The song of Haazinu is quite poetic, complete with imagery that invites the most lyrical interpretation. more

One of the great challenges in life, is knowing when to lead and when to follow. In the Israeli army, commanders are trained to lead by example. Many attribute this concept to the battle for Latrun in 1948. more

The Mechilta (and many other Midrashic passages) utilize the phrase “Imo Anokhi B’tzara” (Tehillim 91:15) to prove that G-d is not only pained by difficulties which affect the community (based on Yeshayahu 63:9), but is feeling the pain of the individual as well, as he or she is faced with personal trials and difficult times in life. more

I hadn’t planned on stopping to watch, but something about him caught my attention. Maybe it was his eyes, which was where his smile began; before it spread to the rest of his face; you could see it coming in the twinkle in his eyes. Or maybe it was the fact that, knowing his history as a Holocaust survivor, it seemed so powerful that on a day such as this, he could tell his story, with such a smile. more

I remember the first Mishnah I ever learned, and it wasn’t in a classroom. (The Mishnah is the basic text of the oral tradition, as codified and edited by rabbi Yehuda Ha’Nasi circa 200 C.E.) The synagogue we attended when I was five years old had a strict decorum, and I recall the challenges this presented to my parents; vague images of my red-faced and embarrassed father carrying me out of synagogue kicking and screaming come to mind. more

Nechama Leibowitz was fond of teaching her students to find the “milah mancha” – a shoresh (root noun or verb), word or phrase that appears numerous times in a given section. In Parshat Ki Tavo, a surprising “milah mancha” is the root of the word “simcha,” meaning joy. While the word only appears in three contexts, each instance brings its own set of immeasurable valuable lessons. more

It was the height of the Intifada, and we were in the midst of a months’ worth of reserve duty....It is so easy to demonize the ‘enemy,’ but life isn’t always quite so simple. Deep in the heart of Hebron was an Israeli lookout position, meant to spot trouble on the road below and protect Israeli civilians driving through. more

When one breaks down Devarim 23:24, properly, according to its cantillation marks, a proper translation could be “What has come out of your lips you must keep and carry out (or “do”); as you have vowed to Hashem your G-d a gift, that you have spoken with your mouth.” more

During the Holocaust, the Klausenberger Rebbe, Rabi Yekutiel Halberstam, passed through the gates of hell many times. In the Warsaw Ghetto, the work camps and death marches and the final unspeakable horror, Auschwitz, the Rebbe lost his wife and their 11 children in less than a year, yet never sat shiva, refusing to take the time to mourn for his own children, while so many thousands were being lost daily. more

The shofar sound this past Sunday began the wake-up call of the month of Elul that reminds us that Rosh Hashana will soon be upon us. As I look back at notes from previous years, I have found that the commentary of Rabbenu Bachaye on these coming parshas has found an important place in my own Elul and Teshuvah-focused experience. more