Imagine the scene: A beautiful afternoon, with a breeze blowing a group of children and teenagers’ kites in the wind. The sound of their laughter carries across the sand. An innocent scene, … more

The rules for appointing a king are followed by a few personal restrictions the Torah places on him: he must be an observant Jew with all that entails, and he may not have an excess of horses, … more

Our parasha, Shoftim, contains the celebrated verse, “Justice, justice shall you pursue, [in order] that you may live and possess the land the L-rd, your G-d, is giving you.” (Devarim … more

Each generation of Jewish parents seems to face the same dilemma. We teach our children that all humans are created in the image of G-d; to respect and assist others; that love of G-d means love … more

I was at a wedding in LA when the family of the groom decided to daven mincha. Someone immediately asked, “Which way is east?” I was struck by the fact that in Israel, no one … more

There’s an old saying “Seeing is Believing.” But while many idioms have truth, this one is factually inaccurate. I’ve watched many a magic trick, both live and recorded. I … more

In this week’s parsha, Ki Tetze, the last two verses of Chapter 21 seem to describe a clear case. The corpse of a person executed by the court is to be hanged from a tree for a short period of … more

It was the height of the intifada, and we were in the midst of a month’s reserve duty. Deep in the heart of Hebron was an Israeli lookout position, meant to spot trouble on the road below and … more

Our parasha, Ki Tetze, begins with the following pasuk: “If you go out to war against your enemies, and the L-rd, your G-d, will deliver him into your hands, and you take his captives” … more

Americans spend about 37 billion hours a year waiting in line. Few of us enjoy the experience. What really irks us, though, is when someone tries to push ahead in line. These “cutters” … more