Pesach begins next Friday night, and with it comes the longest mitzvah we can fulfill, the telling of the story of the Exodus from Egypt. In Maimonides’ count it is positive mitzvah 157. In … more

This is Shabbat Hagadol, the Great Shabbat, an appellation that urges us to focus on the meaning of geulah (redemption), since it is juxtaposed to Pesach, the preeminent Festival of … more

When the Talmud asks a question for which no satisfactory answer is evident, it uses the word “teiku” as a way of indicating that we’ll have to wait for the coming of Elijah … more

When the the Israelites pressed Aaron to make them an idol of gold, the Torah informs us: “And all the people broke off the golden rings which were in their ears and brought them unto … more

The laws regarding the korbanot are one of the major themes of sefer Vayikra. The Rambam discusses their underlying reasoning in two well-known passages found in his philosophic magnum opus, The … more

Rabbenu Bachya ben Asher begins his commentary on the book of Vayikra with an introduction, in which he includes a verse from Mishlei 22:4: “In the wake of humility comes fear of the Lord, … more

What role does the synagogue play in people’s lives? Here are several models. The ‘hospital’ synagogue: This refers to people who come to the synagogue in emergencies — … more

At the very beginning of his instructions about the construction of the Mishkan, Moshe says to the people regarding their terumah (donations), “Take from yourselves terumah to G-d, all … more

Our parshiot, Vayakel-Pekudei, begin with the construction of the Mishkan (the portable desert sanctuary): “Moses called the whole community of the children of Israel to assemble, and he … more

Who doesn’t like the smell of freshly made popcorn? Many years ago I remember reading a comic book (I think it was Richie Rich) in which a character was looking to have a popcorn smelling … more