The last verse of the Tochacha (Rebuke) of Chapter 26 in Bechukotai says the following: “These are the decrees, laws and codes that G-d set between Himself and the Israelites at Mount Sinai … more

What is the Jewish stance on cursing and curse words? Researchers have found that about 0.7 percent of a typical American’s speech is made up of swear words. … more

On Shavuot, we commemorate the pact of spiritual loyalty that G-d and the Jewish people pledged to each other at Mount Sinai. Yet a plain reading of the biblical text shows us that not long after the … more

Blueberries are here, and so are the first baby lettuces of the season. We’ve had so much rain this spring that the lettuces may even be full grown by now. These two arrivals to the … more

Our parasha, Behar, begins with the famous words: “And the L-rd spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying” (Vayikra 25:1). They are immediately followed by a verse focusing on the mitzvah … more

There are, it is sometimes said, no controlled experiments in history. Every society, every age, and every set of circumstances is unique. Yet this is not quite true. The history of the past … more

My father, may he rest in peace, worked for many years in the garment industry. He worked hard and there were times when he was without a job. I remember how happy we were as children when he … more

They had only been in the army for eight months, and had only recently completed basic training, but on the books they were paratroopers. The youngest of the units sent into one of the toughest … more

Parashat Behar tells us that “G-d said to Moshe at Mt. Sinai, ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them that when you come to the land that I am giving you, the land will rest a … more

When I updated a pro-Israel academic about Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s recent remarks, she just burst out laughing. She wasn’t even upset. Tlaib’s statement about Palestinians … more