Let’s play a game. I’m going to introduce you to four people, and you have to figure out which one doesn’t fit in the group. Up first is Yousef Muhammad Al-Zahari, a 53 year old man from Akhmin, a small…
This week’s portionראה starts with a bang. Moshe tells the Jewish people in the name of Hashem (Deuteronomy 11:26): כו) רְאֵה אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן לִפְנֵיכֶם הַיּוֹם בְּרָכָה וּקְלָלָה 26) Look! I am placing before you today blessing and curse! Rabbi Ovadia…
We are living in times when the country is quite divided. There seems to be almost nothing we can agree on, the liberals keep getting more liberal, and the Conservatives more Conservative. News sources are split between right wing media…
Re'eh תשפג When contemplating the motives and goals of the authors of the United States Constitution , we need look no further than the Constitution’s preamble : We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more…
Parshat Reeh תשפ"ב This week’s portion discloses the secret to becoming wealthy. (It’s the oldest get rich scheme in the book!) The verse says (Deuteronomy 14:22): כב) עַשֵּׂר תְּעַשֵּׂר אֵת כָּל תְּבוּאַת זַרְעֶךָ הַיֹּצֵא הַשָּׂדֶה שָׁנָה שָׁנָה 22) You shall surely tithe the…
“Now you want to assume the cat position.” Mechanically, I agree. Yes, actually that is exactly what I was hoping he would say, because I really do want to assume the cat position right now! “OK you want to go…
Reeh תשפא A student recently asked me, “There are two major types of social systems, democracy and socialism. What social system does the Torah recommend?” I answered him that the Torah’s social system is neither, as it operates on a different…
Re’eh תשפ Imagine the following scenario: You are sitting in your living room watching the evening news, when suddenly a weird looking fellow appears on the screen. He is wearing a turban, has a spider tattooed on his forehead, and…
Parshat Re’eh תשע"ט This week’s portion, "ראה" starts with a bang. Moshe tells the Jewish people in the name of HaShem (Deuteronomy 11:26): "רְאֵה אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן לִפְנֵיכֶם הַיּוֹם בְּרָכָה וּקְלָלָה" “Look! I am placing before you today blessing and curse!”…