T he world did not know that he was a mystic. He was an accomplished diplomat, who knew how to deal with people in positions of great power. Some characterized him as a shrewd, and even manipulative, … more

In “The Watchman’s Rattle,” subtitled “Think- ing Our Way Out of Extinction,” Rebecca Costa delivers a fascinating account of how civilizations die. When their problems … more

This Shabbat we will read Parashat Zachor which, according to the Shulchan Aruch, is a Torah-based mitzvah. In addition, it enables us to fulfill two of the three Taryag Mitzvot associated with … more

T here is a darkness sometimes that rages within which can overpower our very being. I had a Battalion commander, who took the first watch on the tank after a brutal day in the Lebanon war. It … more

The Torah requires us to celebrate three major festivals — Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot — and to do so joyously. Our Sages instituted two additional festive holidays, Chanukah and Purim. … more

O ur parsha, Vayikra, which deals with a variety of sacrifices, devotes an extended section to the chattat , the sin offering, as brought by different individuals: first the High Priest (Ex. 4:3-12), … more

Sefer Shemot is a grand journey that takes us from the depths of Egyptian servitude to the construction of the Mishkan wherein Hashem’s Schechinah was revealed to the entire Jewish people. … more

In a cattle car in Poland, in the summer of 1942, Reb Azriel Dovid Fastag, a composer for the Modzitzer Rebbe, was headed to his death in Treblinka. Over a hundred Jews, forced to stand for days on … more

Pekudei has sometimes been called “The Accountant’s Parsha,” because that is how it begins, with the audited accounts of the money and materials donated to the Sanctuary. It is the … more

Be strong, be strong, and we will be strong! — Chazak, chazak, v’nitchazek! The week we read parshat Pekudei, which comprises the concluding chapters of sefer Shemot. As the … more