Torah was given to humankind to guide us, enable us to function within this world – not, as our forefather Yaakov indicates, to take it and hide.

This article was written by Rav Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg z’l the Sridei Eish about my grandfather, the Gaon Rabbi Bezalel Ze’ev Shafran z’l, of Baku, Romania, author of She’elot U’tshuvot R’BAZ. He died on the 14th of Kislev 5690 (1930). The essay was originally printed in different form in the volumes “Otsar Hachaim” and “Kibutzei

There are those who view Jewish way of life as confining, a pessimistic mode of life, filled with restrictions and a life long agenda of obligations and repetitive serious occasions; praying three times a day with some Tehilim to add. There is Yom Kippur preceded eight days earlier by Tzom Gedaliah, fasting on Tisha B’Av

The restaurant was bustling. Joyous noise and laughter filled the room as waiters and waitresses bustled to and fro, bringing trays of food or removing the empty plates of sated diners. The tables were filled with people enjoying their meals – extended families celebrating a birthday or graduation or promotion at some of the tables,

The stage is set – the table is bedecked in fine linen; the chairs, with soft pillows. The props are in place – the Seder plate, Elijah’s cup, the matzot. The players are in their places, reclining with their scripts, their haggadot, at hand. The lights (candles) go up. There is a hush as the

On their face, there could not be two more unlikely holidays to wed than Yom Kippur and Purim. Even the youngest child knows that Purim is a holiday meant for fun and celebration, for costumes and parties. Yom Kippur, on the other hand, is the most solemn day of the Jewish calendar, calling on us

Moses was afraid – he was filled with awe and trepidation. His reaction? To hide his face. This shows us with perfect clarity that the appropriate reaction to being confronted by holiness is to “cover up”. Again, Moses’ reaction did not alter the holiness of God’s presence. The effect of Moses’ modesty was to preserve

WHAT A MODEST, SPINNING TOP CAN TEACH US ABOUT MIRACLES We live in an age of miracles and wonder. Does that sound like a ridiculous statement to you – to characterize the age of the Internet, gene therapy, and biological science as an age of miracles? For many people, it does sound ridiculous. To their

A Meditation on Sin and Repentance At the core of man is duality. Some might suggest contradiction. Regardless of how it is characterized, man’s essential duality creates tension in his life. For man is both corporal, like every other being that walks the face of the earth, and he is spiritual, imbued with the dignity

There are calendars which provide the convenience of viewing one day at a time. At the end of the day, the day’s page is torn off and disposed of. When the year ends and all the days and pages have been discarded, all that is left is the pageless, empty cover. Then there are calendars