The Talmud in Kiddushin (40b) has a fascinating passage describing the merits process, which is quite applicable to this time of year. more

I have a hard time understanding the role of Aharon, Moshe’s brother, in the exodus story. When he is first appointed to be the leader/redeemer of Israel, Moshe presents a number of arguments as to why he is not the best man for the job. He may even hint to the idea that Aharon would be a more worthy choice. more

I remember the look of shock on his face like it was yesterday. It was, I believe, the summer of 1984, and we were on patrol in Beirut. Technically, the Lebanese stores were off limits to us and we weren’t even supposed to go into them, but it was a really hot day, and we were really thirsty, so, using “initiative in the field,” a couple of us went in to a market to get a couple of six-packs of Coke for the guys. more

This week’s column is dedicated to the memory of Ezra Schwartz and Rav Yaakov Don, two lights we will never forget. Prince Charming doesn’t always find Cinderella, and stories do not … more

It was a small mutzav (fortified position) on the Qasmiyeh Bridge, deep in the IDF security zone in Lebanon and far from the border and Hezbollah, until the IDF, as part of a gradual withdrawal, … more

Rabbinic literature includes the names and teachings of many great and well-known sages. Yet, the rabbi who is mentioned most often in our liturgy is Rabbi Chanania ben Akashya — an obscure … more

At the start of this parsha is a cluster of laws that challenged and puzzled the commentators. They concern a woman who has just given birth. If she gives birth to a son, she is “unclean … more

Be strong, be strong, and we will be strong! — Chazak, chazak, v’nitchazek! The week we read parshat Pekudei, which comprises the concluding chapters of sefer Shemot. As the … more

By Rabbi Avi Billet Issue of July 10, 2009 / 18 Tammuz 5769 A movie truism says that if you’re introduced to a character in the beginning of a film, even if the storyline does not seem to … more

The three of us represented a standard cross-section of Israeli society: Kachlon, a bank-teller, Rami, an electrician, and me. It has always been my custom to say the special prayer for the journey (Tefillat Ha’Derech) before every patrol, and this one was no exception. Though both Rami and Kachlon did not describe themselves as religious, both instinctively covered their heads with their hands as I intoned the traditional prayer. more