Ki-Tissa. Why Did Moses Smash the Tablets?
Why did Moshe smash the Luchot? Was it spontaneous or planned? What message did it send?
Yitro. Can we Curb our Desires?
“Do not covet” says to me: You have what you need. Don’t look around at others. Be satisfied with what you have.
Vayishlach. Insignificant Verses - Really?
Maimonides, addressing the divinity of the Torah, says that the verse "Timna was a concubine" is equivalent to "Shema Yisrael!
Vayera. The Akeida's Contrary Commitments
The contradiction of the Akeida is the tension between “religious obligation” on the one hand, and “human obligation” on the other.
Bereshit. Are Morals Innate?
Adam and Eve were EXPLICITLY instructed not to eat from the tree. In contrast, murder or fratricide had not been explicitly outlawed! Humani
Simchat Torah 5780. God at the Center
...for seven days of Sukkot we commit ourselves to Torah and Halakha in our lives, and only then, on Simhat Torah does the Torah itself incl
Chayei Sarah. Social Seclusion
When should we integrate in secular society and when should we advocate for seclusion and separateness?
Vayera. Don't Curb Your Enthusiasm
Merely showing up in life just isn’t enough. Drifting along with no passion for living... your acts are contaminated!
Vayetze. Materialism
The most vital substances are the most prevalent in nature, because God, in his great wisdom, designed the world to provide the essentials.
Vayera: Hospitality - A Family Project
Abraham gets the whole family welcoming the guests - It is a family agenda. In contrast, Lot acts alone; his family members are uninvolved.
