What Is the Meaning of Tzitzit? Tzitzit is a mitzvah (Torah commandment) like no other. Not only is it considered equal to all 613 mitzvot, but each second we wear […]
Weekly Torah Portion
Insight and themes on the weekly Torah portion (parshah) read aloud in synagogue.
This week’s Torah reading contains the mitzvah (commandment) of not straying after our eyes (Bamidbar 15:39). The Biur Halachah (1:1) states that this prohibition includes the general pursuit of materialistic […]
Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz When we study Torah and Talmud, we spend so much time analyzing opinions that are not accepted in practice. Why are Talmud debates […]
Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz Why is the Jewish nation divided into twelve shevatim (tribes), something that in time led to division and even war? Wouldn’t it have […]
Life in the Wilderness: Surrounded by Miracles Life in the desert was a unique type of existence. It was an effortless life, where all of Klal Yisrael (the Jewish nation)’s […]
The Jews Complained Despite Their Blessings In this week’s Torah reading, as the Jews traveled through the desert on their way to the Land of Israel, they started to complain […]
Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz What is wrong with ending one’s own life? If someone is suffering profoundly and feels that life is no longer worth living, why […]
Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz The Torah tells us that one who speaks lashon hara (evil speech) is smitten with tzara’at (leprosy) on his body and expelled from […]
Who Will Bless the Kohanim? In this week’s Torah reading (Bamidbar 6:22-27) we have the Birchat Kohanim – the blessings which the Kohanim (descendants of Aaron the High Priest, who […]
We know that the Torah is quite sparing with words, and many times we can derive laws from just one extra letter. Therefore, it is puzzling that our parashah dedicates […]
