by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Mar 28, 2014 | Lifeline
Having discussed whether animals are pure or impure, whether they are kosher to eat or not, the Torah now turns to discuss the purity and impurity of human beings. Yet there is a fundamental difference between the purity or impurity of man vs. animal. An animal is...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Mar 21, 2014 | Lifeline
A friend took the attached photo at the enclosure for the collared peccary, a species native to Central and South America (as you can see on the map), in the Jerusalem Zoo. In red letters and in three languages, the sign declares: the peccary is not a pig!!...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Mar 14, 2014 | Lifeline
One of the recurring themes of the Book of Esther is that what we see, what we may believe to be obvious, may be quite the opposite of reality. The very name “Esther” (whose original name was Hadassah) means “hidden” — similar to the...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Mar 7, 2014 | Lifeline
In this week’s Torah reading, we begin the book of Leviticus, with the word “VaYikra”, “And He called.” G-d called out to Moshe, as He did every time He wanted to speak to Moshe or give a new Commandment. Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Feb 21, 2014 | Lifeline
In this week’s reading, Moshe gathers the entire nation of Israel together. He says, now it’s time to build the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. Everyone with a giving heart should bring their gifts. But first, he tells them that they have to observe the Sabbath....
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Feb 7, 2014 | Lifeline
In this week’s reading, we’re told that the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, was to wear a Tzitz, a band of gold across his forehead. And the band said “Kadosh LaShem,” Sanctified to G-d. The Talmud tells us that the Tzitz atoned for azus panim,...
