Parshas Tazriah – Metzorah 5785

This coming Shabbat, two portions – Tazriah and Metzorah – will be read in Shul. The main topic of these two portions is the מצורע – “metzorah,” one who is stricken with the malady -צרעת “tzaraat” (or tzaraas). The usual translation of tzaraat is leprosy, a translation that is completely erroneous. From a clinical standpoint,

The Best Real Estate Investment<br>Parshas Shmini 5785

Owning an apartment building has its challenges. Tenants don’t pay their rent and local governments make it almost impossible to evict them. Plumbing starts getting old and leaks break out everywhere. People trash their apartments causing costly repairs, or leave trash around their apartments attracting all sorts of pests from mice and roaches to bed

Sefirat Haomer – The Counting of the Omer

When the Holy Temple stood, a daily sacrifice was brought every morning and evening. The morning prayer שחרית – Shacharit corresponds to and substitutes for the morning sacrifice and מנחה – Mincha, the afternoon service, corresponds and substitutes for the afternoon sacrifice. On Shabbat and each of the festivals and holidays in the Torah, there

The Seder Companion 5785

This booklet may be used at your seder to help understand the Haggadah. This coming Saturday night, the 15th day of Nissan, we will all be sitting at the first Pesach seder celebrating the Passover holiday. Some of us will be hosts to family and friends, while others will be guests at the seder table

A Trip You Can’t Fit in Your Brain<br>Parshas Vayikra 5785

Due to the Pre-Pesach busyness, I’m sending out a repeat email this week. And while it was written long ago (2015 I believe?) and only edited slightly, the message still rings true and clear, so I hope you enjoy! Have a Great Shabbos Last week, I visited Poland for the first time. When you come

Pesach 5785

The Festival of Pesach is, by far, Judaism’s most celebrated holiday. In terms of popularity, it trumps even Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the “High Holidays.” The theme of freedom that we celebrate on Pesach resonates so deeply within us that Pesach has become a holiday that we want to celebrate. As Americans Jews, who