Rabbi's Blog

We know how careful the Torah is to talk in a clean and positive language. Instead of referring to nonkosher animals as contaminated, the Torah refers to them as “not pure.”

Why then is this week’s (second) parsha called Metzorah – referring to a person who has been afflicted with a Biblical type of illness similar to leprosy? The metzorah is a person who has fallen to spiritual failure and is condemned to a process of ritual purity. The Talmud teaches that the cause for tzaraas is speaking ill of others (lashon harah). Why should we highlight this person’s failure by calling the entire Torah portion in his name?

Looking at the glass as half-full, rather than half-empty – the Rebbe once offered the foll… Read More »

What happens when days and nights are blurred into one? I remember the difficulty of sleeping in S. Petersburg, Russia in the summertime when it doesn’t get dark at night. The White Nights cause a surreal feeling that challenges one’s natural rhythm of time and order.

In this week’s parsha Shemini, which means “eighth,” we read about the eighth day of inauguration for the Mishkan, the holy Sanctuary.  For seven days, Ahron and his priestly sons were initiated into the service by Moshe.  On the eighth day they finally were allowed to perform the rituals on their own.

What is the significance of the seven days and the eighth day? And, why are the first seven days in one Torah portion and the last day … Read More »

Taking advantage of the time that all our kids were home for Pesach, my family took a hike this week up to Cervidae Peak.

Well, we all began the hike up the mountain… All fourteen of us started. Little Chana, who just turned one and a half today, also joined us – walking and being carried lovingly by her siblings. Unfortunately, I was under the weather and called it quits early on. But, most of the crew made it most of the way. Turns out, it’s a rather steep climb for little ones. Despite mastering Lion’s Head recently, the younger ones decided to call it quits.  Only the older children made it to the peak.

When starting out on a hike, you gotta have the long game in mind.

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As we reach the end of Pesach, I… Read More »

When we think of the name Passover, we are reminded of the Jewish people’s final moments in Egyptian slavery. G-d killed the firstborns of Egypt, but spared the Jewish firstborns, skipping over the Jewish homes as he smote their foes.  We are grateful that we were skipped. Better to be anonymous on such a night of tragic and widespread death and destruction.

For many of us, this is the central theme of Passover – and a recurring theme in Jewish history.  Jews are targeted again and again the world over. Luckily, we are still here to tell the tale – at least those of us who were passed over during the pogroms, Inquisition, burning of the Torahs, Holocaust and October 7 massacre.

So, we gather again to pay homage… Read More »

As we prepare for Pesach – which invariably involves lots of cleaning – I am reminded of the dangers of Chametz.  What is it about leavened bread that the Torah so abhors, requiring us to purge our bodies and homes from it for one week every year? And if it is indeed so despised, why is it kosher the rest of the year?

The prohibition of Chametz appears quite ironic: during Passover we are forbidden from consuming, benefiting from and even owning leavened products; but the rest of the year they are fully acceptable. Other non-kosher foods – the most infamous being pig – are only off-limits to eat, but we may derive benefit (such as a heart valve or feeding to your pets) from them.  So what does this super-s… Read More »

In the current political climate we hear a fortune about spending fortunes. There’s DOGE, focused on cutting costs in the federal government. There’s Governor Desantis’ visit to Idaho to promote a balanced budget. There’s members of Congress giving themselves a raise. And, much more.

When it comes to public dollars – everyone has an opinion.

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This week’s Parsha, Pekudei, opens with the call for an audit.  The Jews demanded an accounting of all the donations they had given to construct the Mishkan.  Moshe complied, with an independent audit, as the Torah states:

“These are the numbers of the Mishkan, the Mishkan of the Testimony, which were counted at Moshe’s command; this was th…Read More »

Rabbi Yosef Y. Schneersohn once was asked by his father, the fifth Lubavitcher Rebbe, to travel someplace in order to assist a businessman in need.

Upon returning he declared to his father, “I have fulfilled your request. I helped this fellow in the best way possible.”

“You are mistaken,” his father replied.  “You did not help the businessman. You helped yourself.  The Almighty helped the businessman and you merited to serve as His messenger.”

