Striving Higher

Parshas Vayetzei 5785

“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Vayetzei 5785 5 Kislev 5785/ December 6, 2024 Please daven for Ahuvah Leah bas Yosifa Beracha –  serious medical situation and in need of tefillos. TO THE DOOR For the last number of years, I have uploaded a brief video d’var Torah on the weekly parsha to […]

Parshas Toldos 5785

“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Toldos 5785 28 Cheshvan 5785/ November 29, 2024 Mevorchim Chodesh Kislev Dedicated in loving memory of my Zaydei, Rabbi Yaakov Meir Kohn zt”l, R’ Yaakov Meir zt”l ben Rav Yosef Yitzchak zt”l hy”d WORLDLY WINDOWS One morning two summers ago in our bungalow in Camp Dora Golding, […]

Parshas Chayei Sara 5785

“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Chayei Sarah 5785 21 Cheshvan 5785/ November 22, 2024 INFUSING LIFE Rabbi Avrohom Yachnes is an insightful, veteran rebbe with a wealth of stories to boot that he shares in his inimitable manner. (He is also the author of “A Treasure for Life: commentary and insights into […]

Parshas Vayeira 5785

“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Vayera 5785 14 Cheshvan 5785/ November 15, 2024 Dedicated in loving memory of my Savta, Mrs. Minnie Staum, Shprintza bas Avrohom Yitzchak, whose yahrtzeit is 17 Cheshvan. May her memory be for a blessing. SYMBOL FOR THE AGES It is fascinating how mislabels stick. The city of […]

Parshas Lech Lecha 5785

  “RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”   Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Lech Lecha 5785 7 Cheshvan 5785/ November 8, 2024 BFF WOES Shortly before Rosh Hashanah I saw an article entitled “His best friend was a 250-pound warthog – one day it decided to kill him.” It told the story of Austin who lives on a […]

Parshas Noach 5785

  “RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”   Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Noach 5785 Shabbos Rosh Chodesh MarCheshvan 1 Cheshvan 5785/ November 1, 2024 DON’T JUST STAND THERE On Chol Hamoed Succos I took my family to visit an old neighbor, in fact, a very old neighbor. I had never met the neighbor before, but my wife […]

Parshas Bereishis 5785

  “RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”   Hoshana Rabbah 21 Tishrei 5785/ October 23, 2024 ELEVATED CIRCLES I know the Jewish people have been doing the Simchas Torah dancing thing the same way for thousands of years. But based on some trends I see in America I was thinking of some new ideas we can introduce […]

Succos 5785

  “RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”   Erev Succos 14 Tishrei 5785/ October 15, 2024 GROWTH POSITION October means it’s Major League Baseball Postseason time. Religious Jews who are sports fans clandestinely struggle to find ways to be informed of the scores of their team during the many holidays of this time period. I heard one […]

Yom Kippur 5785

  “RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”   Erev Shabbos Kodesh – Yom Kippur 9 Tishrei 5785/ October 11, 2024 OH DEER For those living in New York City, it’s quite rare to see deer. But for those of us who live on the other side of the Hudson River it is quite common. In fact, recently […]

Parshas Nitzavim-Vayeilech 5784

  “RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”   Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Netzovim-Vayelech 23 Elul 5784/ September 27, 2024 Pirkei Avos – Perek 5-6 KUGEL JUICE It’s been said that more people become religious because of the Rebbetzin’s kugel than because of the Rabbi’s sermon. This past Friday I couldn’t stop thinking about my wife’s kugel all […]