February 2021

They shall make a sanctuary for Me, and I will dwell among them.[2] The inference is clear. Hashem does not, c”v, want nor need a… Read More »Holy Discord

It was breathtakingly beautiful, but ordinary human eyes never feasted on it. Secluded in the Holy of Holies, the holy Ark of the Torah was… Read More »A Heart of Wood

Abie and Benji began walking back from their visit to the Kotel, to the parking lot where their bus was due to arrive. “I’m glad… Read More »The Kotel

How is the appropriate love [one should have for G-d]? It is that one loves G-d a great, excessive, extreme, and exceedingly intense love until… Read More »Chapter 10, Law 3 – Crazy for G-d

And if a person borrows [an animal] from his neighbor and it breaks a limb or dies, if its owner is not with him, he… Read More »That’s Way Too Costly

This week’s Torah portion features many laws governing our interactions with others: personal and property damages, borrowing and lending, and judicial proceedings, among others. Yet… Read More »Round Peg in a Round Hole

Rabbi Shimon ben (son of) Yehuda said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai: Beauty, strength, wealth, honor, wisdom, old age, fullness of years,… Read More »Chapter 6, Mishna 8(b): Peace and the Messiah – Part 2

This week we read the parsha of Mishpatim {Judgments}. “V’aileh ha’Mishpatim asher tassim lifnaihem {And these are the judgments that you shall place before them}[21:1].”… Read More »Murder and the Super Bowl

Shabbos Night IF YOU don’t have your health, then you have nothing. At least that is what I have heard many people say over the… Read More »Fifty Gates of Understanding

You shall serve Hashem your G-d, and He will bless your bread and your water.[2] In the Hebrew text, the first half of the verse… Read More »Credit Where Credit Is Due