April 2025

And it was/Vayehi on the eighth day… Chazal[2] observe that sometimes Scripture uses the word vayehi, and at other times the word vehaya. Both essentially… Read More »Tough Love

SHEMINIShmuel II 6:1–7:17Sanctity and Humility This week’s Haftarah teaches us an important lesson about sanctity and the true greatness one displays through honoring Hashem’s Presence.… Read More »Sanctity and Humility

This week we read the parsha of Shemini. “Va’y’hee ba’yom ha’shmini (And it was on the eighth day) [9:1].” Rashi explains that this was the… Read More »A Clear Upside-Down World

Vulgar language is not acceptable according to the Torah. We are always expected to speak with refinement and decorum, but the Torah does not tell… Read More »Genteel Ambiguity

At the most importune time in the history of a fledgling nation, tragedy strikes. On the eighth day of the inaugural ceremonies for the Mishkan,… Read More »Inner Peace

Talk about entanglement. The simple narrative has Nadav and Avihu dying because they brought an “unauthorized fire” during the inauguration ceremony in this week’s parsha.… Read More »Entanglement

BS”D Volume 39, No. 26 28 Nissan 5785 April 26, 2025 Sponsored by Rona and Aaron Lerner in memory of his father Yaakov Yona ben… Read More »Laws of Kohanim

This dvar Torah was adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi Yissocher Frand’s Commuter Chavrusah Torah Tapes on the weekly Torah portion: Tape# 93, Melacha… Read More »The Requirement of Jewish Leadership: A Feeling of Unworthiness

Why is this night different from all other nights? (Haggadah of Pesach) Why do questions play such a major role at the Pesach Seder? What… Read More »An Open-Ended Question

BS”D Volume 39, No. 25 14 Nissan 5785 April 12, 2025 Sponsored by Rabbi Sanford H. Shudnow and family in memory of his father Mr.… Read More »Another Angle