The Hidden Holiday
Why doesn’t the Torah tell us that it was given to us on Shavuos, the holiday it calls merely the feast of “weeks” and a “gathering?” And what does this tell us about the Torah itself?
Learning from Tragedy
When four Rabbis of the Mishnah reached the Temple Mount, they saw a fox come out of the area of the Holy of Holies. The other three rabbis cried, but Rebbe Akiva laughed. Why did he laugh? And how did his explanation console the other three?
Teaching It to our Children
Last week, we spoke about the recurring themes of Passover in every generation: freedom from slavery under G-d, those who would hate us, and Divine Protection. There is another aspect to the concept of "In Every Generation," also found in abundance in the Haggadah:...
In Every Generation
The development of the new Torah.org enables us to provide a range of new content, especially introductory material. The Sabbath prior to Pesach is called Shabbos HaGadol, the Great Sabbath, because the Jews were shown that their redemption had begun -- they were...
A Time of New Beginnings
Our Torah reading begins this week with laws regarding purity after giving birth, after a woman brings a new life into the world. We will also celebrate Rosh Chodesh, the beginning of a new Jewish month. The word for month itself, Chodesh, shares the root of Chadash,...
Follow the Leader
Our Sages tell us that a person must “make” a Rav for himself [Chapters of the Fathers 1:6], to find a Rabbi and teacher who can provide advice. This is the Jewish path, a tradition given from teacher to student throughout the generations.
