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The Defilement of Speech: The Spiritual Dangers of Crude Language
Nivul peh literally translates to “a disgusting mouth” and refers not only to crude, profane language, but also to the broader concept of speaking about coarse, vulgar topics without any constructive purpose. While most of us understand that this type of speech is inappropriate, we will explore the deeper reasons why it is harmful. A…
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Kimchis, Tzniut and Kohanim
I close the door to their room softly, breathe a huge sigh of relief and look around at my living space which resembles a toy tornado. 2-year-old twins are not for the faint of heart, that’s for sure. And it’s not just the toys, sticky floors and the smashed bottle of grape juice that they…
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Chayei Sarah: Contrasting the Greatness of Sarah and Rivka
The parsha which records Sara Imeinu’s passing is the parsha which is called ‘Chayei Sara,’ the life of Sara. Something about Sara’s life and legacy can be felt even – and especially – at the time of her death. Immediately after the Torah records Sara’s burial, it transitions into Yitzchak’s shidduch with the righteous Rivka;…
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A Summary of the Halachot of Pesach
Our ancestors had to leave Egypt so hurriedly that they did not have time to wait for their dough to rise while preparing food to take with them on their exodus into the desert…
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Purim: The Holiday of Ultimate Trust in Hashem
On Purim, we’re all very busy celebrating the festival through the four mitzvot associated with the day…
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Vayechi: Understanding Rachel’s Burial Place
Parshat Vayechi is essentially the last will and testament of Yaakov Avinu. Much of it contains his last requests, rebuke, and advice to his children. One of Yaakov’s admonishments to Yosef is that he ensures that Yaakov is buried in Meorat Hamachpela. In this, almost parenthetically, Yaakov seems to express regret that he did not…