by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Nov 1, 2018 | Lifeline
Readers know that I have written about anti-Semitism for a long time. Our hearts reel at its manifestation in a Pittsburgh synagogue last Shabbos morning. The Medrash says that Sarah passed away when she believed that her son Yitzchak had indeed died at HaShem’s...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Aug 10, 2018 | Lifeline
Is it easy to make a moral choice? Moshe, our teacher, tells us that it is, at least in principle: “See that I have placed before you today ‘blessing’ and ‘curse’. The blessing, if you will listen to the Commandments of HaShem your G-d...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Jul 27, 2018 | Lifeline
In the Talmud, the Sages tell us to study the skies, or more specifically the calculations of the calendar: “says Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmeini in the name of Rebbe Yochanon: from where do we know that it is a Mitzvah to calculate the seasons and the months? For it...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Jul 19, 2018 | Lifeline
The Torah portion of Dvarim, beginning the last of the 5 books of Moses, is universally read on the Sabbath proceeding the Ninth of Av, when we commemorate the destruction of both Temples and other tragedies throughout Jewish history. Each week’s reading is...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Jun 28, 2018 | Lifeline
In this week’s reading, the gentile prophet Bila’am famously tries to curse the Jews, only to bless them each time. The Torah says, “and Bila’am lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes, and the Spirit of G-d...
