The Bat Ayin (the Avritcher Rebbe) writes that the purpose of Chanukah is to fix the תוהו (the nothingness before creation) with light, similar to the אור of the first day of creation that countered the תוהו (the light that is hidden for tzaddikim for עולם הבא). In the Torah, Avraham represents the idea of […]

In only a few short lines the Talmud tells the remarkable story of Chanukah. We know it well: A single jug of oil with the seal of the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, was found and used for lighting the Menorah. Oil that should have lasted for a single day miraculously lasted for eight (Talmud […]

In his breathtaking work Orot HaTeshuva, Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook zt”l wonders aloud whether he is suited to pen a new treatise on the topic of repentance.[1] After all, he writes, the subject matter has been richly treated by a multitude of sages. Rav Kook counters that he has no choice. He feels compelled […]

Nes gadol hayah sham, “A great miracle happened there.” These beloved words are symbolized by the four initials nun (נ) gimmel ( ג), heh ( ה), shin ( ש), which appear on the dreidel, referring of course to the miracle of Chanukah. Moses stands at the burning bush and observes a miracle. The bush is on fire and astonishingly […]

How many shofar blasts must be heard on Rosh Hashana? The search for the answer to this question led the Sages to a most unlikely personality. One hundred blasts of the shofar are based on the one hundred cries of the mother of Sisera (Talmud Rosh Hashana 33b). Sisera’s mother peers intently out of the […]

There are precious moments in our lives that we all wish to make memorable and lasting. Lighting the menorah is one of those special moments. Many of us simply light the menorah and move on. The key to success: Don’t rush through this precious mitzvah. Slow down. Take in the moment. Pious Jews were known […]

There is a meaningful custom of visiting the graves of our loved ones during the period surrounding Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. What thoughts should enter our hearts and minds when we make this visit? We can gain an insight from a thought-provoking Talmudic teaching. The Talmud says that one who visits a cemetery is […]

When offering words of comfort to a mourner we reference the destruction of the Temple. The traditional invocation expresses our wish that the mourner be comforted “among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.” It is generally understood that the two are connected because they both represent intense sadness and great loss. Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik […]

The Talmud records that the first tragedy that occurred on the 17th of Tammuz was the breaking of the tablets at Mt. Sinai. This event sets the tone for a day that would tragically be replete with other traumatic events suffered by the Jewish people throughout their history. The following teaching delves into the meaning […]