Hail to the Chief - Parshat Yitro
08 Feb 2023
You shall not have other gods before Me." Why did the Torah add the two words 'before Me?' Why didn't it just say, "You shall not have other gods?
Judaism Is All About... Pleasure
08 Feb 2023
In 1972, Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair opened SARM Studios the first 24-track recording studio in Europe where Queen mixed “Bohemian Rhapsody”. His music publishing company, Druidcrest Music published the music for The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1973) and as a record producer, he co-produced the quadruple-platinum debut album by American band “Foreigner” (1976). American Top ten singles from this album included, “Feels Like The First Time”, “Cold as Ice” and “Long, Long Way from Home”. Other production work included “The Enid – In the Region of the Summer Stars”, “The Curves”, and “Nutz” as well as singles based on The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy with Douglas Adams and Richard O’Brien. Other artists who used SARM included: ABC, Alison Moyet, Art of Noise, Brian May, The Buggles, The Clash, Dina Carroll, Dollar, Flintlock, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Grace Jones, It Bites, Malcolm McLaren, Nik Kershaw, Propaganda, Rush, Rik Mayall, Stephen Duffy, and Yes.
Higher Than the Angels - Parshat Beshalach
02 Feb 2023
The word for an angel in Hebrew is the same as for a wild beast - "chaya." What is the connection between the two?
Hidden Miracles Part 2
01 Feb 2023
To Have a Revelation of "The Light of Torah," a Person Must Reach the Level of Seeing Everything in His Life as Miraculous.
Belief in Belief - Parshat Bo
26 Jan 2023
Belief is not like an on/off switch. It is a character trait that can be weakened or strengthened.
Hidden Miracles Part 1
25 Jan 2023
If a miracle is an open manifestation of God's dominion over Nature, how can there be hidden miracles?
Two Questions, One Answer - Parshat Vaera
19 Jan 2023
If Moshe had ten names, why was 'Moshe' the only name that Hashem called him? And why didn't Yocheved, Moshe's mother, hide him somewhere more secure than the river Nile? Two questions with the same answer.
The Enigma Code - Parshat Shemot
11 Jan 2023
Yaakov and Yosef gave the Jewish People a secret code so they would recognize the redeemer who would take them out of Egypt. But even the best codes can be broken - what made this code unbreakable?
The Scrapbook of Eternity - Parshat Vayechi
05 Jan 2023
The Hebrew word for 'life' is a plural noun. Why?
It's Nothing? Parshat Vayigash
28 Dec 2022
Saying sincerely, "I forgive you" is sometimes more difficult than saying "Sorry." But it's just as important.
Dreaming the Dream - Parshat Vayeishev
14 Dec 2022
Jews have always been dreamers. Why is it that so often our dreams don't come true?
Chanukah and the Honey Bee
14 Dec 2022
The honeybee is the only creature that is tameh, but it produces something tahor, kosher, Honey. It is the symbol of how the self-involvement of this world can be sublimated to a higher connection.
How Long Is the Coast of Britain? - Parshat Vayishlach
08 Dec 2022
Life's difficulties are proportionate to the scale you give them.
Life After Life - Parshat Vayetze
30 Nov 2022
The most certain thing in life is also the most frightening. But death is really no more than a birth into another existence.
Hanukkah - Into the Light
30 Nov 2022
Who Are The Children of Understanding That We Sing About in Maos Tzur, and Other Hanukkah Topics.
The Lobbes - Parshat Toldot
28 Nov 2022
Lobbes" is a Yiddish word that British Jews are familiar with, but I've met few American Jews who know what it means. What is a 'lobbes" and what does it have to do with Parshat Toldot?
Ishmael and Eisav, the Two Legs of Exile
23 Nov 2022
Why are the Arabs so successful in turning the world against the Jewish State?
Leading a Double Life
16 Nov 2022
Judaism is about turning the present into the future before it becomes the past. The couples that are buried in the Cave of Machpela exemplified this idea.
The Speed of Time - Parshat Chayei Sara
16 Nov 2022
Why is it that time seems to go faster the older we get?
At the Heights of the Universe - Parshat Vayera
09 Nov 2022
God gave us an enormous power: Our every action can send positive energy to the heights of the Universe, and from there that energy descends to this world to heal and to bless.
Is It Better to Travel Hopefully?
02 Nov 2022
Robert Louis Stevenson said, “It is better to travel hopefully than to arrive.” Parshat Lech Lecha teaches us that failing to see something through to the end can be one of the most destructive things in a person's life.
