Yom Kippur, the day of Atonement. We must have needed a lot of atonement that year, because over those dark days of October in 1973, over 2,000 of our boys would be the sacrifices the Jewish people … more

According to the Rambam’s list of Taryag Mitzvot (613 Commandments) found in his Sefer HaMitzvot, there are four distinct commandments that focus on the prohibition of chametz. The first two … more

O ne of the highlights of many Seders is the recitation of Dayenu (“it would have been enough”). But would each stage of the Dayenu song really have been enough? You brought us to the sea … more

Visiting Poland is an overwhelming experience. It is a country in which a Jewish community flourished for a thousand years which now serves as a mass memorial to European Jewry. It is impossible to … more

A s we begin Vayikra, the third book in the Torah, we are once again introduced to the sacrificial order. Beyond the reminders of proper behavior that accompany the depiction of sacrifices, what else … more

At the beginning of each book of the Torah, the Ramban (Nachmanides), in his Commentary on the Torah, suggests a name that represents the essence of the work. In our case, he calls Sefer Vayikra, … more

The second of our two Torah portions, Parashat Pekudei, contains the final verse of Sefer Shemot: “For the cloud of the L-rd was upon the Mishkan by day, and there was fire within it at night, … more

When the donations were finally brought to the Tabernacle, the Torah describes how the men and women came. But the phraseology utilized (beginning of 35:22) is questionable. A literal translation … more

After finally completing infantry officer’s course and then tank officer’s course, I was assigned to the 430th Battalion of the 500th Armored Brigade in the Jordan valley. Given a few … more

Place these [vestments] on Aaron and his sons. Then anoint them, and install them, sanctifying them to be priests to Me. Also make linen pants to cover their nakedness, reaching from their waists to … more