This week is a time of new beginnings. First of all, we will read this week about Creation: the beginning of plant life, animal life, and ultimately human life. But second, a month of holiday observances: a week of preparatory prayers prior to the new year, Rosh...

In Psalm 130, there is a statement that requires explanation. "If G-d should preserve wrongdoing, HaShem, who will stand? Because forgiveness is with You, in order that You be revered." [130:3-4] The first of these verses seems straightforward: since we all do wrong...

Rosh Hashanah, the Day of Judgment, is also, per the majority opinion in the Talmud, the sixth and final day of Creation. It is on this day that Adam and Eve, the first couple, were brought into the world. And as we know, Adam was initially Created as a single...

The Torah portion this week opens with the Mitzvah (Commandment) of Bikurim. Farmers would bring the first fruits of their field to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, and present them as a gift to the Kohain (priest) serving in the Temple. It was a much anticipated and...

Moshe (Moses) continues to enumerate in Ki Seitzei, this week's Torah portion, the many Mitzvos (commandments) G-d gave to the Jewish people. This portion actually has the largest listing of Mitzvos of any weekly Torah reading -- 74 in total. Among these is the...

All societies require some means of government to maintain law and order. So the Torah's directive, in the opening of this week's Torah portion, to establish judges and police to enforce the law is not surprising. As the Mishna writes (Pirkei Avos 3:2), "Pray for the...