War Of The Worlds - Parshat Lech Lecha
02 Nov 2022
In Parshat Lech Lecha, the Torah devotes a whole chapter to a seemingly unimportant Canaanite war. Why?
What’s in a Name? - Noach
27 Oct 2022
The three sons of Noach (Noah) represent three world views: "The world is what I can feel." "The world is what I can know." And "The world is more than I can know." Their three names reveal this.
The Hum of the Universe - The Month of Tishrei
18 Oct 2022
If you have the ears to hear, there is no silence at the heart of silence. There is music. A song being sung to the Creator of all. (This is a re-edit of a popular video from a couple of years ago.)
Why Are the Prayers of Yom Kipur So Repetitive?
03 Oct 2022
We confess ten times on Yom Kippur for our sins, and we seem to say the Thirteen Attributes of God's mercy over and over again. Is all this repetition really necessary?
Allegiance to the Monarch - Parshat Vayelech
29 Sep 2022
Last year was the Shmitta (Sabbatical) year. When the Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple) stood, at the end of the Shmitta year during the festival of Sukkot, the king would read from the Torah to the entire nation. This mitzva symbolized his kingship. Is it mere coincidence that the year of the coronation of King Charles III coincides with this mitzva?
Return of the King - Rosh Hashana
22 Sep 2022
When the world at large believed in a God, kings held the power of life and death. As the world in general turned aside from a belief in God, so the power of the monarch waned. What is the connection between the two?
Shofar - The Breath Of Life
21 Sep 2022
Chazal teach that when Hashem hears the Shofar, he rises from the Throne of Judgement and sits on the Throne of Mercy. How does the Shofar do this? (Pesikta 23:3; Vayikra Rabba 29:10)
The Upcoming Coronation
14 Sep 2022
Is it a coincidence that the ascent to the throne of King Charles happened only days before the coronation of The King of Kings?
Charles III - The Last Circumcized King?
13 Sep 2022
Hitler said, "Conscience is a Jewish invention. Like circumcision it mutilates man..." What is the connection between conscience and circumcision?
"It's Not What You Say..." - Parshat Ki Teitzei
06 Sep 2022
Apparently, the Chafetz Chaim zt"l, was not a brilliant orator, however he was extremely compelling to listen to. What gave him this power?
As Lovely as a Tree - Parshat Shofetim
01 Sep 2022
The Torah prohibits planting trees in the Beit HaMikdash, the Holy Temple. Why?
The Apprentice - Parshat Re’eh
24 Aug 2022
In the ancient world, when grieving for a dead person, idol worshippers would make a bald spot in their hair between the eyes. The Torah explicity forbids this practice in Parshat Re'eh. Why?
Big on the Little Things - Parshat Eikev
16 Aug 2022
The whole human frame stands on the tiny heel bone, so too our relationships 'stand' on the little things.
The Power of Prayer - Parshat VA’Etchanan
09 Aug 2022
Praying every day isn't easy. But if you've ever prayed well - even once - it leaves you a different person.
True Love - A Story For Tisha B'Av
01 Aug 2022
The Satmar Rov was well known as a fierce defender of Jewish values, but there is another side to him that is less well-known. A heart-warming story for Tisha B'Av.
Respect Yourself- Respect Others
26 Jul 2022
The tragedy of Tisha B'Av begins with the sin of the Spies and their lack of self-respect.
The Cancel Culture
21 Jul 2022
In 1987, he settled in Jerusalem to immerse himself in the study of Torah. His two Torah books The Color of Heaven, on the weekly Torah portion, and Seasons of the Moon met with great critical acclaim. Seasons of the Moon, a unique fine-art black-and-white photography book combining poetry and Torah essays, has now sold out and is much sought as a collector’s item fetching up to $250 for a mint copy.
A Man of Spirit - Parshat Pinchas
13 Jul 2022
An artist may be able to create without knowing how to teach others how to create. That doesn't make him less of an artist. But even if an artist is not a great teacher, given a pupil of spirit, that pupil will flourish with very little instruction. Yehoshua's was like the Moon. Because he was 'a man of spirit', he shone from the inspiration of his teacher Moshe.
The Three Weeks
13 Jul 2022
The five tragedies of Shiva Assar B'Tamuz correspond to the first Heh in YKVK, and the five of Tisha B'Av correspond to the second Heh
Extras in Our Own Epic - Parshat Balak
06 Jul 2022
There’s something unusual about Parshat Balak. It’s the only parsha in the Torah where the Jewish People, the “stars of the show” seem to only have a “walk-on” part. We see Bilam and Balak close up as they plot to destroy the Jewish People, but Israel is only seen in the background – almost off-camera. Why is this?
