PARSHIOS BEHAR-BECHUKOSAI 5777
STAM TORAH PARSHIOS BEHAR-BECHUKOSAI 5777 “CASUAL CRUELTY” Once upon a time, in Somewhereville, America a group of atheists filed a legal discrimination suit against the religious leaders in their community. They claimed that while everyone had their own religious holidays the atheists had no such days. The judge deliberating the case listened to their claim […]
PARSHAS EMOR/LAG BAOMER 5777
STAM TORAH PARSHAS EMOR/LAG BAOMER 5777 “COMPASS FOR LIFE” Seven years ago, I was privileged to be invited to join an Orthodox Union Rabbinic mission to Eretz Yisroel, co-sponsored by “Hachavayah HaYisraelis” The Israel experience.” Along with twenty-five Rabbis from across America (and South Africa), I spent a week touring fascinating places across the country […]
PARSHAS ACHREI MOS-KEDOSHIM 5777
STAM TORAH PARSHAS ACHREI MOS-KEDOSHIM 5777 “READY FOR WAR” Rabbi Mordechai Finkelman[1] related: “When I was an eighth grade rebbe I found out that one of my students was bringing comic books to yeshiva. Then one day he brought in a catalogue of comic books. As a rule, superheroes are not dressed modestly, so I […]
PARSHAS TAZRIA-METZORA 5777
STAM TORAH PARSHAS TAZRIA-METZORA 5777 “LIVING LIFE” In our community, New Hempstead, prior to Rosh Hashanah, Chanukah, and Pesach, three of the local rabbonim – Rabbi Chaim Schabes, Rabbi Yisroel Saperstein, and myself – speak at a joint forum, rotating which shul hosts. The following is from the moving lecture that Rabbi Yisroel Saperstein presented […]
PARSHAS SHMINI 5777
STAM TORAH PARSHAS SHMINI 5777 “PERILOUS PURITY” A non-religious Jew once approached the Telshe Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Mottel Katz zt’l and asked him, “How do you explain all of the religious Jews who lie and cheat on their income taxes?” Rabbi Katz replied, “I have a similar question about all those religious Jews who eat […]
PARSHAS TZAV – SHABBOS HAGADOL 5777
STAM TORAH PARSHAS TZAV – SHABBOS HAGADOL 5777 “THE GOOD OLD DAYS[1]” Rabbi Yaakov Levitt of Bialystok related the following poignant parable[2]: One day an elderly man from a simple village became severely ill. His children immediately summoned the best doctor from the big city to examine him. After a thorough checkup the doctor concluded […]
PARSHAS VAYIKRA 5777
STAM TORAH PARSHAS VAYIKRA 5777 “THE CALL OF HUMILITY” “At the time that my wife and I made aliyah to live in Israel, the Ministry of Interior required certification through the chief rabbinate that any new immigrants were Jews in order to qualify for citizenship and immigrant benefits. After an hour-long wait at the […]
PARSHAS VAYAKHEL-PEKUDEI/HACHODESH 5777
STAM TORAH PARSHAS VAYAKHEL-PEKUDEI/HACHODESH 5777 “OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM” When Rabbi Uri Zohar decided to leave behind his previous life of glamour and stardom to become Torah observant, his non-religious friends asked the noted comedian if he could tell them one last joke. He replied by telling them the following[1]: One day a secular Israeli […]
PARSHAS KI SISA/PARA 5777
STAM TORAH PARSHAS KI SISA/PARA 5777 “DON’T PANIC” One day a Jewish fellow walked into Starbucks to find his friend perusing an Arab newspaper. “Moishe, what’s this? Have you lost your mind? Why in the world are you reading an Arab newspaper?” Moishe put down the paper and replied, “I used to read the Jewish […]
PARSHAS TETZAVEH/ZACHOR PURIM 5777
Rabbi Dani Staum LMSW Strivinghigher.com STAM TORAH PARSHAS TETZAVEH/ZACHOR PURIM 5777 “THE COLOR OF DIVINITY” The following excerpt is from the memoirs of Dr. Isaac Steven Herschkopf[1]: “One summer I was spending a week with my aunt and uncle in upstate Ellenville. Uncle David and Aunt Saba, survivors themselves, as the doctor and nurse […]