There is something very strange about the festival of Succot, of which our parsha, Emor, is the primary source. On the one hand, it is the festival supremely associated with joy (“And you … more

Midrash Tanchuma, Parashat Yitro 10, teaches us that Torah study is comprised of three essential categories: Talmud (logical analysis), Halacha (Jewish law) and Aggadot (non-halachic expository … more

Kedoshim contains the two great love commands of the Torah. The first is, “Love your neighbor as yourself. I am the L-rd” (Lev. 19:18). Rabbi Akiva called this “the great … more

I am proud of my large library of Jewish books. My collection, which my wife half-jokingly refers to as my addiction, began on my 11th birthday with a gift from my maternal grandparents, may … more

Literally translated, Acharei-Mot-Kedoshim means “after the death of the holy ones,” a reference that is all too appropriate following weeks that included Yom HaShoah (Holocaust … more

We’ve heard the clichés that are used to convey the importance of social groups and realization that people cannot “go at it alone” — “No man is an … more

In September 2000, in the wake of the second intifada, my unit was activated as part of the massive call-up of reserves. We had no idea how long we would be in for, which of course made the … more

Parashat Tazria contains a pasuk that references the mitzvah of brit milah: “And on the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.” (Sefer Vayikra 12:3)  At … more

At the risk of disclosing a spoiler, I would like to begin this week by discussing the 2019 film, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.” Tom Hanks plays the beloved American … more

There are certain phrases or expressions that many of us find hard to say. “I love you” is one of them. Another such phrase is “thank you.” Although these words are … more