Rabbi Chiya, in Midrash Vayikra Rabbah 24:5, teaches us that our parasha was taught to the entire nation (b’hakhal) “since the majority of the Torah’s fundamental principles may be … more

This week’s parsha contains a mitzvah that addresses the punishment to be placed upon those who curse their parents. This reference (Chapter 20 verse 9) seems to be a repeat from Shmot … more

On the last day of Pesach, or as my husband Jerry likes to kid, “the eighth day of a seven day holiday,” he commemorated his father’s yahrzeit. He identified with and admired his … more

On Mother’s Day, the New York Times Magazine published a 10,000-word profile of Obama foreign policy adviser Ben Rhodes. The piece contains many startling revelations including (as Rhodes … more

For Holocaust survivor Israel Starck, the geographic chasm between Auschwitz and Cedarhurst was experienced last week in his heartfelt Yom HaShoah address to the middle school students at the … more

It’s interesting the way some companies react to anti-Semitism. On one hand, they wouldn’t touch someone like David Duke with a ten-foot pole, but when it comes to an anti-Semite and … more

Although Judy stayed home for Pesach, she took a few “travel days” off from her column, so we’re reprinting her post-Pesach dispatch from 2012. The last of the Pesach dishes, … more

The prohibition of imbibing blood is one of the well-known mitzvot found in our parasha (Vayikra 17:10-11). In it we find the unusual expression, v’natati panai, which is explained by both … more

G-d instructs Moshe to tell the people about the importance of observing His statutes and laws: “Keep My decrees and laws that a person can do — and live with them. For I am … more

In the coming weeks we will read the portions of Acharei-Mot-Kedoshim which, translated literally, means “after the death of the holy ones,” a reference that is all too appropriate as we … more