Today is the beginning of the Jewish month of Adar. In Jewish tradition this is a period of joy and celebration — it heralds the holidays of Purim in Adar, followed by Passover during the following month of Nissan. These holidays celebrate the deliverance of the...

"I have a great gift in my storehouse!" This is what G-d told the Jewish people when He gave them the Mitzvah of Shabbos, the Commandment to rest on Saturday, the seventh day of the week -- the same day G-d Himself chose as His own day of rest after the six days of...

A man helped his blind friend to find his way home, protecting him from stumbling along the road. When they eventually reached the blind man’s house, the sighted one asked as they walked through the door: “Can you please turn on the light for me?” As it was his...

The dimensions of the various components of the Mishkan (The Tabernacle) are specified in great detail in this week’s Torah portion. These measurements were certainly relevant at the time, required information for those tasked with its construction. The lessons of...

Our reading begins, "And these are the judgments..." [Ex. 21:1] The laws in the Torah described as "judgments" are civil laws, which every society must have in order to avoid anarchy. Yet the Torah emphasizes that its civil laws are of Divine origin, like the laws...

What happens when you hear something that truly inspires you? What do you "take home" afterwards? I once heard that there are three possible reactions people might have. Some will simply shrug it off, thinking, "it really wasn't important to me, and won't affect me...

Rabbi Sholom Schwadron ztl, the famed Magid (storyteller and inspirational speaker) of Jerusalem, would tell the story of an Israeli soldier who was terribly anxious and fearful in the middle of a heavy battle. Bullets and explosives were landing all around him, and...

Moshe (Moses) came to the Jewish people to tell them their exile would soon be coming to an end. Yet what was their response? "They did not listen to Moshe, because of their shortened spirit and hard work" [Ex. 6:9]. G-d then tells Moshe to go to Pharaoh, to tell him...

Our ability to see is the strongest of our senses. What we see penetrates our inner conscience, and can guide us towards right or wrong. Visual media is so attractive and popular because it touches the core, the soul, of the human being. When advertisers want to drive...

What makes you cry? Some cry at weddings and other happy moments. Others, in times of deep sadness and loss. When Yosef (Joseph) overheard his brothers express regret for selling him as a slave, he cried. When they brought his brother Binyamin down to Egypt to see...

What is Chanukah? On National Public Radio this week, a reporter posed this basic question to a young father attending a Chanukah party with his wife and two-year-old son. He responded, “You eat fried food. You have some doughnuts. You light some candles. You sing...

Jacob and his family were traveling to meet Esau and return to the Land of Israel. Jacob had his family and flocks cross the Yabok river before him, leaving Jacob himself alone on the other side. At that moment, a man — whom the Midrash says was Esau's personal...