PARSHAS ACHREI MOS-KEDOSHIM 5777
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Acharei Mos-Kedoshim (24th day of Omer) 9 Iyar 5777/ May 5, 2017 – Avos Perek 3 Many people feel their lives are spinning aimlessly, without going anywhere. Someone recently made a living model of that experience, patented, and marketed it, and is now raking it in. Perhaps […]
PARSHAS TAZRIA-METZORA 5777
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Tazria-Metzora (17th day of Omer) 2 Iyar 5777/ April 28, 2017 – Avos Perek 2 I feel blessed and privileged to have many wonderful rabbeim and mentors who have had a strong impact upon my life. I have learned from them not only how to learn Torah, […]
PARSHAS SHMINI 5777
“RABBI’S REFLECTIONS[1] (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Shemini (10th day of Omer) 25 Nissan 5777/ April 21, 2017 – Avos Perek 1 Did you ever notice that the Yom Tov of Pesach seems to be inextricably connected to fires? Kashering our kitchens for Pesach necessitates burning out embedded chometz taste (whether with haga’lah or […]
PARSHAS TZAV – SHABBOS HAGADOL 5777
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Tzav – Shabbos Hagadol 11 Nissan 5777/ April 7, 2017 On one occasion, I was speaking to my Rebbe, Rabbi Chaim Schabes, about the challenge of constantly strengthening our emunah and bitachon. When I mentioned a certain popular book about emunah. Rabbi Schabes suggested that instead we […]
PARSHAS VAYIKRA 5777
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Vayikra 4 Nissan 5777/ March 31, 2017 Lz”n Avrohom Yosef ben Naftali Hertz a”h Recently, I saw an article about the American classic song “Old Man River”, from the 1927 musical and 1936 film classic “Show Boat”. The song was composed by Jerome Kern, a secular Jew […]
PARSHAS VAYAKHEL-PEKUDEI/HACHODESH 5777
“RABB I’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Vayakhel-Pekudei/Hachodesh Mevorchim Chodesh Nissan 26 Adar 5777/ March 24, 2017 On Purim morning, I reached for a sefer off one of the shelves in my office, and, to my surprise, the whole bookcase collapsed. It wasn’t because I had drunk anything, as it was too […]
PARSHAS KI SISA/PARA 5777
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Ki Sisa/Parah 19 Adar 5777/ March 17, 2017 “So Rabbi, bottom line, what’s the deal with drinking on Purim? What’s the message we are supposed to take from this unusual law?” That was the question I was asked by a sincere and thoughtful congregant last week. […]
PARSHAS TETZAVEH/ZACHOR PURIM 5777
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Teztaveh/Parshas Zachor – Erev Purim 12Adar 5777/ March 10, 2017 “So I was on a roll — I was an executive with a nice salary, annual bonuses and stock options, all the perks. Everything was on track… And on Monday, January 7th, 2008 at three o’clock in the […]
PARSHAS TERUMAH 5777
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Terumah 5 Adar 5777/ March 3, 2017 A colleague once suggested that whenever an opportunity arises to discuss hashkafa (Jewish philosophical outlook) with students, I should grab the chance. Last week the gemara we are learning in class (perek Hakonais) mentioned the concept of melachos Shabbos, the […]
PARSHAS MISHPATIM/SHEKLAIM 5777
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Mishpatim/Shekalim Mevorchim Chodesh Adar/Erev Rosh Chodesh Adar 29 Shevat 5777/ February 24, 2017 Three of our children have had food allergies throughout their lives. The earliest indication of the allergies, was from eczema that developed on their skin during late infancy. Of course, it’s most challenging for […]