In Sichot B’Avodat Hashem, Rabbi Eliezer Meizlish quotes the idea that every year before daybreak of Shavuot Hashem asks our souls, “Who wants to accept the Torah?” At that moment, the souls of Bnei Yisrael respond again, “Na’aseh v’nishma – we will do and we will listen.” Every year we re-accept the Torah as we […]

The Gemara instructs us that on the night of the fourteenth of Nissan we are to search for chametz throughout the house by the light of a candle. We are also told that in each generation every one of us is obligated to consider himself as if he himself left Mitzrayim. How are we to […]

Among the different groups of four in the Haggadah we find the four sons. Each is different. One is wise, the second is wicked, the third is simple and the fourth is unable even to ask. The Torah speaks to each child, notes Rabbi Yehuda Kosbeh, for Hashem is “All encompassing” (Sha-dai) and has invested […]

Every event in history, every story in life has a main plot line set in a supporting background that lends it both credibility and richness. The Passover chronicle is no exception. While the main theme of Pesach is the story of our redemption and of our unflagging faith in Hashem both before the redemption and […]

The approaching holiday has several names in addition to Shavuot. The Hebrew name, whether of a yom tov or a person or even an object, conveys its essence. In this shiur, we will be focusing on two of the alternate names of Shavuot, Chag HaBikkurim – the holiday of the first fruit offering, and Atzeret […]

One of the sins which we confess and for which we ask forgiveness on Yom Kippur is the sin of judgment. While one might think that this sin is specific and applies to judges and others in the practice of law, the truth is that it applies to each of us, for each of us […]

There is a well-known custom of inviting seven special guests, seven shepherd of our nation, into our sukkot, one on each night of Sukkot. What is this custom based on? The Torah commands, “You shall dwell in booths for a seven day period; every native in Israel shall dwell in booths.” Our Sages pick up […]

Purim is unique among the holidays, for, as Chazal tell us, while all the other holidays will be nullified after the arrival of Moshiach, Purim (and according to some Yom Kippur as well) will continue to be celebrated. Yet Purim is not even a Biblical holiday. Why does it deserve this unique designation? The idea […]

Among the different groups of four in the Haggadah we find the four sons. Each is different. One is wise, the second is wicked, the third is simple and the fourth is unable even to ask. The Torah speaks to each child, notes Rabbi Yehuda Kosbeh, for Hashem is “All encompassing” (Sha-dai) and has invested […]

Pesach is the first of the Jewish holidays, the holiday which forms the foundation of our religious observance and from which all others flow. Similarly, our Patriarch Abraham is the first of our forefathers from whom our faith descends to us and flows outward to the world. The Sifsei Chaim quoting the Tur notes that […]