In this week’s parsha, Chayei Sarah, Sarah Imeinu has died at the age of one hundred and twenty seven years old. After being maspid (eulogizing) his eishes chayil, and crying for her, Avraham must deal with the burial arrangements. He purchases the Me’arat ha’Machpela from...
In parshas Vayeira the Torah continues to teach us about the life and times of Avraham Avinu. We learn of the bikur cholim Hashem did in visiting Avraham when he was healing from his bris milah (18:1 with Rashi), the hachnasas orchim Avraham did...
In Parshas Lech Licha we begin to journey with the first of our Avos and Imahos. When Avraham is seventy-five years old, Hashem appears to him and commands him to leave his land, his birth place, and his father’s home and journey to the land...
In Parshas Noach, we learn of a world that is completely corrupt, save for one righteous man, Noach. The Torah tells us that נֹחַ אִישׁ צַדִּיק תָּמִים הָיָה בְּדֹרֹתָיו אֶת-הָאֱלֹקִים, הִתְהַלֶּךְ-נֹחַ, Noach was a righteous man, he was pure in his generation, Noach walked with...
Chag Ha’Succos - Chag ha’Assif, Shemini Atzeres - Simchas Torah 5785. The culmination of the annual cycle of the shalosh regalim (the three yearly festivals - Pesach, Shavuos, and Succos), the end of all of our avodah b’teshuva that began on Rosh Chodesh Elul, through...
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is a day of teshuva, tefilah, and tzedaka (with the giving of tzedaka in advance of this day). It is our heartfelt and fervent prayer that our avodah in these three all-encompassing realms - repentance, prayer and charity -...
As I sit at my desk and pen these words, on the eve of the new year, as Rosh Hashana 5785 prepares to enter, and Elul 5784 prepares to depart, the face of Ori Danino HY”D smiles at me. Ori’s smile beams from the card...
Dear friends, As we prepare for R”H and the yomtov season with so much physical labor and effort, here are some of my recent podcast interviews that may interest you. These are all available on major streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple podcasts, etc). Please enjoy and feel free...
In Parshas Nitzavim, the first of this week’s double parshios - Netzavim-Vayelech - the Torah highlights the mitzvah of teshuva, repentance and return. Not for naught is this parsha always read before Rosh Hashanah and at the end of Elul. Elul is the month when...
In parshas Ki Savo, the Torah enumerates the second set of klalos (curses) that are found in the Chumash. The first tochacha (rebuke) is found in Bechukosai (Vayikra Ch.26 - the forty-nine curses given Har Sinai), and the second set is found in our parsha. ...