Do You Really Want World Peace?
In the final words of Sefer Zecharyah, prophesying about a time in the future when the Holy Temple will be rebuilt in its place in the holy city of Yerushalayim, we read something most peculiar (Zecharyah 14:21): וְלֹא־יִהְיֶה כְנַעֲנִי עוֹד … Continued
Avraham’s Crowning Achievement
The Shulchan Aruch states (Orach Chaim 1:5): טוב לומר פ’ העקדה (It is good to read the passage of the Binding of Yitzchak, i.e. the Akeidah [each morning]). The Mishnah Berurah explains (O.C. 1:13) that it is not sufficient just … Continued
Feelin’ Groovy in Prayer
In 1966, Simon and Garfunkel released their third studio album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme. The final song of Side A entitled “The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)” begins with the now famous lyrics “Slow down, you move too … Continued
Length Contraction, Place and Prayer
In our last issue, we explored the Torah of time dilation, not only as a consequence of special relativity but more importantly, as a consequence of expanded consciousness or intellect [seichal]. In this issue, we will look at the Torah … Continued
Time Dilation, Mashiach and Patience
How come one year at age 60 seems to pass more quickly than one year at age 10? Some have suggested that the perception of time is related to the amount of time already experienced in one’s life. One year … Continued
The Source of Novel Torah Insights
From where do novel insights of the Torah [חדושי תורה, chidushei Torah] come? On the one hand, there are those of us who merit to study Torah day and night yet rarely come up with (or ‘are given’) chidushim. On … Continued
Strategy for Growth: Breaking the Klipahs
All living things have within them a vital force motivating them to grow. We are no different. Children and adults alike, we all want to grow. And growth has many dimensions associated with it. Growth can refer to physical size, … Continued
Comfort and the Laughing Dove
We are in the seven weeks of comfort and consolation leading up to Rosh Hashanah. During the first Shabbat of these weeks, we read the haftarah of Nachamu which begins with the quintessential verse of comfort (Yeshaya 40:1): נַחֲמוּ נַחֲמוּ … Continued
Who is Mashiach?
We are all well acquainted with Rambam’s 7th article of Jewish faith, poetically rendered in our siddurim as: אֲנִי מַאֲמִין בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה שֶׁנְּבוּאַת משֶׁה רַבֵּֽנוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם הָיְתָה אֲמִתִּית וְשֶׁהוּא הָיָה אָב לַנְּבִיאִים לַקּוֹדְמִים לְפָנָיו וְלַבָּאִים אַחֲרָיו (I believe with … Continued
To Repair the Sin of the Golden Calf
Last week in our article Don’t Worry, You Won’t Die we examined Chavah’s grave error in eating from the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The Torah describes her acceptance of the advice of the … Continued