PARSHAS VAYECHI 5778
STAM TORAH PARSHAS VAYECHI 5778 “FINAL DIGNITY”[1] NEW YORK TIMES- It’s My Funeral and I’ll Serve Ice Cream if I Want To By JOHN LELAND, JULY 20, 2006 ROBERT TISCH, who ran the Loews Corporation, had a marching band at his memorial service and a packed house at Avery Fisher Hall, all orchestrated by one of […]
PARSHAS VAYECHI 5778
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Vayechi 11 Teves 5778/December 29, 2017 During one of my visits to Eretz Yisroel a few years ago, I was getting ready to shave before Shabbos. Although my shaver was wired for American outlets, I had purchased a bunch of converters that would enable my devices to […]
PARSHAS VAYGASH 5778
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Vayigash 4 Teves 5778/December 22, 2017 As I was preparing the wicks and oil for the menorah during one of the mornings of Chanukah, our four-year-old son, Dovid, commented that he would like to light with oil too. I replied that when he becomes an Abba, he’ll […]
PARSHAS VAYGASH 5778
STAM TORAH PARSHAS VAYGASH 5778 “WHO CONTROLS WHO”[1] A Rabbi who had grown up in the Five Towns, had moved away when he married, and returned after a number of years. A friend excitedly told him that he had to ‘check out’ Central Avenue. “It’s amazing how much it’s changed; the Jews have literally taken […]
PARSHAS MIKETZ 5778
STAM TORAH PARSHAS MIKETZ 5778 “THE END UPON A TIME”[1] There was a man who had survived the Holocaust and was completely broken. He had fallen into a state of yiush – utter despair. Rabbi Yankel Galinsky knew him from years earlier, and suggested that he come with him to discuss his tragic situation with […]
PARSHAS MIKETZ 5778
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Miketz 3rd day of Chanukah Mevorchim Chodesh Teves 27 Kislev 5778/December 15, 2017 This week, one of the non-Jewish teachers in Yeshiva related that he is surprised that there were regular general studies classes during Chanukah. He noted that generally during Jewish holidays, there is no […]
PARSHAS VAYESHEV 5778
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Vayeshev 20 Kislev 5778/December 8, 2017 On November 9, in Heichal HaTorah, a group of students made a small model graffitied wall, symbolic of the Berlin Wall, which divided West and East Germany for decades. Then, in commemoration of “Berlin Wall Day”, the anniversary of the […]
PARSHAS VAYESHEV 5778
STAM TORAH PARSHAS VAYESHEV 5778 “TIME AND PLACE”[1] Last year, as he was beginning his remarks at a fahrbrengen[2] he was leading, Rabbi YY Jacobson related the following: “I didn’t think I was going to be able to make it here tonight. I was in Aventura, Florida for an educator’s convention, and had a flight […]
PARSHAS VAYISHLACH 5778
STAM TORAH PARSHAS VAYISHLACH 5778 “ULTIMATE INFLUENCE”[1] The Chofetz Chaim related a story about “chossid echad”[2] who set out to influence the world. He arrived in a city and offered to speak, but was surprised to find the people to be disinterested. “How much are you charging?” “Why should we listen to you?” He left […]
PARSHAS VAYISHLACH 5778
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Vayishlach 13 Kislev 5778/December 1, 2017 During the last few weeks, I’ve received a plethora of would-be halachos that would apply if secular holidays and their symbols were actual mitzvos. There was the discussion of the halachos of the Halloween pumpkin and the laws of hiddur, […]