by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Jun 7, 2013 | Lifeline
I am always fascinated by the implied lessons of a statement from Chapters of the Fathers [5:17], that at first glance seems to make a faulty comparison: Which is an argument for the sake of Heaven? This is the argument of Hillel and Shammai. And not for the sake of...
by Mordechai Dixler | May 23, 2013 | Lifeline
Israel was in the heat of the War of Independence and Rabbi Chaim Shmuelevitz had just been blessed with the birth of a baby boy. Shells rained from the sky as the Rabbi and a family member who accompanied him made their way to attend the Bris Milah (circumcision)....
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | May 14, 2013 | Lifeline
Passover has Matzah, the Seder, and wine. Sukkos has the Four Species and the Sukkah. But what does Shavuos have? It has the Torah! This is the day when God gave the Torah to the Jewish people. And because our holidays are not simply commemorations, but eternal links...
by Mordechai Dixler | May 2, 2013 | Lifeline
Last night I got one of “those” shopping carts. Finding it blocking the supermarket door, I figured this cart was somehow meant for me. As I prepared to push it down the aisle, though, my misfortune became clear: the wheels forcefully veered to the right....
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Apr 26, 2013 | Lifeline
In this week’s reading, the Torah talks about Shabbos, the Sabbath. In this case, however, it comes with an unusual introduction. “Speak to the Children of Israel, and say to them the festivals of G-d, which you shall declare, the Holy Convocation —...
by Mordechai Dixler | Apr 18, 2013 | Lifeline
Many of us could write up a list of rules for how we’d like to be treated by our friends. Most don’t have a physical list to hand out to people (although it might reduce some painful guesswork if we did), but this is how the list might look: Be sincere...
