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Kenneth CohenThe Times of Israel (Blogs) |
The Talmud at the end of Masechet Yevamot, addresses the question as to how we are to educate our children. It began with a discussion regarding a...
The action of Pinchas was one of the more controversial incidents in the Torah. Many felt that he acted irrationally by taking the law into his own...
Bilaam had done some serious investigation of the Jewish people from various vantage points. Miraculously, his intentions to curse turned into...
There is a book called, “Sefer Hayashar,” that may have been written by Rashi’s grandson, Rabbeinu Tam. It contains many lessons in character...
The commentators discuss this unique individual named, “Balak.” Initially, we do not know of any special title attributed to him. Only later we...
The Chazon Ish makes another interesting observation about the study of books of Mussar, discipline. While these books are excellent in helping refine...
We are all familiar with the daily prayer that begins with the words, אז ישיר. This is a direct quote of the song that Moshe and the Jewish...
The death of Aharon was very traumatic for the Jewish people. The Torah tells us that when Aharon died, the entire nation, both men and women, mourned...
The Keli Yakar has an interesting explanation as to why in the beginning of the forty year journey in the desert, Moshe was asked to hit the rock,...
The episode of Moshe hitting the rock, requires some perspective. The incident occurred shortly after the death of Miriam, the older sister of Moshe...
The Alshich felt it was necessary for the Torah to give us laws that we could not comprehend. This refers to the category of laws known as...
One of the positive commandments of the Torah is that the Leviim were required to serve permanently in the Temple. This was a mandatory obligation...
The end of Parshat Korach contains certain laws that were applicable only to the Kohanim and Leviim. This was placed there after the rebellion, now...
There is another concept used by both the Ramchal and the Chazon Ish in describing the goal of how one must properly serve Hashem. This is called,...
The Chazon Ish introduced a concept that he felt was necessary for perfecting one’s character. He calls this דקדוק הדין, or meticulousness...
The camp of Israel in the desert was set up on a very orderly fashion. The Mishkan was in the center, and was surrounded by the three Levite families...
There are many obstacles that we must overcome as human beings. It is always challenging when we need to make difficult decisions in life. We must be...
The Talmud in Masechet Sota explains what Kalev meant when he tried to encourage the people by saying, סר צלם, “Their protection is removed.”...
When we read the tragic story of the spies, it is important to remember the words of Kalev. When the people were upset about the problems involved...
The Alshich compares the Mitzva of wearing Tzitzit to tying a string around one’s finger, to remind him of something important that he needs to do....
The Chazon Ish was one of the greatest rabbis of the twentieth century. Among his great achievements was to influence David Ben Gurion in not...
The tragic story of the spies, teaches us how it is possible to demoralize an entire nation, with bitterness and lies, in the face of truth and...
The Alshich makes a comparison between Moshe Rabbeinu’s sending the spies, and Yehoshua’s decision to also send spies before conquering Jericho....
There is a dispute among the Rishonim related to the Halacha of waiting six hours after eating meat, before eating dairy. The consensus opinion is to...
The case in the Torah of the מתאוננים, the complainers, caused Moshe Rabbeinu to throw up his hands in despair. He asked Hashem for help in...
The trumpets, also known as “חצוצרות”had a special role to play in the desert and in the Temple. In the desert, it was a call for the camp...
The Alshich described how special it was when the משכן was completed in the desert. This took place on the first of Nissan, almost a year after...
The Alshich gave a description of how the Jewish people traveled in the desert. There were times when they stayed in a specific location for many...
The Menorah in the Temple was a fascinating spiritual object. There was a great deal of mysticism attached to it. The Alshich wrote that there was a...
It is not possible for any Jew to observe all 613 commandments even when the Temple was standing. A case in point is that many Mitzvot apply only to...
The Torah teaches us the laws related to the Nazir. This refers to an individual who usually takes a vow that lasts thirty days. During this time, he...
The case of the woman suspected of being faithful to her husband, known as “Sotah,” is very perplexing. This woman is claiming her innocence,...
The Torah gave instructions to send outside of the camp three different individuals who were in a state of impurity. The one who came in contact with...
The beauty of the Torah is not only the profound wisdom and truth contained in it, but it is also an ongoing set of laws, waiting to be uncovered. It...
Shavuot is the holiday when we celebrate the greatest day in human history. The Revelation on Mount Sinai when all of Israel heard G-d speak was...
The Tribe of Levi was counted differently from the other tribes of Israel. They were counted from one month in age rather than twenty years, as was...
The Book of Bamidbar begins with the command to count the Jewish males from the age of twenty to sixty. The purpose of the counting was to bring the...
King David in his Book of Psalms, describes Jerusalem as עיר שחברה לה יחדיו, “a city that is united together.” It is the only city...
Yom Yerushalayim is the newest holiday in the Jewish calendar. We celebrate the great victory of the Six Day War, when the entire city was back in...
Twice a year, the Torah gives us the תוכחה, or rebuke. The first comes before Shavuot, and the second one before Rosh Hashanah. It is a very...
The Alshich makes an interesting comment about wealth and poverty. He wrote that it is a much greater challenge to be wealthy rather than to be poor....
It is interesting to note that both in Parshat Behar and in Parshat Bechkotai, we have the verse, וישבתם לבטח בארצכם, “And you shall...
It is fitting that the laws that follow the Sabbatical and Jubilee years, deal with the subject of אונאה. In spoken Hebrew, this is the word used...
The Torah teaches us about the laws of the “Yovel,” the jubilee year that takes place every fifty years. The verse related to Yovel, appears on...
The Mitzva of “Shmitta,” the Sabbatical year, was chosen as the example of a law given on Mount Sinai. These laws are similar to those of Shabbat,...
The Chazon Ish pointed out a very serious problem connected with the attitude towards money matters. He wrote that when someone is embroiled in a...
There is a concept in Halacha that says, בית דין של מטה גוזר, בית דין של מעלה מקיים, “When the earthly court...
The laws related to the holidays begin with the laws of Shabbat. The difference between Shabbat and the festivals, is that the latter are determined...
One of the more difficult Mitzvot to observe is the commandment not to desecrate the Name of G-d. What goes hand in hand with this Mitzva, is that we...
Among the laws related to the Kohanim, there is one law that is learned from the word, וקדשתו, “And you must sanctify him.” Generally, this...
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