Parshas Yisro 5776
Among the vast collection of jokes that I have heard from my father over the years is the following:There was once a British fellow, a rich American, an Indian, an imbecile, and an Israeli sitting together in a diner. The Brit turned to the quadro and said, “excuse me gentlemen, what is your opinion about […]
PARSHAS BO 5776
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Bo 5 Shevat 5776/ January 15, 2016 It’s perhaps the most rabbinic word in the dictionary. If a person has aspirations to become a rabbi, aside from knowing halacha and how to develop a practical lesson from the parsha, he’s gotta be able to pronounce the word […]
PARSHAS VA’ERA 5776
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Va’era Mevorchim Chodesh Shevat 28 Teves 5776/ January 8, 2016 Periodically at a simcha the waiter will give the guests a choice about what kind of soup they would like. When the waiter asks me if I would like vegetable soup or broccoli soup, I often reply […]
PARSHAS SHEMOS 5776
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Shemos 21 Teves 5776/ January 1, 2016 It was so strange. This week on Tuesday morning, those of us in the New York area, awoke to ice and snow. After a December which boasted days when it was warmer and brighter in New York than in […]
PARSHAS VAYECHI 5776
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Vayechi 14 Teves 5776/ December 25, 2015 Someone once quipped that their mother was always serving leftovers; they have never found the original! Everyone seems to groan when they hear that they are having leftovers for supper. Some mothers try to reason with their family “You […]
PARSHAS VAYIGASH 5776
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Vayigash 7 Teves 5776/ December 18, 2015 One morning this week one of my fellow rabbeim chided me for eating a Greek Yogurt during breakfast. He wanted to know how I could eat anything Greek during Chanukah. I continued eating my yogurt without replying. When the […]
PARSHAS MIKETZ – CHANUKAH 5776
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Miketz – Rosh Chodesh Teves 6 Chanukah 29 Kiselv 5776/ December 11, 2015 I wear various hats, albeit not at once. A few weeks ago, they all merged, although thankfully they did not collide. After Shabbos when I wear my “Rabbi hat” (it’s one of the […]
PARSHAS VAYESHEV 5776
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Vayeshev 22 Kiselv 5776/ December 4, 2015 I am blessed to be close with many great Torah scholars who I consider personal rabbeim and/or mentors. One of those individuals is a respected educator who inspires his students in his uniquely skillful and devoted manner. He also […]
PARSHAS VAYISHLACH 5776
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Vayishlach 15 Kiselv 5776/ November 27, 2015 At our Shabbos table each week, I try to ask our children a challenging question based on the parsha, for a cash reward. This past Shabbos the question was: in what way is the structure of Parshas Vayetzei unique? […]
PARSHAS VAYETZEI 5776
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Vayetzei 8 Kiselv 5776/ November 20, 2015 Growing up there was hardly anything more exciting that receiving a package in the mail. You would open the package and admiringly look at the contents which you have long waited for. Then you put aside the contents and […]