Tu B’shvat

Encounters | Mrs. Dassie Bausk Print this article

Purim 5785

Our Sages have revealed a deep and profound insight into human nature: אדם נפעל כפי פעולותיו A person’s character is shaped by his actions This means that a person’s day-to-day deeds profoundly affect his character. The 13th century Sefer Hachinuch, attributed to R. Aharon HaLevi, Mitzvah 16, develops this concept. A completely righteous person who

The Pinch Who Stole Purim<br>Parshas Tetzaveh/Purim

Pinch never liked Purim. It was too happy of a day, and frankly, Pinch wasn’t into the whole happiness thing. Pinch hated passing playgrounds filled with kids happily climbing and swinging, he hated weddings filled with smiling dancing people, he hated bris ceremonies, bar mitzvahs, graduations, and any other event where smiles reigned supreme. But

Parshas Zachor 5785

The month of Adar has begun, and we are commanded to increase our happiness! The Talmud says (Taanit 29a): אמר רב יהודה בריה דרב שמואל בר שילת משמיה דרב: משנכנס אדר מרבין בשמחה Rabbi Yehuda the son of Rav Shmuel the son of Shilas said in the name of Rav, “When the month of Adar

Stay in Your Lane!<br>Parshas Terumah/Shekalim

It took Sam Goldstein forty-three years to buy his Aston Martin Vanquish. It’s not that the waitlist was that long, the waitlist was only six months, but it took Sam that long to get to the place where he could drop $428,000 on a car and not feel the pinch. The car wasn’t very practical,

Parshas Terumah 5785

The Mishkan (Tabernacle) – the portable sanctuary that accompanied the Jewish people during their 40-year trek in the wilderness – was built with the donations of the Jewish people who donated all of the necessary building materials. The Torah tells us (Exodus 24:2): ב) דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה Speak to the