For the Sake of Heaven
Like every part of the Torah, the story of Korach, who led a Levite rebellion against the authority of Moshe and the Kohanim, is filled with multiple layers of meaning and message. One lesson that has always spoken to me is about the nature of arguments. In the...
Open Your Heart and Then Your Eyes
Rabbi Eliezer Silver zt"l was a leader and acitivist who saved thousands of Jewish lives during the Holocaust. After the liberation of the Nazi death camps, he tried to revive the spirit of Judaism among the survivors. One of his many activities was organizing prayer...
Shavuos — a Time to Deepen the Relationship
On Tuesday night, we will revisit the time when the entire nation heard the Voice of G-d, on the holiday of Shavuos. Our Sages teach that the Jewish holidays are not merely commemoration of past events, but a time on the calendar when the same spiritual energies come...
Congregation Flight 27
I had a unique experience this past Sunday night, one that was shared by thousands throughout the world. Early Monday morning (Israel time), El Al Flight 27 departed Ben Gurion airport destined for Newark, NJ. A technical problem was soon discovered -- according to...
Haste Makes Waste
"Hey, I sent you an e-mail about the proposal two hours ago. Have you had a chance to review it?" In today's world, people expect instant results, and that means doing things without thought or consideration. But as they say, "haste makes...
True Advantage
The Torah (Lev. 25:14) terms the laws of cheating in business, specifically overcharging and the like, Ona'ah. The Talmud calls this "Ona'as Mamon" - financial cheating. A few verses later (25:17) the Torah introduces the laws of "Ona'as Devarim," hurtful speech....
