In sefer Ovadiah, this week’s haftarah for parshat Vayishlach, the final verse is particularly well-known, since it is recited every day immediately prior to Yishtabach in tefilat … more

The mitzvah of the parah adumah (Red Heifer) is the focal point of the beginning of our parasha: “This is the statute of the Torah that the L-rd commanded, saying: Speak to the children of … more

Our parasha, Chayei Sarah, begins with one of the greatest human tragedies, the death of one’s spouse. Avraham’s beloved wife, confidant and inspiration, was no more. In the midst … more

Our underlined phrase, “you shall judge your fellow with righteousness,” is found in the second of the two parshiot we read this Shabbat. As noted in Talmud Bavli, Shevuot 30a, one of the interpretations of this expression is the obligation to judge our fellow Jews in a favorable fashion: “Our Rabbis taught: ‘You shall judge your fellow with righteousness’ - judge your neighbor to the side of merit (Hevay dan et chaverchah l’kaf zechut).” more

Yosef is the sole figure in Tanach to whom our Sages attach the title hatzaddik, the righteous one. The second-century work Seder Haolam Rabbah is one of the earliest Rabbinic sources where this … more

The concept of the Jewish people being Hashem’s am segulah is first introduced in Sefer Shemot 19:5: “And now, if you obey Me and keep My covenant, you shall be to Me a treasure out of … more

Dedicated to the sacred memories of my sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra, my sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, and Shifra bat Chaim Alter, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam. Rav Aryeh Kaplan zatztal translates some of the key verses in our parasha in the following manner: more

The phrase, “And you shall love the L-rd, your G-d,” appears twice in the Torah — the first instance is in our parsha, Vaetchanan (6:5), and the second is found in Eikev (11:1). … more

The festival of Succot contains two major mitzvot, dwelling in the Succah on the night of the 15th of Tishrei, and the taking of the Arba’at ha-Minim (the Four Species). Both of these acts are … more

Our parasha, Naso, is the source of Birkat Kohanim, one of the most stirring acts in our prayer experience. Nearly anyone who has witnessed this tefilah senses its drama and … more