2013-08-12

The Yomim Tovim celebrate monumental events in Jewish history. The focus of these days is on bringing Jews together as a people and as friends.…

2013-08-07

Matzah is the most basic of foods. Mix some grain with water and bake ASAP, and presto! We have the most important course for the most important meal…

2013-08-01

I imagine I am not the only one who has dozed off during a lecture. While I might manage to pick up a point or two, surely such dozing limits my…

2013-07-31

Soon after the editing of the Mishna in the land of Israel, Jewish life and learning started slowly shifting towards Bavel. This was set into motion…

2013-07-24

On the first page of the laws of Shabbat, the Mishnah Berurah discusses the problem of price gouging by fishmongers. Knowing the desire of observant…

2013-07-21

“Shimon Ha'amsoni—and some say, Nechemia Ha'amsoni—used to derive [laws] from all the etim (plural of et) in the Torah.…

2013-07-11

The halachic legal system is much more than a set of abstract principles or technical details. It incorporates factors such as human…

2013-07-10

"Two verses that contradict each other, until a third verse is found and reconciles between them". This 13th and last of the interpretive…

2013-07-04

Rav Yisrael Salanter, the 19th century founder of the mussar movement, was asked by his students what the most important concern is when baking…

2013-06-27

Landlord-tenant disputes are the bread and butter of many a lawyer. No law can account for any eventuality, and the inherent conflict of interest…

2013-06-26

Great leaders are great strategists. The Talmud (Pesachim 3b) relates that a certain non-Jew was bragging of how he used to travel to…

2013-06-25

"To tell of  Your loving-kindness in the morning and Your faithfulness at night" (Tehilim 92:3). Night and day, from a Jewish…

2013-06-23

"On the night of the 14th [of Nissan], one [begins the] search for chametz". So begins mashechet Pesachim, the tractate dealing with…