PARSHAS TAZRIA/HACHODESH 5779
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Tazria – Hachodesh Shabbos Rosh Chodesh Nissan 1 Nissan 5779/April 6, 2019 Everyone in the Staum family knows that Uncle Yitz is 38 years old and is turning 39 on his birthday. Uncle Yitz is my father’s older brother. He and my Aunt Chaya are blessed […]
PARSHAS SHEMINI/PARAH 5779
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Shemini – Parah Mevorchim Chodesh Nissan 22 Adar II 5779/March 29, 2019 On Purim afternoon, when I entered the home of a friend to give him shalach manos, there were a few women talking, one of whom was wearing a home-made hat with a propeller on […]
PURIM/SHUSHAN PURIM PARSHAS TZAV 5779
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Shushan Purim Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Tzav 15 Adar II 5779/March 22, 2019 Everyone wants to know the secret to wisdom. I can’t share it with you, because then it wouldn’t be a secret any more. (To be fair, that statement isn’t necessarily true. Everyone wants to know the secret to […]
PARSHAS VAYIKRA/ZACHOR/PURIM 5779
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Vayikra-Zachor 7 Adar II 5779/March 15, 2019 Fall back and spring forward, or is it fall forward and spring back? Or is it fall into a spring and spring out of your fall? Whatever it is, as of this week we are back on daylight savings time. […]
PARSHAS PEKUDEI 5779
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Pekudei Rosh Chodesh Adar II 5779/March 8, 2019 My rebbe, Rabbi Berel Wein, often quips that all rabbis like to say a few words before they speak. This week’s Musings is quite a milestone, in that it is the 500th “Rabbi’s Musings and Amusings” I have […]
PARSHAS VAYAKHEL-SHEKALIM 5779
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Vayakhel/Shekalim Mevorchim Chodesh Adar II 24 Adar I 5779/March 1, 2019 An excerpt of the following article appeared in Hamodia’s Inyan Magazine, November 28, 2018: THE FLOWING WELLS: WHY RABBI TWERSKI IS MISTAKEN Rabbi Dani Staum, LMSW Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski is an incredibly insightful […]
PARSHAS KI SISA 5779
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Ki Sisa 17 Adar I 5779/February 22, 2019 Our Yeshiva, Heichal HaTorah, embarked on a special project to compile our own yeshiva siddur. The siddur will iyH include insights and explanations from our talmidim and rabbeim. It’s quite an undertaking, but it has already had a […]
PARSHAS TETZAVEH – PURIM KATAN 5779
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Tetzaveh 10 Adar I 5779/February 15, 2019 This past weekend, our family enjoyed a wonderful Shabbos at my parent’s home in the Forshay section of Monsey. Shabbos morning was very cold, with a biting wind making it feel even colder. At about 7:20 am, I left […]
PARSHAS TERUMAH 5779
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Terumah 3 Adar I 5779/February 8, 2019 For all our technological innovations and uncanny advancements, there is still one thing we have absolutely no control over – the weather. Last week a polar vortex – whatever that is – enveloped much of the United States, bringing […]
PARSHAS MISHPATIM 5779
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Mishpatim Mevorchim Chodesh Adar I 26 Shevat 5779/February 1, 2019 For years, the Tappan Zee Bridge connected Rockland and Westchester Counties. It was a very impressive structure, with much of the bridge being more like a highway just above the water. Towards the Westchester side, the […]