The opening paragraph of the Amidah, recited as the central prayer of our daily liturgy, refers to the “G-d of Avraham, G-d of Yitzchak and G-d of Yaakov.” And yet, when the blessing … more

One of the many famous topics in our parasha is the destruction of the thoroughly wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. As the entire Land of Israel would one day belong to Avraham’s … more

The conclusion of Parashat Bereishit paints a dire picture of mankind’s imminent annihilation: “And the L-rd saw that the evil of man was great in the earth, and every imagination of his … more

May G-d enlarge Yefet, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem” (Bereishit 9:27). In rabbinic tradition, Yefet and Shem — two sons of Noah — represent different civilizations. … more

Another terror attack in Israel on Sunday morning. This time not “random.” This time, an Arab co-worker who knew his victims tied them up and murdered them. Does it get more evil than … more

June 19: Passengers boarding Air France Flight 139 discover it will stop in Athens en route to Paris. Some, like George and Rivka Karfunkel, don’t want to board—Athens Airport is renowned … more

The mitzvah of dwelling in the sukkah initially appears to be quite straightforward. By way of illustration, the Rambam formulates the obligation in this manner: “What is the mitzvah of … more

There was once a king who had two advisers. The advisers had a luxurious life as long as they bowed to the whims of the king, which were many. He made unreasonable demands. He was harsh in his … more

Are human beings basically animals who need to be tamed by the forces of civilization? Or are humans angelic beings who sometimes get dragged down by the external forces of nature? Thomas … more

Our parasha, Re’eh, contains the obligation to physically destroy all objects used for idol worship: “You shall tear down their altars, smash their monuments, burn their idolatrous … more