by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Feb 1, 2013 | Lifeline
Throughout Jewish literature, we find a recurring theme: G-d communicates with us, but in hidden (though sometimes not so hidden) ways. Only once in history did G-d reveal himself bluntly and openly, and declare “I am the L-rd Your G-d” — it is our...
by Mordechai Dixler | Jan 17, 2013 | Lifeline
One of my children’s favorite songs for Passover is Pharoah in Pajamas in the Middle of the Night, a simple repetitive tune highlighting Pharoah’s frantic search for Moses on the night of Egypt’s plague of the firstborn. I’ve heard renditions of the song in...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Jan 11, 2013 | Lifeline
When the Chofetz Chaim himself, the saintly Rabbi Yisrael Meyer Kagan, was bemoaning how people were losing their faith and attachment to Judaism, it was the Rosh Mesivta (high school principal) who helped him feel better. The principal pointed out that even back in...
by Mordechai Dixler | Jan 3, 2013 | Lifeline
The Jewish slaves, entrenched and tortured in Egypt for hundreds of years, finally reached a point where they were moved to prayer. “The Children of Israel moaned from the labor, and they cried, and their desperate plea ascended to G-d from the labor.”...
by Rabbi Yaakov Menken | Dec 28, 2012 | Lifeline
When Yaakov blesses Yehudah, he says that Yehudah will be “red-eyed from wine, and white-toothed from milk.” [49:12] In the Talmud, Rabbi Yochanan offers a homiletic interpretation of this verse. [Kesubos 111b]. He says that one who smiles graciously at...
by Mordechai Dixler | Dec 20, 2012 | Lifeline
Due to the widespread famine in Canaan, Jacob and his family descended to Egypt to live under Joseph’s care. Before the journey, G-d appeared to Jacob and said “Don’t fear going down to Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there. I will go down...
