Details Matter-Parshas Vayeitzei
There is a well-known teaching of Chazal that highlights the great kindness Hashem has wrought for Yisrael in that He supplies them with abundant opportunity to accrue merit. As the Mishnah states (Makkos 3:16): רַבִּי חֲנַנְיָא בֶּן עֲקַשְׁיָא אוֹמֵר, רָצָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְזַכּוֹת אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְפִיכָךְ הִרְבָּה לָהֶם תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ד' חָפֵץ לְמַעַן צִדְקוֹ יַגְדִּיל תּוֹרָה וְיַאְדִּיר. “R’ Chananyah ben Akashya says: Hashem wanted to [...]
Favor For a Neighbor
A Program Rooted in Kindness Looking back at the beginnings of the many options and services that now come under the umbrella of Chevrah Lomdei Mishnah, I am amazed at how some of them came to be, “once upon a time.” It’s easy to look at the smorgasbord of programs, some of which are related, and think that they were all implemented at once, the brainchild of [...]
Yitzchak’s Akeidah-Parshas Toldos
There was one perplexing matter with which we left off our discussion of parshas Vayeira regarding the seminal event of Akeidas Yitzchak (“Binding of Yitzchak”). The issue at hand related to the matter of attribution; while both Avraham and Yitzchak displayed great dedication to fulfill Hashem’s will, it appears that Yitzchak is singled out in a distinctive way. Such is apparent not only from the familiar title of this [...]
Grappling with Yizkor
Originally published in the Ami Magazine Grappling with Yizkor for My Not-So-Ordinary Family I used to feel angry when it came time for Yizkor. I couldn’t understand why I needed to say it. A tefillah to remember? Really? I need to say Yizkor four times a year to remember my deceased parents. Guess what? I remember them every day. I think about them, I talk about them and [...]
