July 2020

Do not say that teshuva (repentance) is only for sins which involve doing an action, such as adultery, theft, or burglary. [Rather,] just as a… Read More »Chapter 7, Law 3 – Who Are We?

Torah is greater than priesthood and kingship, for kingship is acquired with 30 qualities, priesthood is acquired with 24, whereas the Torah is acquired with… Read More »Chapter 6, Mishna 6: The 48 Ways: 20-21: Patience with Others

This week we read the double parsha of Matos-Masai which falls in the midst of ‘The Nine Days’ – the days of mourning over the… Read More »Kamtza and Bar-Kamtza

All who eat and drink on the 9th of Av will not see the rejoicing of Jerusalem and all who mourn for Jerusalem will merit… Read More »About This We Cry!

“Console, console My people,” says your God.… (Yeshaya 40:1) IN THE PAST when Shabbos Nachamu came around it felt right because it was great to… Read More »Ultimate Consolation

BS”D Volume 34, No. 40 11 Menachem Av 5780 August 1, 2020 In this week’s Parashah, the Torah recounts the Giving of the Torah. R’… Read More »Why Do We Believe?

The Shabbat immediately after the sad fast day of 9 Av is called Shabbat Nachamu – the Shabbat of comfort and consolation. This Shabbat draws its… Read More »Rebuilding is a Process

[Law 1] Since every person has free will, as we have explained, a person should make the effort to repent and to shake his sins… Read More »Chapter 7, Laws 1-2 – Souls of Infinity

The Talmud identifies the episode of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza as the incident which precipitated the destruction of Jerusalem. An individual who made a banquet… Read More »That’s Not What Friends Are For

These are the words that Moshe spoke to all Israel, in the wilderness, in the Aravah, opposite the Reed Sea, between Paran and Tophel and… Read More »The Privilege to Rebuke