It was silence of such magnitude and such power, I was sure that even the angels in heaven were standing still. I remember it like it was yesterday. more

In 2006, the Goodman family’s son Yosef was killed in a tragic training accident when his parachute failed to open properly. Incredibly, having become entangled with his officer’s chute, Yosef z”l bravely chose to cut himself loose rather than cost his officer’s life. A few days later, sitting in the Goodman home, I learned just how special Yosef Goodman really was. more

The battle is waged against Amalek, and as it finishes, we are told that “Yehoshua weakened Amalek and his people with the sword." The Torah’s word for weakened is vayachalosh, but its translation is not so clear. more

There are a number of mitzvot associated with the Korban Pesach — the Paschal Lamb sacrifice that was first commanded in Egypt and eaten the night before the Exodus — that apply anytime the Korban Pesach is offered and eaten. One concerns how it is to be prepared: “Do not eat it raw or [very] cooked in water, but only roasted over fire; its head (on) its legs and (on) its internal organs” (Shmot, Bo, 12:9). more

Walk into 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. One would expect to find this symbol, therefore, in the center of our homes, the living room or dining room. Yet we place our mezuzah in the doorway at the entrance to the home, a place we only pass through, never really stopping to focus on much of anything. more

It is time to set the record straight. The undertaking of this column each week is often driven by a desire to find new approaches to oft-repeated ideas in the Torah. By “new” I mean “not the way you’ve been learning it since second grade.” more

It is nearly 20 years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday. I lost about eight seconds of my life and almost died. I had been kept late with a group of students I was teaching, some of whom were struggling with some deep issues, and by the time I got in my car to head home it was nearly 4 am. I was an idiot; I should have stayed over in the dormitory with my students, but I guess I thought I was invincible. I had a cup of coffee with me and assumed that would be enough to get me home; I was wrong. more

There is a puzzling story in this week’s portion, Shemot, which occurs just as Moshe is ready to return to Egypt to set his people free. When Moshe stops at a small inn before the last leg of the journey home, G-d actually attempts to put him to death! After 39 verses (Exodus 3; 1-4: 19) where G-d convinces Moshe to leave Midyan and accept the mission of bringing the Jewish people out of Egypt, Moshe accepts and, taking his wife and children with him, sets forth on the journey south, back to Egypt. more

t was the great sage Hillel who said (Avot 2:5), “In a place where there are no men, try to be a man.” The sentiment of the phrase doesn’t lend itself to be reformulated to gender-neutral terminology, so I apologize in advance to those who find it offensive. Nonetheless, I think an understated message from this phrase can help us understand the first real episode in the life of Moshe, when he controls his own destiny. more

Of all the unexpected visitors I ever received, none even come close to the surprise I got in the summer of 1994. I was teaching a course on Jewish values deep in the mountains of Pennsylvania, near Indian Orchard, at Camp Moshava. We were in the middle of an intense discussion on Jewish ethics, when I noticed three men standing at the entrance to the lodge. Their features were Far Eastern and they were standing patiently at the door, taking it all in. more