February 2022

Friday Night After the dust literally settles from the incident of the golden calf (Moshe ground it down to dust and added it to water… Read More »Glory of God

With this week’s parsha, Ki Tisa, the Torah completes the instructions for the building of the Mishkan {Tabernacle} and then immediately commands about Sabbath observance:… Read More »Holy Desecration

The Mitzvah Every Jew had to donate Machatzis HaShekel, “one half-shekel” for the daily, communal sacrifices brought up by the priests on the Altar on… Read More »Machatzis HaShekel: The Halfway Mark

“Hashem passed before him and proclaimed…”(34:6) After shattering the Tablets in reaction to witnessing Bnei Yisroel worshipping the Golden Calf, Moshe prayed on their behalf… Read More »Forged With Love

As Moshe beseeched G-d to restore His closeness and intimacy with the Children of Israel after the Sin of the Golden Calf, he appealed for… Read More »Ceding Control

M’lochim I 18:1 This week’s haftorah reveals to us Hashem’s indescribable love for Hispeople and our inseparable relationship with Him. The setting is one of… Read More »Haftorah Commentary – Parshas Ki Sisa

One of the episodes in the Torah that is most difficult to understand is the story of the Golden Calf. Not only is it almost… Read More »All Things Considered

Why do we say these songs in the morning and not in the afternoon or evening, as is the case with other parts of the… Read More »Morning or Afternoon

With Purim coming, Women in Judaism reflects on its essence, by taking a deeper look at Queen Esther. Our sometimes misconstrued image of her –… Read More »The Essence of Esther

And Rachel died… (Bereshith 35:19) Rachel did not die from natural causes.1 When Lavan accused Yaakov and his family of stealing his gods, Yaakov, totally… Read More »Cursed Be