For the parsha with the fewest number of verses in the Torah, Vayelech is quite busy. (Nitzavim has 10 more verses, but it takes up less space in the Torah.) Between warnings of bad that may … more

It was a nasty time in a nasty place: Ramallah, 1988, at Mutzav Sivan, next to the Arab “refugee” camps of Al Bireh and Al Amari during the first intifada. After a week of intense … more

We have all been brought up to believe in the importance of progress. For the past several centuries, the goal of philosophy, religion, culture, and certainly science has been to develop ideas … more

Something remarkable happens in this week’s parsha, Nitzavim, that changed the very terms of Jewish existence, and has life-changing implications for all of us. Moses renewed the … more

Shabbat Nitzavim, the concluding parasha of the Jewish calendar year, is an ideal time for in-depth introspection. As we approach Rosh Hashana we reflect on our past shortcomings and intensify … more

In July 2018, 12 boys, aged 11 to 16, were discovered and rescued with their 25-year-old soccer coach from a cave in Tham Luang, Thailand. They had entered the cave as part of a field trip but … more

At least three words in our parsha, Nitzavim, could be defined as a “milah manchah” — a repeated word which Nechama Leibowitz Z”L would utilize to draw out a theme in a … more

In our parsha, Ki Tavo, we find Moshe being repetitive with his goodbyes. Which seems excessive. At the end of chapter 26, he tells the people, “G-d is commanding you to keep the laws. … more

There is a mystical idea which suggests that hidden within every fire of destruction is the spark of redemption. Such, for example, was the case on Aug. 3, 1492, which was also the Ninth of Av, … more

Our parasha, Ki Tavo, contains a passage that has gained considerable fame due to its inclusion in the Haggadah: “And you shall call out and say before the L-rd, your G-d, ‘An Aramean … more