וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהוָֹה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה אַֽחֲרֵ֣י מ֔וֹת שְׁנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י אַֽהֲרֹ֑ן בְּקָרְבָתָ֥ם לִפְנֵֽי־יְהוָֹ֖ה וַיָּמֻֽתוּ: And the Lord spoke to Moses after the death of Aaron’s two sons, when they drew near before the Lord, and they died. (Vayikra 16:1) As a prelude to the Halachos of Yom Kippur, for the first time in the story of the tragic […]
כְּנֶגֶד אַרְבָּעָה בָנִים דִּבְּרָה תוֹרָה: אֶחָד חָכָם, וְאֶחָד רָשָׁע, וְאֶחָד תָּם, וְאֶחָד שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לִשְׁאוֹל. Corresponding to four sons did the Torah speak; one [who is] wise, one [who considers himself] evil, one who is simple and one who doesn’t know to ask. There is no Yom Tov in the Jewish calendar that is centered […]
In describing the affliction of tzara’as, the Torah uses the peculiar language of ונתתי, which literally means “and I give.” This seems to imply that by placing tzara’as on someone’s house, Hashem is giving a gift of some sort. This is difficult to understand, as the Torah indicates that tzara’as is a result of wrongdoing. […]
Here it is again. That time of year when there is so much to do. You really need your kid’s help. You want them to cooperate without the arguing and the power struggles. Here are 6 ways that can help: 1. Let them know the schedule: Children need to know what is expected of them. […]
וּבִמְלֹ֣את | יְמֵ֣י טָֽהֳרָ֗הּ לְבֵן֘ א֣וֹ לְבַת֒ תָּבִ֞יא כֶּ֤בֶשׂ בֶּן־שְׁנָתוֹ֙ לְעֹלָ֔ה וּבֶן־יוֹנָ֥ה אוֹ־תֹ֖ר לְחַטָּ֑את אֶל־פֶּ֥תַח אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵ֖ד אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן: And when the days of her purification have been completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring a sheep in its first year as a burnt offering, and a young dove or a turtle […]
One of the great mysteries of the kitchen, I’ve learned, is that the same dish can turn out differently every time (I refer the reader to the Lessin cookie saga of 2023, which some experts say is yet ongoing). How this culinary quirk happens, I’ll never understand. Einstein’s definition of insanity – doing the same […]
Several weeks ago my wife and I had the distinct privilege to attend a Chizzuk Mission Shabbaton (led by the one and only Mrs. Barrie Feld!) in Yerushalayim. I have merited to take part in some of their programming over the course of the last couple of years and I am always left inspired by […]
וְלָבַ֨שׁ הַכֹּהֵ֜ן מִדּ֣וֹ בַ֗ד וּמִכְנְסֵי־בַד֘ יִלְבַּ֣שׁ עַל־בְּשָׂרוֹ֒ וְהֵרִ֣ים אֶת־הַדֶּ֗שֶׁן אֲשֶׁ֨ר תֹּאכַ֥ל הָאֵ֛שׁ אֶת־הָֽעֹלָ֖ה עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וְשָׂמ֕וֹ אֵ֖צֶל הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ: וּפָשַׁט֙ אֶת־בְּגָדָ֔יו וְלָבַ֖שׁ בְּגָדִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים וְהוֹצִ֤יא אֶת־הַדֶּ֨שֶׁן֙ אֶל־מִח֣וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶ֔ה אֶל־מָק֖וֹם טָהֽוֹר: And the kohen shall don his linen tunic, and he shall don his linen trousers on his flesh. And he shall lift out the ashes into which […]
Now that we’ve learned the art of containment – expanding our hearts and minds to encompass our children’s emotional worlds – we can lay out strategies to handle the feelings that enter this sacred space. We need to develop a regulation toolbox, a set of tactics we can pull from when our kids feel broken […]
Chazal (Megillah 2a) teach us that the Megillah can be read on the 11th through the 15th of Adar. What is the source for this Halacha? The Megillah itself explicitly tells us that the 14th and 15th of Adar are appropriate days for fulfilling the Mitzvah of Purim and the 11th and 12th are included […]