In a cattle car in Poland, in the summer of 1942, Reb Azriel Dovid Fastag, a composer for the Modzitzer Rebbe, was headed to his death in Treblinka. Over a hundred Jews, forced to stand for days on … more

Our parasha contains the final verse of Sefer Shemot: “For the cloud of the L-rd was upon the Mishkan by day, and there was fire within it at night, before the eyes of the entire house of … more

Pekudei has sometimes been called the accountant’s parsha, because it begins with audits of the money and materials donated to the Sanctuary. But beneath the dry surface lie two extraordinary … more

Many people have a misconception about Judaism that impedes their ability to take it seriously and to commit to living the Jewish way of life. Let me tell you about one such person and the … more

This past Shabbos, someone asked me, “How many people were involved in making the items for the Mishkan?” My answer: “We have no idea.” We are only told the names of two … more

In the fall of 2012, Israel was again preparing for war in response to the thousands of missiles being fired indiscriminately from the Gaza Strip into the population centers of southern Israel. … more

The Yalkut Shimoni’s opening comment in his Midrashic exposition on Parshas Vayakhel is translated as follows: “Vayakhel Moshe, and Moshe gathered: Our Rabbis, the master … more

Vayakel and Pekudei are narrative Torah portions that describe the creation of the Mishkan and the bigdei kehuna. The word “vayaas” — “and he made” — is used … more

In Ki Tisa and in Vayakhel, we encounter the figure of Bezalel, a rare type in the Hebrew Bible — the artist, the craftsman, the shaper of beauty in the service of G-d, the man who, … more

Quite a few years ago, I spent almost every Sunday afternoon in one of the great museums of the city where we then lived. I no longer remember what first stimulated my interest in art, and … more