This week we read the Tochacha, the terrifying curses that happen to Israel if it betrays its Divine mission. If Israel loses its way spiritually, say the curses, it will lose physically, … more

The last verse of the Tochacha (Rebuke) of Chapter 26 in Bechukotai says the following: “These are the decrees, laws and codes that G-d set between Himself and the Israelites at Mount Sinai … more

What is the Jewish stance on cursing and curse words? Researchers have found that about 0.7 percent of a typical American’s speech is made up of swear words. … more

Our parasha, Behar, begins with the famous words: “And the L-rd spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying” (Vayikra 25:1). They are immediately followed by a verse focusing on the mitzvah … more

There are, it is sometimes said, no controlled experiments in history. Every society, every age, and every set of circumstances is unique. Yet this is not quite true. The history of the past … more

My father, may he rest in peace, worked for many years in the garment industry. He worked hard and there were times when he was without a job. I remember how happy we were as children when he … more

They had only been in the army for eight months, and had only recently completed basic training, but on the books they were paratroopers. The youngest of the units sent into one of the toughest … more

Parashat Behar tells us that “G-d said to Moshe at Mt. Sinai, ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them that when you come to the land that I am giving you, the land will rest a … more

After introducing us to the concepts of not bringing an animal as an offering before it is eight days old, and after telling us that the animal and its parent (Rashi distinguishes between the … more

Many years ago, when I was in high school, my mother arranged for me to get a ride to school once a week with one of the teachers. We lived in Manhattan, and as the high school I attended was in … more