In this week’s Torah portion we are introduced to a number of laws that focus on illness. These maladies render a person spiritually impure and thereby preclude them from participating in the Temple services. One such area is the law of Tzaraas. Tzaraas, erroneously translated as Leprosy,
Read more →On two occasions in Parshas Behar the Torah instructs us not to afflict our fellow Jew. In the first instance, the Torah states: “When you sell an item to one of your people or buy from one of your people, a man should not afflict his brother.[1]” A
Read more →Author: David Levin The New York TimesMarch 27, 2008 It would seem an odd, perhaps even absurd, announcement to make over a high school’s public address system. But at 11:15 each morning at the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls on Long Island, the voice of
Read more →“Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, sheik of Midian, heard about all that God had done for Moses and His people Israel when He brought Israel out of Egypt.” (Exodus 18:1) What did Jethro hear about that made him come? The Splitting of the Sea and the war with Amalek (Rashi).
Read more →Author: Rabbi Shraga Simmons One man spread a rumor about another. He later felt regret, and went to the rabbi to ask how to make amends. “Go to the store and buy a bag of seeds,” said the rabbi, “then go to a big open field and scatter
Read more →On Rosh HaShana blow 100, 4 groups: three of thirty – murder, adultery, idol worship, last 10 are for Loshon Hora. Loshon Hora is likened to these three most horrible sins, it is the last , therefore it contains the essence of human failure. What is Loshon
Read more →Author: Rabbi Stephen Baars What is it about gossip that people find so enjoyable?Do you say things about people that you would not want them to say about you? Why? Do you think there is anything wrong about gossip?Who gets hurt the most: the speaker, the listener,
Read more →Author: Rabbi Pinchas Morse The Chumash tells us what happens if we don’t care about each other. Verse The day after he killed the Egyptian, Moshe came upon two Jews fighting (Dasan and Aviram) and tried to intervene. They responded insolently to him and asked if he intended to kill the protagonist as
Read more →Author: Rabbi Marc Friedman Speech has power. Judaism says that it differentiates us from the animals-our ability to communicate intelligent thoughts elevates us. (Targum Onkelos Breishet 2:7) And yet, as with anything powerful, the flip side is something to be aware of. We look at the tongue
Read more →You are a doctor in a small town. One of your patients has become terminally ill. The patient just got engaged to a young woman who does not know about the illness. You know her and her family as well. What do you do? Do you say nothing in
Read more →LYING[1] Alex is the director of the chemicals division of a large company. He is informed that a team of internal auditors from headquarters will arrive at his door for an audit in 48 hours. His staff prepares as best they can. The day before the auditors
Read more →Libraries are usually quiet places to allow for contemplation and concentration. Yet, if you walk into a Torah study hall, you may be surprised at the decibel level and the noise. Why is it that Jews study out loud? Parshat Ki Tavo offers an insight that solves
Read more →Author: Rabbi Yitzchak Berkowitz (This text is a transcription of a shiur which Rav Berkowitz gave in Elul 5745 / September 1985 at Yeshivat Aish HaTorah, Jerusalem.) In all of Bein adam l’chaviro, the dealings between man and man, in the case of Sheker, in the case of truth in
Read more →Author: Sefer Chofetz Chaim SEFER SHMIRAS HALOSHON The Folly of Revenge The Sages teach that a single Jew’s sin adversely affects the entire Jewishpeople. This is because, as mentioned above, all Jews stem from a singlesource and are like one. When one organ of a body is
Read more →A few years ago I was attending a conference, and I heard a talk by Bob Burg, a motivational speaker and lecturer who specializes, I think, in sales, marketing and communication strategies that promote professional success. The title of the book which he handed out at the
Read more →Author: Rabbi Ari Kahn and Sam Veffer Distance yourself from a false matter; and do not commit to death the innocent and righteous, for I will not justify the wicked.(Exodus 23:7) Define the Terms The Torah is the source of Jewish Law but very often it appears
Read more →