begins by discussing the laws of a Hebrew slave. At the end of six years, he has the opportunity to go free. However, if he declines his freedom and chooses to remain with his master, he has his ear pierced and stays with his master, his wife and children until the Jubilee year. The Gemara (Kiddushin 22b) explains that the

Powerful people exercise control over others that obscures their view of God. Good people employ kindness and respect, and marshal their resources to highlight God’s power and presence.

This correlation links the Torah’s religious and social responsibilities—bein adam laMakom u’bein adam

The very last pasuk of last week’s parsha says, “You shall not ascend My altar on steps, so that your nakedness will not be uncovered upon it.” Rashi clarifies that steps require one to take wide steps, which would be considered to be treating (the stones of the altar) in a degrading manner. Rashi further clarifies that although the

If the Lakewood roshei yeshiva are doing it already, we might as well be learning the halachos of it. Below, find a brief overview of the halachos of matzah baking.

Grinding the Wheat

Pious people observe the grinding of the wheat

Thin people might not understand the struggle of overweight people.

Mild-mannered people might not appreciate the battle of those who are easily triggered.

And naturally confident people might not value the effort insecure individuals have to put in every single