Muffin. The word may elicit visions of a huge chocolate chip filled sweet confection, or a flat disc-shaped yeast-risen dough that must be toasted before eating. Both have interesting … more

Among the wisest takes on the very nature of the Purim holiday was that by Rabbi Zechariah Fendel of blessed memory who stated in the introduction to his book, “Purim: Season of Miracles” … more

This week’s parsha, Mishpatim, begins with G-d commanding Moses: “And these are the ordinances that you shall set before them.” Rashi comments that G-d instructed Moses not to teach … more

The mishpatim are most often viewed as a category of laws the Jewish people theoretically could have formulated on their own. In many instances, Torah contrasts these with the term chukim, as we find … more

According to the Sefer HaChinukh, there are 53 mitzvot in Parshat Mishpatim. Other than in similarly mitzvah-laden parshas (such as Re’eh, Shoftim, Ki Tetze, and possibly Kedoshim) it is hard … more

February is national chocolate month. While Ashkenazic Jews came to chocolate a bit late, Sephardic Jews enjoyed it for centuries. My grandmothers never used chocolate in … more

I had an aunt who was a kindergarten teacher for many years. She once told me about a child who would bite other children. No amount of persuasion seemed to work. Then one day, when he was caught … more

My apologies for playing hooky the last few weeks. On Jan. 21 at 7:20 am I became a grandmother for the very first time. And yes, it is everything that everyone described it would be. There was … more

Just in time for Purim, Megillat Esther Mesorat HaRav, published by OU Press and Koren Publishers, is a welcome addition to the literature about Megillat Esther. The book contains, alongside the text … more

A mistaken belief regarding the Obama administration’s IRS scandal was that it only targeted Tea Party and conservative groups. One of the organizations targeted by the IRS for denial of … more