Clemency for Martin Grossman
I am very reluctant to get involved with an obviously parochial political matter. But I feel it is important to encourage everyone to participate in a plea for clemency for a mentally-impaired individual due to be killed by lethal injection early next week. 25 years...
Voices You Can See
This week, the Torah reading talks about the gathering at Mount Sinai, and receiving the Torah. And the Torah says that the people "saw" the voices, when Mount Sinai was covered with a cloud of smoke. Many commentaries speak about what this means, whether literally or...
“Let My People Go!”
This quotation, from this week's Torah reading, is surely one of the most well-known phrases in the Bible. And I have often pointed out that it's really a half-quote, distorted, read as a cry for freedom. In actuality, G-d is telling Pharaoh to give the Jews a new,...
A Jew is Immediate Family
In this week's reading, Moshe sees an Egyptian beating another Jew, and comes to his rescue -- killing the Egyptian taskmaster, and putting his own life in danger. Why did Moshe take such a terrible risk? The Jewish man is never identified by name. We never hear from...
Donate Your Smile
In our reading this week, Yaakov blesses Yehudah by saying, "His eyes will be read from wine, and his teeth white from milk." Rabbi Yochanon (Kesuvos 111b) changes one vowel and reads, "and to whiten his teeth from [more than] milk." To give a warm smile is better...
Happy Chanukah!
Tonight will be the first night of Chanukah, and we're here to celebrate with you! Follow our famous Online Menorah to see how many candles to light each evening, along with visual instructions for the three blessings. Also make sure to download some MP3s at...
