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Does Romantic Love Exist in Judaism?
Romantic love has undergone many iterations over the centuries, and philosophers and thinkers have differed in definitions, all focusing on different perspectives and semantic elements. Judaism, too, does not have one steady definition of what romantic love is. Still, rather than trying to arrive at the perfect written definition, we can extrapolate on the key…
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Wigs and Avoda Zara
How a woman covers her hair after marriage is a deeply personal decision. An array of options exist, and each carries with it various social and cultural messages. One form of head covering, common in many communities around the world, is the use of a wig, or sheitel. In this article we will examine some…
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Chukat: Holy Cow!
This week’s parsha contains the quintessential chok (lit. statute) of the Torah, a commandment that is completely beyond the realm of human understanding. We are referring to the Para Aduma, the red cow, whose ashes bring about purity and holiness for the Jewish nation. King Shlomo, the wisest of all men, said about this mitzva,…
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The Spiritual Impact of Anger: Reflections from Orchot Tzadikim
In the vast majority of cases, anger is a negative trait. In this discussion, we will delve into the detailed reasons why anger is particularly harmful, as explained in Chapter 12 of Orchot Tzadikim. To understand why anger is so detrimental, it’s helpful to examine its various negative effects more closely. The Hebrew word “lehavin”…
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What Is the Purpose of the Oral Torah?
If one asked how many torot there are you would expect the answer to be one. However, we are taught by Chazal that Moshe Rabbeinu received both the written and the oral law, torah she’bichtav and torah she’be’al peh respectively, at Har Sinai beginning in Parashat Yitro. Often when we say “torah” our immediate thought…
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Korach: Feeling Out of this World!
Many would say Avraham, Yitzchak or Yaakov. Others might say Sara, Rivka, Rachel or Leah. Some might say Moshe or Aharon, Yocheved or Miriam. But never before had I heard this answer. It was after the Shabbat meal on one of our trips away in seminary and groups of girls were chatting, singing and eating.…
