Media pundits and missionaries are famous for taking quotations out of context. Before judging any statement you read or hear, it is important to know in what context it was expressed. Was the writer … more

One of the fascinating midrashim on parsha Shemini pictures Aharon, the Kohen Gadol, brother of Moshe, leader extraordinaire, hesitating before going to fulfill his sacred duty, because on the … more

As we begin Vayikra, the third book in the Torah, we are once again introduced to the sacrificial order. Beyond the reminders of proper behavior that accompany the depiction of sacrifices, what else … more

Open a chumash with Rashi on this week’s parsha, Vayakhel, and the first thing you notice is … there is no Rashi. You can count on your hand the number of comments Rashi provides on … more

T he Jewish movements that changed the face of Jewry in the 19th and 20th centuries raised serious concerns about the nature of the Torah and how it stands the test of time. Many of the mitzvot … more

One wonders how much the global warming camp can convince their opponents that “we” control the weather. The Gemara (Taanit 2a) certainly concurs with an assessment that G-d (and not … more

The Torah is comprised primarily of laws and narrative. Let us take a quick scan of Parshat Terumah to see where it fits in the scheme of the rest of the Torah. According to the Sefer HaChinukh, … more

This week’s parsha , Yisro, begins by telling us that Yisro heard what G-d had done for Israel in taking them out of Egypt: Yisro, father-in-law of Moshe, took Zipporah, wife of Moshe, … more

After Moshe followed the instructions that made the waters of Marah drinkable, we are told, “There he taught them ‘chok u’mishpat’ and there he tested them.” The simple … more

When one reads the opening of Parshat Bo, it is hard to ignore the question of who has the bigger ego — Pharaoh or G-d? Over the course of the previous seven plagues, Pharaoh has actually … more