Parameters of Charity
By Rabbi Dovid Markel Giving charity is the hallmark of the Jewish people. In fact, Rambam, in his laws of charity (10:1), states that we are to be careful in charity more than...
Neirot
Parshas Shemini – Plenty and Eight
By Shalom Olensky This week in the Torah: On the eighth day of the Sanctuary’s dedication, the Divine Presence was revealed, and dwelled, therein. A Jewish Tradition: “A year in which “The Eighth”...
Parshas Tazria – Birth and Leprosy
By Shalom Olensky This week in the Torah: First, the laws of the spiritual impurity which caused leprosy in Biblical times. Second, the laws of purifying the leper, freeing him from the affliction...
Parshas Acharei – Love and Return
By Shalom Olensky This week in the Torah: As a precaution to prevent a deadly result by entering the Holy of Holies – as was the case with two of Aaron’s sons (Nadav...
The Kosher Switch
By Rabbi Dovid Markel Disclaimer: It is not the intent of the article to deal with halachik technicalities of Kosher-Switch, but to raise awareness for the concept that not everything that is technically permitted...
Parshas Acharei-Kedoshim – You be Holy, for I am Holy
By Avner Friedmann Parshat Kedoshim begins with HaShem instructing Moshe, “Speak to the entire assembly of the Children of Israel and say to them, “You be holy, for I HaShem your G-d am...
Parshas Kedoshim – Be Holy
By Rabbi Dovid Markel The second parsha in the group of parshios read this Shabbos is Kedoshim. The portion begins with the appeal that the Israelites be a holy people. The verse (Vayikra...
The Age of the Universe
By Rabbi Dovid Markel I recently read an article from an individual on the cultural divide between Rambam’s rationalism and what he termed as Ashkenazi anti-rationalism. The individual who penned the article used...
A Jewish Head – Franz Rosenzweig
Rabbi Dovid Markel Franz Rosenzweig (1886-1929) was a Jewish thinker and Philosopher. At one point in his life, he was about to convert to Christianity. He decided that before he would convert, he...
Sefira & 28 Nissan
By Rabbi Dovid Markel The verse (Vayikra, 23:15) states: “And you shall count for yourselves, from the morrow of the rest day from the day you bring the omer as a wave offering...
