by Mordechai Dixler | Jul 9, 2015 | Lifeline
A young man in Poland was once diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. His teacher, the holy Rabbi Yisrael Meyer Kagan, known as the Chofetz Chaim, advised him to seek a blessing from a certain scholar in another town. He asked his student not to reveal to anyone...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Jul 3, 2015 | Lifeline
In this week’s reading, we learn the incredible story of Bila’am, who traveled to curse the Jews, only to be confronted by an angel – and his own donkey. His donkey saw the angel first, with a drawn sword, and prudently steered to avoid the angel by...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Jun 26, 2015 | Lifeline
We read this week about the passing of Aharon, the first Kohen Gadol, the High Priest. At the time of his passing, G-d tells Moshe to ascend the mountain with both Aharon and Elazar, his son — and to remove the vestments of the High Priest from Aharon, and place...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Jun 12, 2015 | Lifeline
This week, we read the portion of the spies, send by the Children of Israel to go spy out the land that they would enter. This wasn’t, as Rashi tells us from the Medrash, a Commandment — but rather “if that’s what you want to do, send...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Jun 5, 2015 | Lifeline
In this week’s reading, Aharon is Commanded to light the Menorah in the Temple. What happens when you light a flame? Lighting a second candle takes nothing from the first one. Doing so merely spreads the light, adding to it. If you’ve ever seen a building...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | May 29, 2015 | Lifeline
The Talmud [Rosh Hashanah 17b] records an exchange between Bluriah, a convert, and the Rabbis. She questioned an apparent contradiction: the Torah says that G-d does not show favor [Deut. 10:17], but the Kohanim bless the nation in this week’s reading [Num....
