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 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 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 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 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, […]
PARSHAS VAYETZEI 5778
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Vayetzei 6 Kislev 5778/November 24, 2017 For a period during my youth my parents arranged for my sister Ahuva, and myself to take ice-skating lessons. What I remember the most is the instructor telling us to always lean forward while skating, so if (when) we fall, […]
PARSHAS TOLDOS 5778
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Toldos 28 Cheshvan 5778/November 17, 2017 Mevorchim Chodesh Kislev It was undoubtedly one of the most exciting days of my pre-married life. In 2000, I was one of the older bochurim in the Bais Medrash program of Yeshiva Shaarei Torah. At one point during that […]