Torah Portion

What's the connection among Parashat Beshalach, Parshat Shirah, Tu B'Shvat, and Shovavim? RENEWAL! We are in a time of renewal for trees and for every Jew.

Its beauty cannot be expressed in a poem or captured in any picture; all the tastes, fragrances and sights in the world can be found in this wondrous garden...

(Shemot 21:1-24:18) - "And you shall be holy men to Me" (Shemot 22:30) - Why is it written "holy men to Me" instead of "holy to Me"?

The Midrash says that when God decided to give the Torah to the Jews, all of the mountains in the desert...

The greatness of the women who refused to participate in making the Golden Calf is proven by their eagerness to give their gold to the building of the mishkan.

From all the golden jewelry owned by the Jewish people, the Torah specifically emphasizes earrings in connection with making the Golden Calf…

Some people confuse the notion that a Jewish woman must dress modestly, with the notion that she must make herself unattractive. An ambassador must look immaculate!

The Maharal explains that a Jewish woman merits the blessings of Sarah's tent through her performance of the special mitzvoth designated for women…

First, why did Moshe go to the lengths of assembling the entire Jewish nation? Second, why did Moshe insist that parents bring all...

We must ask ourselves, what gave the Levites the power to wait so patiently for Moshe? Why did the rest of the people...

How can the High Priest carry the Urim and Tumim directly on his heart? Four mandatory layers of the High Priest's...

Under fire, there's no time for discussion. The nations of the world have difficulty understanding how it's possible to "do"...

The Sanctuary was a spiritual edifice in a physical world that defied the laws of physicality. It was a world of truth and a taste of the world-to-come.

The nations of the world claim the Land of Israel, only because we are not yet living on the spiritual level expected of us...

Take a shlemazel, dress him up with a new Brooks Brothers suit, and bingo! - the fellow's ready for corporate America...

Good will is fine but good deeds change the world. And if the laws of the Torah sometimes seem overly technical and rigid, they build...

There are two types of givers: those “whose spirit moves them” to give wholeheartedly what they can afford, and an even nobler category of people “whose heart inspires them” to give more than they can afford.

One of the most disturbing incidents in the Torah is the sin of the Golden Calf. The generation that witnessed the Revelation of God’s...

When I entered a baal teshuvah Yeshiva twenty-eight years ago my clarion cry was “Clarity or Death!”

This week’s Torah portion focuses on the Mishkan (the Tabernacle), which is the dwelling place for the Shechinah (Divine Presence).

We learn something very precious from the fact that keeping Shabbat precedes even building the holy Tabernacle…

When we have mercy on other people, so too we are judged with mercy and favor. We too, like Moshe, can emulate Hashem’s attribute of mercy by being compassionate to others.

Pure oil was brought to Moshe because he was the true Tzaddik who could awaken and illuminate the soul of each individual Jew, which is rooted in the Torah...

We are naturally selfish by nature. When we get out of worrying about ourselves and our problems and give to others, we gain more than what we gave - physically and spiritually.

For the average young American ambiguity and uncertainly seem constant. For the last fifty-some years, the soldiers of pluralism, liberalism...

Were they stupid? Who would start a fight against God Himself? And yet Amalek did just that...

The entertainment industry has made millions selling the fabulous life of the American celebrity. Many shows report on the lifestyles...

When we trust Hashem, we find that it was not wrong or foolish to blindly accept those mitzvot we had not yet learned. “Buyer Beware” does not apply here.

What exactly were these gifts of wisdom and knowledge that God bestowed to Betzalel? The Sages wrote that the master craftsman knew the secrets of creation.

One might think that only the pristine natural world is truly the work of God. Is human technology perhaps alien to the true purpose of the universe?

What did the Sages mean that God wears tefillin? And what is special about the knot, that God revealed that particular part of His tefillin to Moses?

Three non-Jews wished to convert. Initially rejected by Shamai, known for his strictness, they were later accepted by the modest Hillel…

Betzalel was intelligent, highly talented and a scion of the best family in Israel; so what does he need a partner like Oholiav for?

There's much talk about gender separation both in the home and in the public domain. Is it necessary? Is it anything more than a needless stringency?

The true motivation of the erev rav is to give a free reign to their base urges and appetites; not only that, but to legitimize them with legislation...

The sceptics who doubt our spiritual leaders are correct in one aspect – the considerations that go into their decisions aren't at all based on logic...

The people of Israel are told to each contribute exactly half a shekel of silver to the Sanctuary. Instructions are also given regarding...

God tells Moshe to receive from the Children of Israel pure olive oil to feed the "everlasting flame" of the menorah, which Aharon is...

The people of Israel are called upon to contribute fifteen materials -- gold, silver and copper; blue, purple and red-dyed wool...

Following the revelation at Sinai, God legislates a series of laws for the people of Israel. These include the laws...

Nadav and Avihu offered their unauthorized fire with an amazing heart full of love of Hashem. What was so terribly wrong that they were both killed instantly? What is the critical message for our own mitzvah observance?

What is the big deal about Moshe not being permitted to enter Eretz Yisrael? Being kept away indicates a broken relationship between the Jew and Hashem.

If so, then beginning with the mitzvah to build the Mishkan just after returning from G-d with atonement for the golden calf would have hammered...

Everyone's eyebrows go up over the emphasis on Moshe's gathering of the people to hear G-d's command, asking, "Why is this night different from all others?"

A line of people wound its way from the door of the holy Baal Shem Tov’s office. Many stood in line to seek advice and blessings from the holy tzaddik...

Later, when Lord Elokim, the master of the castle, returned, his servants ran to him and said, "Lord Elokim, a Rabbi has come to visit. He is waiting for you in the library."

The women rushed to prepare the meat broth while the men stood around the sick man’s bed saying Tehillim (Psalms). Almost everyone, except for the doctor, felt relieved because...

Once, a poor man came with a group of beggars to collect charity at the shul of the Baal Shem Tov. The shammos (caretaker) of the shul gave each beggar a few coins...