An exciting aspect of Torah study is the application of the age-old principles of halachah to the modern world in which we live. Thus, as an example, there is obviously no Talmudic discussion about the propriety of walking past a motion detector on Shabbat, yet contemporary posekim (halachic decisors) have analyzed this issue and found […]

The Almighty communicates with us in mysterious ways. We may be going about our daily routine when G-d unexpectedly sends us a message of great importance. Such was the case about two years ago, when I had a harrowing experience sprinting down the corridor of the Love International Airport, outside of Dallas, Texas. I did […]

The Malach (angel) sat behind the desk and looked sternly at Sam Stein. “79 times,” said the Malach. Sam had no idea what he meant. “Where in the world am I?” Sam asked with much trepidation. “Am I in heaven now?” “No. In a time warp,” the angel answered tersely. “A time what?” “Time warp,” […]

I’ve been trying to locate the Joneses. I know they live in our communities, somewhere, and they are causing much grief. Individuals have confided in me, of late, that they are under enormous pressure to keep up with the Joneses. People are remodeling their kitchens, buying expensive cars, hosting fancy smachot – and falling into […]

Until the dream occurred, Jack Stein didn’t get the message, nor did he connect the dots. Sometimes it’s like that, you know. A person can miss the point, even when it stares him right in the face. It was true that Jack had a difficult life. He struggled to earn a living and was always […]

First, A Disclaimer The following story describes the irreverent behavior of a group of worshipers in a shul. The author wishes to make it clear that this is not an accurate representation of what actually occurs in most synagogues. Rather, it is a verbal caricature of sorts, which exaggerates certain patterns of human behavior for […]

The following manuscript was accidentally discovered in a dusty chest in the attic of an old abandoned building. It is not known how it came to be placed there. We present this document because it is of vital interest to the Jewish community. Isaac Streicher’s Manuscript I, Isaac Streicher, hereby record the eerie conversation that […]

I have two unique talents. I can close my eyes and fall asleep within 10 seconds, and once asleep, I can sleep through a tornado. These abilities are heaven-sent. Because of my busy schedule, I sleep very little at night. I am able to keep going by sleeping on the train to and from work. […]

One fateful Rosh Hashana Day, the soul of Gershon Kleinbard stood in an endless line of living souls, each waiting to appear before the Master of the Universe for the moment of judgment and reckoning. Only the great tzaddikim sense this encounter; the vast majority of mankind is oblivious to this occurrence. Nonetheless, in the hidden recesses […]

We all know the expression. We try our hardest and make our best efforts, but in spite of it all, some things just “fall through the cracks”. It happens in our shuls as well. It may be a guest, a parent visiting from Israel, a new family, or even a quiet member who is overlooked. […]