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In the parsha of Vayakhel, we read about the contributions to the Mishkan (Tabernacle). The Jewish people were very generous and donated more than sufficient materials for its construction. In fact, Moshe commanded them to stop. It was too much:

The…Read More »

On a recent family trip, we all hiked up a mountain together.  It was fairly easy for the first part. But, as we neared the peak, we needed to shift to climbing vertically and using ladders to get to the next level. I asked my three-year-old if he wanted to continue or to head back down. “Tatty,” he said, “I’m going to the top. Are you coming?”

He did make it to the top. With more energy than I had, I must admit. I may be stronger, but I was no match for his youthful energy.

As we celebrate Purim, I’m reminded of this distinction between young and old. A lot of us consider Purim to be a child-oriented festival. Dressing in costume and exchanging food. Eating treats and swinging our Graggers. It all… Read More »

Purim will be held in a week, on March 13-14. It is considered the most joyous festival of the year. Yet, it’s not mentioned in the Torah. It’s a Rabbinic holiday, enacted to commemorate the story of Jewish salvation from the evil decree of Haman in Ancient Persia.

How can a Rabbinic festival elicit more joy than G-d’s festive occasions in the Torah?

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In this week’s parsha, Tetzaveh, we are taught about the sacred attire of the kohanim (priests) in the Mishkan (Tabernacle).  A kohen was only permitted to perform the sacred tasks if he was garbed in the four holy vestments.  The Kohen Gadol (High Priest) was required to wear eight special garments every time he entered the sacred space. His garments wer… Read More »

The Jewish month of Adar starts today. This is the most joyous month of the year and we are meant to be extra joyful throughout the entire month.

Why are we joyful during Adar?

Is it only due to the great happy festival of Purim? Why is that more deserving of joy than other celebrations?

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When G-d instructs the Jewish people to build Him a Sanctuary He says, “Speak to the children of Israel, and have them take for Me a donation; from every person whose heart inspires him to generosity, you shall take My donation.”

This week’s parsha, Teruma, describes the many details of the Mishkan.  The Jewish people were very generous and offered more than what was necessary for this Divine abode. There was a finite amount of… Read More »

This Shabbat 4000 world leaders converge on the frosty Crown Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn. They are the Shluchos, the women leaders of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, who call Cambodia and Rockford their live location for most of the year. But, this weekend, they are at their home base, Lubavitch World Headquarters, reenergizing themselves at the annual Shluchos Conference in the company of each other and in the shadows of the Rebbe and Rebbetzin's eternal presence.

It’s a time of electrifying inspiration for them; of boundless conversation and dialogue; of deep discussion and learning; of renewed commitment and conviction; of emotional bonding and support.

And, this year, it’s a time of great grief.

We are all mourning th… Read More »

James Howells is ready to buy the landfill.

The British man is desperately seeking to recover a hard drive that he believes contains the keys to nearly $800,000,000 worth of bitcoin. Apparently, he mistakenly tossed the hard drive into the trash over ten years ago. He has been locked in a battle with the city since 2013, trying to gain access to the landfill so he can reclaim his treasure.

After losing a court battle to mine the landfill for the mined currency, he has decided to buy the landfill outright. He’s ready to fork up $70 million for a change to unearth his digital data, which he believes is worth more than ten times that.

As I read this bizarre tale, I was reminded of a teaching in Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) abou… Read More »

Last Friday I was in Johannesburg, South Africa.

As I was getting ready to upload and send out the weekly ETORAH email, suddenly there was no WiFi. In fact, there was no power at all in the home I was at. Nor was there power in the entire neighborhood.

Turns out that I was ‘fortunate’ to receive the ultimate South African experience – load shedding. My friends told me it was not an issue. They had not had load shedding for about ten months – don’t worry about it.

But, then – right before Shabbos – it kicked in. Unfortunately, I was unable to send out the weekly ETORAH. And, we had to scramble to make our Shabbat preparations and prepare for eating the Shabbat meal in the dark. The Shabbat candles… Read More »