Gifting Without Glory

Gifting Without Glory

The great Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin, the Rabbinical Academy of the Sages of Lublin, opened in 1930, between the two world wars. Under the leadership of Rabbi Meir Shapiro zt”l, the school built a magnificent building which still stands today (although it was...
A Desperate Caller

A Desperate Caller

Running late for his flight, Jerry pulled into the airport parking lot and anxiously searched for an open spot. With only minutes left to go through security and reach his gate, Jerry desperately cried out to G-d, “Please, Please! I have to make this flight....
Rib Steak for Your Brain

Rib Steak for Your Brain

When the bread the Jewish people brought with them for their Exodus from Egypt had run out, G-d provided them with Manna that miraculously descended each day from the Heavens. Of course, we’re all curious what Heavenly bread tasted like. The Talmud (Yoma 75b)...
The New Moon With In Sight

The New Moon With In Sight

G-d’s gave His first commandment to the Jewish people in this week’s Torah portion — the Mitzvah to sanctify the first day of the lunar cycle, the new moon, as the first day of the month (see Ex. 12:2). Sanctifying the new month seems an odd choice...
Out of Control!

Out of Control!

As a result of Pharaoh’s recalcitrance to permit the Jewish people to leave Egypt, he and his nation were struck with a total of ten plagues. With regards to each of them, the Torah emphasizes that it only inflicted the Egyptians, and did not affect the Jewish...
Balancing the Scale

Balancing the Scale

In this week’s reading we are introduced to a new Pharoah, “who did not know Joseph” [Ex. 1:8]. Pharoah had an imagined, entirely unfounded worry: “And it will be, if a war will occur, that he [all the Jews] will join our enemies” [1:10]....