During a Q&A session at a campus J-Soc meeting with the student chaplain an undergraduate asked the Rabbi “Why does the Jewish religion seem to obcess over insignificant details? For example – how much matza do we have to eat or which spoon did I use for
Read more →Some old song Just a drop of water In the endless sea All we do Crumbles to the ground Though we refuse to see Dust in the wind Now, don’t hang on Nothing last forever But the earth and sky It slips away And all my
Read more →Author: Yisroel Ciner Rabbi Weinberg introduced a novel, but important concept: Nowadays, every single one of us has the law of an “Adom Gadol”. Wherever we find ourselves — be it in the office or in the super market or in traffic — we are in the
Read more →(based on the teachings of Rav Yaakov Weinberg zt’l) The first Rashi brings the famous question concerning Chukim. When the goyim and the satan ask us why we do certain mitzvos which don’t seem to have a reason we are to react with ‘gezaira hee, ein lecha
Read more →Passover has its Seder. Purim has its Megillah Reading. Chanukah has its Menorah. Sukkot has its Sukkah. Shavuot, however, seems to be quite a barren holiday in terms of mitzvot, rituals, and commandments. True, many have a custom to remain awake the entire night studying Torah on
Read more →“And Yaakov was very frightened and distressed.” (Genesis 32:7) Rashi comments that Yaakov was frightened lest he or members of his family be killed, and he was distressed that he might be forced to kill others. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein asks: Why was Yaakov distressed that he might
Read more →The Talmud in Makkot 23b tells us: Why did the Almighty command us with the Mitzvot? Understanding the role of the Mitzvot we have to first understand the tachlit – the purpose of creation. Derech HaShem tells us: Further on we read in Derech HaShem that the
Read more →The Ten Pillars Maintain a Constant Relationship with G-d/Reality (“Know there is a G-d”) Know there is a G-d (P1) Don’t believe in any other powers (N8) Know that G-d is One (P2) Love G-d (P3) Be in Awe of G-d (P4) Safeguard Judaism/Monotheism (“Don’t believe in
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