by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Feb 13, 2015 | Lifeline
Did you know that the city of Chelm truly had wise men? Or that the stories of “The Wise Men of Chelm” were old fables, deliberately cast upon the Rabbis of Chelm to belittle its Sages? This week’s Torah reading comprises a long list of Commandments....
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Feb 6, 2015 | Lifeline
When Yisro comes to meet Moshe and the Jewish Nation, he finds that Moshe is taking questions all day. Moshe explains that everyone who has a question about G-d’s Laws is coming to him for the answer, and everyone with a disagreement is coming to him to know who...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Jan 30, 2015 | Lifeline
This week, we read about the formation of the Jewish people. They are taken out of Egypt to form a new nation, and the first thing the Jewish people see is an open miracle: the opening of the Sea to let them cross. Shortly after letting the Israelites go, Pharoah...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Jan 23, 2015 | Lifeline
At the beginning of this week’s reading, Pharoah flatly rejects the idea that all the Jews should be allowed to leave Egypt to worship G-d. He was willing to consider allowing a subset to leave for a time, but not the entire nation. Yet that is precisely what...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Jan 9, 2015 | Lifeline
There is a world of difference between lashon hora, evil gossip, and constructive criticism. First and foremost, criticism can help us to improve. In this week’s reading, Moshe is warned that he spoke badly of Israel — he said that they will not believe...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Jan 2, 2015 | Lifeline
Yaakov blesses all of his sons before he dies. But before this, Yosef takes his sons Ephraim and Menashe to see their grandfather, who gives them a special blessing — first and foremost, by elevating them to have the same status as his own children. Throughout...
