We’ve heard the clichés that are used to convey the importance of social groups and realization that people cannot “go at it alone” — “No man is an … more

An interesting cast of characters have parshas named for them: Noach, Yisro, Korach, Balak, Pinchas (Chayei Sarah includes a name, which comes after her death). Each has his own story of … more

How does one make life meaningful? How do we make sure that we are living every moment to its fullest potential? This week’s portion, Shemos, contains a powerful indication to Judaism’s … more

Walk in to any Jewish home and ask yourself: what distinguishes it as a Jewish home? There is actually no ritual, biblical obligation concerning the Jewish home, save one: the mezuzah. more

Jacob sent angels ahead of him to his brother Esau, to the land of Seir, the field of Edom. And he commanded them, saying, “So shall you say to my master to Esau, ‘Thus said your servant Jacob, I have sojourned with Laban, and I have tarried until now. And I have acquired oxen and donkeys, flocks, man-servants, and maidservants, and I have sent to tell [this] to my master, to find favor in your eyes.’” The angels returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother, to Esau, and he is also coming toward you, and four hundred men are with him.” (Sefer Bereishit 32:4-7, this and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) more

Recently, the media reported that two days before his execution, Adolph Eichmann penned a letter to then-President Yitzchak Ben-Zvi begging for clemency. Facing his imminent death by hanging (the … more

Commentaries have a field day trying to pinpoint the sin that sealed Moshe’s fate not to bring the people into the Promised Land. Even the language of the Torah is inconclusive, because when … more

In September 2000, in the wake of the second intifada, my unit was activated as part of the massive call-up of reserves. We had no idea how long we would be in for, which of course made the … more

During the three weeks between 17 Tammuz and Tisha b’Av, as we recall the destruction of the Temples, we read three of the most searing passages in the prophetic literature (the first two … more

The instructions given to the generation entering the land of Canaan are clear: “Do away with all the places where the nations whom you are driving out worship their gods, [whether they are,] on the high mountains, on the hills, or under any luxuriant tree. You must tear down their altars, break up their sacred pillars, burn their Asherah trees, and chop down the statues of their gods, obliterating their names from that place.” more