The stage is set. The first two sons of Man have brought their offerings to their G-d, and He has favored the younger’s dedication. The older brother is disheartened, and it shows on his face. more

There are moments in life when there are simply no words, when one is meant only to listen. Such moments may occur when sitting in a shiva home, but nowhere as often as when that family is mourning … more

There is no more tragic figure in the entire Torah than Moshe Rabbeinu, our ultimate teacher. And there is no part of the story of his life in the Torah that is more confounding and mysterious … more

In Parshat Ki Tetze we are told about a man who has two wives, one who is beloved (ahuva) and one who is detested (s’nuah) (Devarim 21:15). Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch notes that the term used … more

A story is told of a man who stopped attending his usual synagogue and was now frequenting another minyan. One day he happened to meet the rabbi of his previous synagogue, and the rabbi asked him … more

I t was the Septuagint, the early Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, that translated tsara’at, the condition whose identification and cleansing occupies much of Tazria and Metzora as … more

The land of Egypt has always loomed large in the history of our nation. In fact, the word “Mitzraim” appears 680 times in Tanach. In the main, our people’s relationship with this land has been a negative one. more

There are four times in the Torah when the people are instructed to “take” an item or material for a purpose which is then described, using the Hebrew word “v’yikchu” (with a shva under the vav) – meaning, “and they will take.” more

I remember the first time I taught a class about Passover to a group of Jewish adults of mixed Jewish backgrounds, and I mentioned that the Korban Pesach ritual, the Paschal Lamb offering, that … more

Bamidbar 21:5-8 contains what might be the quickest sin, punishment, retribution and repentant turnaround in all of the Torah. “The people spoke out against G-d and Moses, ‘Why did you … more