Tetzaveh, with its elaborate description of the “sacred vestments” which the Priests and the High Priest wore “for glory and for splendor,” seems to run counter to some … more

Jewish history has many authentic heroes who reached the ultimate heights of spirituality. This includes, but is not limited to, the Avot, Emahot, Moshe, Aharon, the Nevi’im, and Chazal, … more

Just before the joyous holiday of Purim, we become keenly aware of the role of the uniforms of royalty. The book of Esther reaches its happy climax when “Mordecai left the king’s … more

One of the garments of the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) was the Tzitz, a plate of gold worn on the forehead, inscribed with the words “Kodesh LaShem” (Holy to G-d). In describing its … more

If you were a prisoner in Auschwitz and were one of the “lucky” ones, you were put to work in a place they called “Canada.” This was the collection center in Auschwitz where … more

After nearly 50 mitzvot are described and demonstrated in Parshat Mishpatim, mostly related to damages and other person-to-person circumstances, the laws enter the realm of the holidays as we are … more

In the summer of 1935, even after two years, they still didn’t get it. Germany had begun to gear up for the 1936 Olympics and Goebbels, the Nazi minister of propaganda, had made it his … more

Two words we read towards the end of our parsha, Mishpatim, — na’aseh ve-nishma, “We will do and we will hear” — are among the most famous in Judaism. They are what … more

A standard question to ask an eight-year-old used to be, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Every child had an answer, which ranged from “fireman” to … more

Na’aseh v’nishmah — we will do, and we will hear and understand — are two of the most celebrated words that appear in Parashat Mishpatim (24:7). In some ways, this … more