Judaism

Korach’s motives were wrong. He spoke like a democrat but what he wanted was to be an autocrat. He wanted to be a leader himself.

Over the years, I’ve convinced many people to try out Daf Yomi with my advertising. That’s why I carry such a heavy Gemara and that’s why I don’t go by way of the back roads.

Many authorities rule that the custom to wait until nightfall on Shavuot only applies to the recitation of Kiddush.6 It would be permissible, however, to recite Maariv before this time.

No matter how hard we work on ourselves, we can never be totally prepared for the challenges ahead. And that is actually a good thing. Not only would life be less interesting, but a great deal of its meaning would otherwise be taken away. As Rebbe Nachman said, “If you are not a better person tomorrow than you are today, what need have you for a tomorrow?”

Many aspects of human nature have changed, and one cannot take pedagogical advice from the Gemara alone, any more than one can decide halacha from the Gemara alone.

‘Uncle’ Morris had told us that when he died he wanted our eldest daughter Rachel to have his wife’s candlesticks, but we brushed it off hoping he would use them for many more years as although not young, he was healthy and active.

A 'Heated' Discussion 'The Place of Shechita Is Hot' (Chulin 8b)

I have had much experience in bikur cholim – visiting the sick. Even at the age of six I would accompany my saintly father on his rounds to slave labor camps where young Jewish men were incarcerated by the Hungarians prior to the Nazi occupation.

Rebbetzin Jungreis, a”h, providing guidance on Hakarat haTov--gratitude. Our thanks to you Rebbetzin Jungreis, a”h.

The Land of Israel is central to Torah observance. Hashem placed us on this land to fulfill His will.

Like the bayit, she’er also refers specifically to one’s spouse. This may be because of the sacred bond of flesh that exists between man and wife.

The prohibition of chametz on Pesach means that chametz may not be eaten or enjoyed, may not be owned or possessed, and must be removed from one's premises.

He told me that he recognized the system and the color-coding, because he had been the very man who had installed the system!

What Rabbi Yochanan taught us is that Jews will survive without Israel, as long as there is Torah, the portable homeland; but Jews will not survive solely because of the existence of Israel—however powerful it may be—if Israel does not incorporate a large percentage of Jewish traditional resources.

It is the mark of a good society that public leadership is seen as a form of service rather than a means to power.

I have fond memories of my trips to Israel with my eighth grade classes for over twenty-five years.

One Shabbat afternoon, Mr. Cohen, who was perfectly healthy and sipping tea at the time, turned to his son Jack and said, “You know...

I am the best! You are the best too! There were over 600,000 neshamos at Har Sinai, and each one was different. In order to be inspired to grow we must sense the best in ourselves; in order to be a mentch we must see the best in others.

Question: Now that we are doing our pre-Passover shopping, I notice in many of the kosher sections of the supermarket packaged products that are marked “non-gebrockts.” Perusing the travel pages of The Jewish Press, I also noticed that many of the caterers at the Passover hotels advertise that they are “Non-Gebrockts.” Could you please throw some light on this current trend? M. Schwartz Via e-mail

The power of Amalek is not limited to the physical destruction they seek to bring upon Israel. Amalek’s chief ambition is to destroy Israel morally and spiritually.

An Outcast “He Shall Dwell Outside His Tent” (Moed Katan 7b)

One cannot expect the defendant to bring negative proof – that is, proof he does not owe what he denies, because how do you prove what does not exist?

I felt that as a psychology teacher, who knows and teaches so much about human nature and emotions, to explode and get so angry was not the right thing to do.

This week’s sedrah, Shelach Lecha, ends with one of the great commands of Judaism – tzitzit, the fringes we wear on the corner of our garments as a perennial reminder of our identity as Jews and our obligation to keep the Torah’s commands.

The question is why this mitzvah at this time? Surely there are other commandments that seem more important and vital for Jewish survival.

The terrorists were told that they would be given a plane to take them to an Arab country.

The goal is for the essence of Eden to flow untainted through the Nahar into the Gan – for the spiritual to be powerfully and completely expressed through the physical.

It has been said that that which Hitler, yemach shmo v’zichro, was not able to accomplish with the stick, American culture has been successful with honey.

When all Jews, including small children, learn Torah and do mitzvos, this raises the level of security of iron and copper are your door bolts for the entire Jewish people.

When it comes to the payment of debts, halacha, like other systems of law, struggles with two competing concerns.