When examining any narrative in Tanach and all the more so when the subject is a pivotal event in Jewish History one should be sensitive to an underlying lesson. Such an event is the binding of Yitzchak (chapter 22).…

A little about the book and its history.

“There were many great Torah authors and many styles of mussar. Not every author can speak to every soul; there are after all so many different types of souls. The exception to this is Rabbeinu Yonah

Girondi (and specifically his book on teshuvah). His writings…

Some time ago, I wrote an article about modesty. I expressed my opinions and the way I viewed modesty in a woman. This is an opinion, not halachic, expression from my male view of modesty. I thought I would share it and face the wrath of those that may have other opinions.

In today's competitive world, people are constantly looking for ways to draw attention to themselves. Unfortunately, many have chosen to display themselves immodestly. They are…

In this week’s Parsha, we read about when the three angels came to visit Avroham Aveinu. There is a Midrash that relates an interesting dialogue in connection with their visit. Many years later, when Moshe went to the Heavens to receive the Torah, the Angels protested and wanted to keep the Torah for themselves in the Heavens. Moshe however, said, that since they had eaten milk and meat when they visited Avroham, they were not worthy of keeping the Torah. We see…

Bereishit - Chapter 22:11 & 12: And an angel of God called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham! Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." And he said, "Do not stretch forth your hand to the lad, nor do the slightest thing to him, for now I know that you are a God fearing man, and you did not withhold your son, your only one, from Me."



The Ramban states: At the beginning Abraham's fear of G-d was latent; it had not become actualized through such a great deed. But now it was known in…

As we gently but firmly displace our lower, materialistic desires, we make space for more Kedusah inside. The Golden Calf episode illustrated the profound error in opting for material "things" over spiritual pursuits. As a Tikkun, here are some easy ways to put that calf in it's place -- outside of us and far away:

TRY THIS:

Daily…

And Abram said, "0 Lord God, what will You give me, since I am going childless, and the steward of my household is Eliezer of Damascus?" (Bereishis 15:2)

The Gemara in Yoma explains:

Even Eliezer, the servant of Abraham, was an elder and a member of the scholars’ council, as it is said: "And Abraham said unto his servant, the elder of his house, that ruled over all he had" - Rebbi Eleazar explained that he had dominion over the Torah of his master. (It also states) "Eliezer of…

The headlines over the past several days strongly suggest the world is heading for a difficult year. If you combine the tensions between people (yet more school shootings in the past weeks), the tensions between nations (Oct. 18 President Bush said a nuclear Iran would mean World War III), the unstoppable bacteria (MRSA) that casts yet another dark shadow over the world health scene, there's plenty to make us uneasy.

No one knows what's gonna be, but there is a course of action we can…

The rainbow symbolizes peace because it demonstrates how so many can become one. It symbolizes curse because it shows how one can be divided into so many.

Noach and his family emerged from their ark and saw a rainbow.

The rainbow represented a covenant of peace between G-d and His world. The rainbow symbolized that G-d will not destroy the world again and

that there will never be another flood like the one that occurred in

the time of…