PARSHAS YISRO 5778
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Yisro 17 Shevat 5778/February 2, 2018 I am always amazed by airports. It’s incredible that from every gate throughout the terminals, planes depart for different places all over Earth. One gate off, and you can end up in Frankfurt, instead of Honolulu, Istanbul instead of Tel Aviv. […]
PARSHAS YISRO 5778
STAM TORAH PARSHAS YISRO 5778 “PREREQUISITE TO SINAI”[1] In the late 1950s, Rabbi Yechiel Perr, a rosh yeshivah in Far Rockaway, married Miss Shani Nekritz, daughter of a rosh yeshivah from Novordok, and granddaughter of Rabbi Avraham Yoffen. Rabbi Yoffen arranged the wedding. Many of the most well-known roshei yeshivah in the United States attended, […]
PARSHAS BESHALACH – SHABBOS SHIRAH – TU B’SHVAT 5778
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Beshalach/Shabbos Shirah 10 Shevat 5778/January 26, 2018 As I was leaving shul one morning recently, a fellow stopped me and asked me the following question: “I’m a BT (Ba’al Teshuva)”, he began, “I learn Gemara, and it’s quite challenging for me. I know that I’m not going […]
PARSHAS BESHALACH – SHABBOS SHIRAH – TU B’SHVAT 5778
STAM TORAH PARSHAS BESHALACH/SHABBOS SHIRAH TU B’SHVAT 5778 “PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE”[1] While visiting Eretz Yisroel with our son Shalom two years ago, in honor of his bar mitzvah, our trip coincided with Tu B’Shvat. On the night of Tu B’Shvat we attended the Belzer tisch[2], where thousands of chassidim packed into the room surrounding the […]
PARSHAS BO 5778
STAM TORAH PARSHAS BO 5778 “THE LADLE’S MESSAGE”[1] Rav Shabsi Yudelevitz zt”l, one of the great maggidim of Yerushalayim of the last generation, recounted an experience he had during one of his visits to America. He was invited to speak at a bar mitzvah celebration of an American boy, whose family’s religious commitment was somewhat […]
PARSHAS BO 5778
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Bo 3 Shevat 5778/January 19, 2018 As I was leaving shul one morning recently, a fellow asked if he could speak to me for a moment. He began my asking me if I am an FFB or a BT? For those unfamiliar with the lingo – FFB […]
PARSHAS VAERA 5778
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Vaera 25 Teves 5778/January 12, 2018 Mevorchim Chodesh Shevat Everything is relative. Someone forwarded a copy of the memo sent home to the parents of Torah Academy of Boca Raton, Florida, last week, which read: “With predicted temperatures in the 40s and 50s tomorrow, we ask you […]
PARSHAS VAERA 5778
STAM TORAH PARSHAS VAERA 5778 “THE GREATEST TRAGEDY”[1] A beggar once knocked on the door of Baron Rothschild to request financial assistance. The Baron was in a particularly sociable mood, and good-naturedly asked the beggar what he would do if he had all his money. The beggar’s eyes widened, “If I had the Baron’s money, […]
PARSHAS SHEMOS 5778
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Shemos 18 Teves 5778/January 5, 2018 On Wednesday, March 2008 our family moved to our current home at 3 Landau Lane. That Shabbos two of our close friends – the Kraus and Schulgasser families, came to visit us and welcome us to our new home. […]
PARSHAS SHEMOS 5778
STAM TORAH PARSHAS SHEMOS 5778 “SIGNS AND WONDERS”[1] In December 1944, the retreating Nazi forces launched a surprise counter-offensive against the Allied forces in Europe. During that time there was relentless inclement weather, including fog, clouds, and rain. The United States troops could not use any air-support and the German advance was very successful. […]