Moses’ long and tempestuous career is about to end. With words of blessing and encouragement he hands on the mantle of leadership to his successor Joshua, saying “I am 120 years old … more

When I was in Officer’s course, we had a Battalion Commander named Eyal, who made an indelible impression on me. A kibbutznik from the Golan, he was rather short, of slight build, not exactly the image of the mighty war hero. But he was one of those men who had been there; he was a veteran of the Yom Kippur war, and during the first week of the course he told us a story that came with a challenge. more

Discerning between innocent and perpetrator requires the ability to hear the larger story. more

It was her eyes that really captured me; there was an intense sadness there mixed with pain, and yet every now and then a flash of fire that seemed to suggest … defiance?  As the … more

Sefer Bereishit contains the narratives of a number of larger-than-life individuals whose values and behaviors guide us until this very moment. In broad terms, it is the story of Adam and Eve, Noah, … more

Naaseh v’nishmah” (we will do and we will hear / understand) are arguably two of the most famous words that appear in this week’s parasha, Mishpatim. When the Jewish people uttered … more

T he beginning of our parasha , Shelach, offered the possibility of the immediate implementation of Judaism’s ultimate goals: Moshe would have been the Mashiach who led our people into Eretz … more

One of the more profound lessons in our liturgy can be found in Tehillim 128: “See the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life.” Beyond Jerusalem itself, the verse serves as an … more

When I was a young boy, I had two distinct images of a strong man. One was of Charles Atlas. If you remember him, you are no longer a youngster. Pictures of Charles Atlas appeared on the rear … more

The name,“Shabbat HaGadol” has captured the imagination of Torah exegetes since time immemorial. The second Bobover Rebbe, HaRav Ben-Zion Halberstam (1874-1941), begins his analysis of … more