Looking Down the Road
In this week's reading, Rashi, Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, tells us to what extent the Torah demands an elevated standard of conduct. He warns us that even if we follow the letter of the law, but try to push the envelope — doing what we can get away with rather than what...
Bias in Belarus
The laws of Kosher slaughter are complex and demanding, and typically only someone with the necessary training and piety can become a Shochet, trusted to provide Kosher meat for a community. During the days of the saintly Rabbi Yozel Horowitz zt"l (also known as the...
Glorious Food!
Food is the fuel that energizes both man and beast - the great equalizer. If both Fido and I have to eat to stay alive, and we both seem to enjoy eating, is there a fundamental difference between my food consumption and his? The answer, of course, is yes. We humans...
A Hack for the Heart
While reading an article with information for her research report, Ellen noticed the Facebook "Like" button alongside the webpage. It was now 9:15am and she hadn't checked Facebook since she woke up three hours earlier, so she wondered if anything was going on in her...
Eichah – How Did This Happen?
This Shabbos is Tisha B'Av, the Ninth of Av, the day of mourning for the destruction of both Holy Temples and tragedies throughout Jewish history. Because it is the Sabbath, the day of mourning begins Saturday night and is observed throughout Sunday. A woman of...
Whose Fight Is This?
When Moshe doesn't seem to be following G-d's instructions, you know something is going on beneath the surface. We find such a case in this week's reading, and a deeper look helps us understand the root cause of anti-Semitism itself. In Parshas Mattos, HaShem tells...
