Parshas Vaeschanan 5783
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh parshas Vaeschanan – Shabbos Nachamu 10 Menachem Av 5783/July 28, 2023 STILL MORE For the last few years, I have been working on producing and publishing a new Siddur. It’s been a long, arduous and fulfilling process. The Siddur is being thoroughly edited and will hopefully be […]
Parshas Devorim, Shabbos Chazon 5783
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh parshas Devorim – Shabbos Chazon 3 Menachem Av 5783/July 21, 2023 TOUCH OF HOPE On Thursday evening June 12, 2014, Gilad Shaer, Naftali Fraenkel, and Eyal Yifrach were at the junction of Alon Shvut in Gush Etzion, just outside their yeshiva. Like many do, they were hitching […]
Parshas Matos-Masei 5773
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh parshas Matos-Masei 25 Tamuz 5783/July 14, 2023 Shabbos ChazaK – Mevorchim Chodesh Menachem Av UNFORGOTTEN STORIES Some time ago, someone close to my family was involved in a serious car accident. Being that I was in close vicinity to where the accident occurred, the family requested that […]
Parshas Pinchas 5783
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh parshas Pinchos 18Tamuz 5783/July 7, 2023 PIECE OF HEAVEN One of the great composers in contemporary Jewish music is Abie Rotenberg, who is renowned for his emotionally stirring songs. Some of his most moving songs were composed for the A Time for Music – HASC concerts. The […]
Parshas Chukas Balak 5783
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh parshas Chukas-Balak 11Tamuz 5783/June 30, 2023 TRUE HOME Every summer when our family heads up to camp, every time I get in my car during the first few weeks of the camp season, my smartphone tells me that it’s an hour and thirty-three minutes to get home. […]
Parshas Korach 5783
GRADUATE IN THE BACK This essay is not addressed to the valedictorian, salutatorian or graduate who received recognition at graduation. It’s geared towards the graduate who spent his/her years in school struggling, often feeling frustrated and not good enough in class. It is to the graduate who often felt he didn’t stand out and was […]
Parshas Shelach 5783
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh parshas Shelach 27 Sivan 5783/June 16, 2023 Mevorchim Chodesh Tamuz FEELING IT “Rebbe, why do we have to learn this?” Last week my 9th grade bekius Shiur at Heichal HaTorah completed learning Maseches Tamid and Middos. Tamid is the shortest masechta in Shas with only six dafim […]
Parshas Behaloscha 5783
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh parshas Beha’aloscha 20 Sivan 5783/June 9, 2023 LASTING IMPRESSION It is no exaggeration to say that my summers and camp experiences have had a tremendous impact on who I am. Some of my foremost Rabbeim I only know from my summers camp. During a confusing time […]
Parshas Naso 5783
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh parshas Naso 13 Sivan 5783/June 2, 2023 ONWARD HO! In the month of June, the word commencement seems to pop up a lot, because graduations are known as commencement exercises. I had a colleague who would say that the only exercise he gets all year […]
Parshas Bamidbar 5783
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh parshas Bamidbar – Mevorchim Chodesh Sivan Avos perek 6 – 43rd day of Omer 28 Iyar 5783/May 19, 2023 – Yom Yerushalayim PERFECTLY IMPERFECT My esteemed colleague, Rabbi Dr. Joel Berman related the following story from his years as a soldier in the IDF: “One […]