Every year, on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, we read the story of the expulsion of Yishmael (Avraham’s first son with his handmaiden Hagar), and the binding of Yitzchak (Isaac). Both are stories of the sons of Avraham, and both involved Abraham’s ability to be willing to sacrifice or let go, of a son. more

A simple reading of the Gemara in Arakhin 16a informs us that tzaraat, a spiritual disease with a physical manifestation that is definitely not “leprosy,” could come upon a person for one of seven sins: lashon hora (slander and gossip), murder, swearing in vain, immorality, haughtiness, theft, and stinginess. Raise your hand if you might get tzaraat if such a disease were extant today. (We can all put our hands down now.) more

What is better – to see something in its entirety, or to experience a smaller portion of that entity? This is the debate which winds itself through the commentaries on Devarim 34, as … more

What makes a leader? The question consumes countless books, seminars and leadership training programs in countless universities and business training models. But it’s worth noting that … more

Some time ago I received this story via e-mail: On Nov. 18, 1995, Itzhak Perlman, the violinist, came on stage to give a concert at Lincoln Center. Anyone who has ever been to a Perlman … more

Avraham’s relationship with Hashem was unique among the avot. He was the only one whom the Almighty called both avdi (my servant) (Bereishit 26:24), and ohavi (my beloved friend) (Yeshayahu … more

Parashat Vayishlach begins by telling us that “Ya’akov sent malachim lifanuv (messengers ahead of him) to his brother Eisav, to the land of Seir, the field of Edom.” Rashi … more

The laws of sacrifices that dominate the early chapters of the Book of Leviticus are among the hardest in the Torah to relate to in the present. It has been almost 2,000 years since the Temple … more

There are very few feelings in life that leave us more challenged, hurt, and insecure, than the feeling we get from being ignored. Part of this may stem from the fact that we need to feel we have what to contribute, to give back to society and the world. Indeed our ability to be in touch with what we have to give is the essence of connecting with our purpose in this world. So when someone completely ignores us, perhaps we wonder whether we really have as much to offer as we think we do. more

The song of Haazinu is quite poetic, complete with imagery that invites the most lyrical interpretation. more