Inscribed on the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia is a verse from this week’s Torah Portion, Lev. 25:10. "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all inhabitants thereof." This verse is about the Jubilee year, the 50th year on the Jewish calendar when indentured...

Nearly half of this week’s Torah portion is devoted to the annual cycle of Jewish holidays. After beginning with Shabbos, which is also a holiday, the Torah continues with Passover, Shavuos, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkos. In English, the word “holiday”...

Among the numerous Commandments in this week’s Torah portion, 51 in all, is the Mitzvah of Tochacha – to correct others when we see they’ve done something wrong (Lev. 19:17). This is a challenging Mitzvah, because it can only be fulfilled with one who is...

With Passover behind us and the summer about to begin, this Shabbos we will find ourselves reading about Yom Kippur. Our reading this week begins with the special services performed by the High Priest in the Tabernacle and the Holy Temple, including that for Yom...

The Passover Seder is one of the most commonly-observed Jewish rituals today. People who neglect lighting candles in honor of Shabbos, or fasting for Yom Kippur, will gather around the table on Passover to retell the story of the Exodus. There is clearly something...

The Shabbos preceding Passover is traditionally known as Shabbos HaGadol -- the Great Shabbos. On the 14th of the Jewish month of Nissan, the Jews in Egypt offered and ate the Paschal Lamb at night, before leaving Egypt the following morning. In preparation for that...