Nitzavim Vayalech 5767 Part One: Towers Part Two: Restoring a Synagogue Part One: Towers The Gemara in Sukkah 52b says “Four things Hashem regrets having brought into the world: Galut, Kasdim (Babylonians or today’s Iraqis), Yishmael (the Arabs) and the Yetzer Hara (our inner compulsion for immediate gratification.)” The world on 9/11, 2001 had the

Parashat Ki Tavo 5767 Part One: Happy in the Struggle Part Two: Mercy and Justice Part One: Happy in the Struggle The month of Elul is replete with indicators to arouse us to the fact that soon we will be standing before the ultimate court which will audit our actions, thoughts and fantasies. Selichot, the

Parashat Ki Teitzei: Painful Allowances, The Low Ground of Mediocrity and Cheap Shots Dear Friends; From time to time, I receive e-mails criticizing my weekly messages for their repetitiveness in dealing with one subject – aliya to Eretz Yisrael, and their often strident tone and critical language. This is not a fallacious assessment, so I

Parashat Shoftim 5767 Part One: Eradicating God Part Two: Concealed and Revealed (Hidden Spaces) Part Three: I am not a Zionist Part One: Eradicating God The ritual goes like this: The leftist-secular majority of ministers in the government raise their hands in affirmation of a proposal to expel Jews from their homes in Eretz Yisrael.

PARSHAT RE’EH 5767 Part One: Look! Part Two: Duality and Balance Part One: Look! This week’s parsha begins with Moshe Rabbeinu’s directive to the Jewish nation to make the right choices; those which will lead us to blessings of good life, and not to the paths of evil and death. Moshe declares: Look! I am

Parashat Ekev 5767 Part One: The Inner Soul of Israel Part Two: Rabbis’ Day Part One: The Inner Soul of Israel The Torah declares that the land of Eretz Yisrael is kadosh – sanctified. What is the kedusha of Eretz Yisrael? Kedusha is defined as that which is “close” to HaShem, not in spacial terms but

Parashat Va’etchanan and Erev Tisha B’Av 5767 I am writing this on the eighth of Av, after descending from two hours on Har Habayit – the Temple Mount, following immersing in a mikvah and wearing non-leather shoes. In preparation for tonight’s lamentations and fast, 50 community rabbis and roshei Yeshivot, together with many other God

Parashat Devarim – Shabbat Chazon Yeshayahu 5767 Part One: The Essential Characteristic of a Leader Part Two: Fulfilling Hashem’s Will Part One: The Essential Characteristic of a Leader It was common knowledge that these were the final days on earth of the greatest Rav who would ever live, and the feelings of love and longing for

Parashat Matot-Maasei 5767 Part one: Two Trains Part Two: Annulled Vows Part three: Who do you love more, your father or your mother? Part four: Our grandmothers and the torch Part five: an anachronism of history Part one: Two Trains Our parasha enumerates the 42 stations where the Jewish nation encamped in their 40 years

Parashat Pinchas 5767 Part One: Born out of sin, continued in transgression Part Two: The Agony and the Tragedy Part Three: Zealotry misplaced Part Four: Anonymity, derision, heroism, condemnation Part One: Born out of sin, continued in transgression This week, beginning with the 17th of Tamuz, a three-week period of progressive mourning will commence, peaking