A Teaching on Likutei Halachot Orach Chaim Chanukah 2 Many laws exist pertaining to the lighting of the menorah during Chanukah. Let’s focus on just one halachah (Shabbat 21b): אָמַר רָבִינָא מִשּׁוּם דְּרַבָּה: זֹאת אוֹמֶרֶת נֵר חֲנוּכָּה מִצְוָה לְהַנִּיחָהּ בְּתוֹךְ … Continued
It is written in the Gemara (Eruvin 13b): כׇּל הַמְחַזֵּר עַל הַגְּדוּלָּה גְּדוּלָּה בּוֹרַחַת מִמֶּנּוּ וְכׇל הַבּוֹרֵחַ מִן הַגְּדוּלָּה גְּדוּלָּה מְחַזֶּרֶת אַחֲרָיו (Anyone who pursues gedulah, gedulah will flee from him, and anyone who flees from gedulah, gedulah will pursue … Continued
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
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
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
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
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
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
Something came up in my life recently that caused me to ask the following: Have I ever done anything in my life that was done for someone else without any ulterior motives on my part, without even a trace of … Continued
Upon seeing a skull floating on the water, Hillel said (Pirkei Avot 2:7): עַל דַּאֲטֵפְתְּ אַטְפוּךְ וְסוֹף מְטִיפַיִךְ יְטוּפוּן (Because you drowned others, they drowned you, and eventually those that drowned you will be drowned). He was teaching with a … Continued