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Comparing Chanuka and Shabbat Candles
“For the candle of Hashem is the soul of man.” (Mishlei 26:6) There is something so mesmerizing and transcendental about the flickering flame of a candle, that it merits comparison to the soul of man. There is a mitzvah to light candles every Friday afternoon to welcome in the holy Shabbat, and there is a
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Miketz: Yosef, Establishing the Standards of Kedusha for the Jewish People
Throughout the pesukim delineating Yosef’s descent into Mitzrayim and his tenure in the debased Egyptian palace, one thing is made perfectly clear. Through all the ups and downs of his journey, Hashem was with Yosef and Yosef was highly cognizant of this Divine Assistance. Such clarity and faith Yosef had, that when his terrified brothers
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Body and Soul: Breastfeeding in the Torah
The act of breastfeeding is woven through the Torah, exploring the fundamental link that connects generations of mothers and children from ancient times all the way to our current day. From Sarah to Yitzchak, Yocheved and Moshe, and Chana and Shmuel, we find the tales of women sustaining their children through their bodies. We can
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Women and Minyanim: An Halachic Discussion
Prayer is a central element of religious experience. Through prayer we connect directly to Hashem, thank Him, praise Him and pour out our souls. In Judaism, prayer is also an opportunity to come together as a community, and this can be seen in the role of the minyan, the quorum of ten men or more
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Vayeishev: What Do the Stories of Tamar, Yehuda and Chanuka Have in Common?
The story of Yehuda and Tamar is shrouded in mystery. After losing both her first and second husbands – Er and Onan, sons of Yehuda – with no children from either marriage, Tamar takes matters into her own hands. She approaches Yehuda of her own accord, disguised in the dark of night. Through their union,
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A Torah’s Outlook on Livelihood
“Six days of the week you shall labor.” The Torah commands us to work, to toil for the six days of the week leading up to Shabbos. Productivity and fulfillment are lauded as true Jewish principles. Yet, when we find ourselves straddling the tightrope named parnasa, we enter a world full of doubts, questions and
