by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Mar 19, 2020 | Lifeline
In this week’s reading, Moshe gathers the people together — and talks to them about Shabbos. “For 6 days you will do your labor, and the seventh will be holy for you, a Sabbath of Sabbaths to G-d… And you will not pass a fire through all your...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Mar 5, 2020 | Lifeline
Celebrating Purim, the rabbis tell us, entails four things: hearing the reading of the Megillah (the Scroll of Esther), having a festive meal, giving gifts to the poor, and sending food packages to friends. Those are the four commandments of the day. The first two...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Feb 14, 2020 | Lifeline
In this week’s reading, Moshe and the Jewish nation gathered at the foot of Mount Sinai to receive the Torah. Judaism teaches us that along with the Written Torah printed in every Bible, God also taught Moshe the Oral Law, giving much more detail about the...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Dec 26, 2019 | Lifeline
When lighting the Menorah on Chanukah, we are instructed to light one light the first night, adding one light (to the left of the first) each night until lighting eight on the final night of the holiday. This is one of the famous arguments of the House of Hillel and...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Sep 26, 2019 | Lifeline
Our reading this week contains an extraordinary passage, one which is very relevant for the upcoming High Holy Days. Moshe gathers the Nation of Israel together, and describes to them a truly unforgivable sin. It is so terrible that “Hashem will not be willing...
