There is a phrase that one hears quite commonly nowadays: “It is what it is.” There is something that has always disturbed me about that phrase. It seems to be stating that things … more

Ki Seitzei is about relationships — between men and women, parents and children, employers and employees, lenders and borrowers. Strikingly, though, it is also about relationships between … more

It is one of the most important words in Judaism, and also one of the least understood. Its two most famous occurrences are in last week’s parsha and this week’s: “Hear O … more

As a parent, grandparent, and psychologist, I am often considered to be something of an expert on parenting and child-rearing. In that capacity, I have frequently been asked to review or give an … more

Our parasha contains a phrase that is found in the first bracha of the Shemoneh Esrei: “God your Lord is the ultimate Supreme Being and the highest possible Authority. Great, mighty and … more

The first chapter and a half that begins Parshat Eikev contains what we might describe as the opposite formula of the “Tokhachot/Rebukes” that appear in Bechukotai and Ki Tavo. In those … more

Talmud Bavli, Baba Batra 14b-15b, teaches that the Tanach was written by a community of writers. While the entire Torah is Torat Moshe, Sefer Devarim stands out most prominently as Moshe’s … more

There is biography, and then there is autobiography. Our biography is the way others see us. Our autobiography is the way we see ourselves. Typically, there are sharp differences between the … more

Beloved by his entire generation and revered for his incredible knowledge of Torah, he was given the chance to get out of 1939 Poland; safe passage to America had been secured and a new life was … more

On March 27, 2012, to celebrate the diamond jubilee of the Queen, an ancient ceremony took place at Buckingham Palace. A number of institutions presented Loyal Addresses to the Queen, thanking her … more