I recently heard a wonderful story by a flight attendant who, after being throttled by one too many rude comments, was starting to think she needed to change careers. Then a passenger had a heart … more

Shavuot begins on Saturday night, and since one cannot begin preparing for the holiday before Shabbat ends anyway, the point being raised here about beginning Shavuot early is a non-issue in 2016. … more

Few things in this world are as beautiful as the night sky in the desert. Most people do not get to see this beauty, far away from the bright lights and cacophony of sounds in the city, the black … more

One of the words that stands out in the Tochacha (Rebuke) of Parshat B’chukotai, a word which very clearly refers to bad behavior that people will exhibit towards G-d, and the consequential … more

Parashat Bechukotai presents shalom as one of the greatest rewards that we will receive when we live lives dedicated to Hashem’s holy Torah: “And I will grant peace in the Land, and … more

Yom Yerushalayim, which commemorates the reunification of Jerusalem following the Six-Day War in June 1967, 49 years ago, is observed on 28 Iyar (this year, June 5). Jewish Star columnist Rabbi Binny … more

Many years ago, while teaching an adult education class, the topic we were studying was pushing someone’s buttons. We were discussing the underpinnings of the mitzvah of respect for one’s … more

In its description of the Jubilee year, the Torah tell us in 25:9 that the shofar is to be sounded throughout the land on Yom Kippur of Yovel.  Noting how we don’t blow shofar when Shabbos … more

Sefer Vayikra is the sole book in the Tanach in which the phrase “v’yarata m’elokecha” (“and you shall fear your G-d”) is found. It appears three times in Parashat … more

One of the most unusual textual juxtapositions in parasha Emor occurs at the onset of the Torah’s discussion of the mo’adim (festivals) (Vayikra, chapter 23): “And the L-rd spoke to … more