Post The Blessing of the New Month The Shabbat which precedes Rosh Chodesh (new month), the beginning of a Hebrew month, is referred to as Shabbat Mevorchim, or the Shabbat when we bless. On this Shabbat a… Read More
Post Ethics Before Sinai At the start of the Torah portion of Yitro (Exodus 18:1-20:22), we read about Jethro’s visit to Moses in the desert before the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai…. Read More
Post Saul’s Failure and Bibi’s Decision: The Future of Gaza Soon after Bibi Netanyahu was elected to his fifth term as prime minister, journalist Bari Weiss asked him to name his favorite biblical character. Netanyahu replied with a fascinating answer:… Read More
Hebrew Month Iyar Iyar is the eight month of the Hebrew year (or the second month when counting from Nissan). Like all Hebrew months, the name Iyar is of Babylonian origin, corresponding to the constellation of the Ox (Taurus), visible in the night sky during this lunar month. Iyar usually overlaps the solar months of April and May. Iyar’s original name is Ziv, which can be translated as “shine,” “radiance,” or “glow,” as seen in the Bible: “In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites left the land of Egypt, in the month of Ziv—that is, the second month.” (I Kings, 6:1) Read More
Post Footsteps of Redemption There was a time, not very long ago, when a Bible believer could turn on the TV and comfortably watch the innocent fare available on the tube. These wholesome shows… Read More
Post Shavuot and Jerusalem: Revelation Then and Now On June 15, 1967, Rabbi Norman Lamm delivered a lecture at The Jewish Center on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It was the second day of the festival of… Read More
Post Two Sticks, One Kingdom The Torah portion of Vayigash (Genesis 44:18-47:27) completes the story of Joseph’s slavery in Egypt. The story culminates in a dramatic meeting between Judah and Joseph, ending in revelation and… Read More
Post Jacob’s Sheep Make their Way Home to Israel Let me pass through your whole flock today, removing from there every speckled and spotted animal—every dark-colored sheep and every spotted and speckled goat. Such shall be my wages. אֶעֱבֹר… Read More
Post Tu B’Shvat: Planting Trees as Spiritual Renewal for Mankind Tu B’Shvat, the fifteenth month of the holiday of Shevat, is, according to the Mishna (oral law), the new year for the trees. But Jews traditionally take the day as… Read More
Post Sisu Et Yerushalayim (Rejoice with Jerusalem) by the Hava Nagillah Band Lyrics taken from Isaiah 62:6 and 66:10… Read More