Christianity And Islam - Two Legs Of Exile
06 Jul 2022
The Two Final Exiles of Edom and Yishmael Work in Tandem as Forseen in the Prophecy of Daniel
It Takes a Lot of Faith to Be an Atheist - Parshat Chukat
29 Jun 2022
When opening up their morning newspaper, why do atheists turn to the horoscope page?
The Blue Beyond - Parshat Shelach
23 Jun 2022
The 'tzitzit' - the fringes that a Jew wears on a four-cornered garment give us a glimpse of infinity.
Rabbi Uri Zohar - Parshat Behalotecha
14 Jun 2022
It’s difficult for someone who’s not Israeli to understand the impact of Rabbi Uri Zohar. Uri Zohar was the leading actor of his generation, the leading film producer and the leading stage producer all rolled up into one person. In 1977 he made a life change and became a Torah scholar and a highly influential Rabbi. He passed away at the beginning of June 2022
Psst! Wanna Fake Rolex? Parshat Behalotecha
08 Jun 2022
Is it true that "You can't always get what you want?"
There Are No Limits
24 May 2022
When Roger Bannister ran the first mile in less than four minutes, he broke a lot more than a record.
The Promise of the Land - Bechukotai
19 May 2022
“As long as Yisrael does not dwell on its Land, the Land does not give her fruits as she is accustomed. When she will begin to flower again, however, and give of her fruits, this is a clear sign that the end the time of the Redemption is approaching when all of Yisrael will return to its Land.” The Maharsha
Inventing Religion - Parshat Behar
19 May 2022
"If you're going to make up a religion, you'd better not make promises you can't keep. Parshat Behar contains a huge promise that only the Creator could make."
Saving Life With One Word
27 Apr 2022
A drop of encouragement may seem like a drop in the ocean, but sometimes it can save a life from drowning in sadness.
Do You Hate Shabbat?
25 Mar 2022
Is your Shabbat an out-of-this-world spiritual experience? Here's how to make it one.
Is There A New Israel? - Purim
13 Mar 2022
In the Purim story, Achashverosh, Ahasuerus, dresses himself as the High Priest in the Holy Temple. What did he hope to gain by doing this?
Do Jews Have Horns? - Parshat Vayikra
10 Mar 2022
Michaelangelo may have been the greatest sculptor who ever lived, but his knowledge of Jewish anatomy was a bit off.
A Jewish Woman's Power - Parshat Pikudei
03 Mar 2022
We often refer to God as "He" - but God's presence on earth, the "Shechina" is a femine noun. "He" is "She."
Sticks and Stones - The Power of an Insult
01 Mar 2022
...but words can never harm me." Why do words hurt so much, they're nothing more than puffs or air with a sound wave attached, aren't they?
A Tapestry of Diversity
25 Feb 2022
Wouldn't it be a wonderful world if we were all the same? We'd all get along so well! Right?
You Are Someone’s Lifeline - A Chassidic Tale of the Holocaust
23 Feb 2022
I heard this story many years ago from Rosh Hayeshiva Rav Mendel Weinbach zt"l. It appears in "Chassidic Tales of the Holocaust" by Yaffa Eliach
Mystical Worlds - Ki Tissa
16 Feb 2022
Why is the word for a 'thing' in Hebrew - 'davar' - from the same root as the word for 'speech' - 'dibbur? As solid as 'things' seem, they are no more than God 'speaking' them - keeping them in existence by His word.
The Great ‘Blander’ – Parshat Tetzave
09 Feb 2022
If you had your choice, would you choose to live in a world with the potential for great good but the danger of great evil, or a blend of the two resulting in a great blandness?
Weapons of Mass Distraction
26 Jan 2022
If the original sound of the giving of the Torah never fades, how come we don't hear it anymore?
How The Japanese Saved The Jews - Parshat Yitro
18 Jan 2022
During World War II some 40,000 Jews found themselves under Japanese occupation in Manchuria, China and countries of South East Asia. Virtually all of them survived the war, but the Germans repeatedly pressured the Japanese to implement their "Final Solution." This is a famous story of how The Amshinover Rebbe, zt"l dissuaded the Japanese from complying with Hitler's dictate.
Is Gene Editing Playing God? - Parshat Beshalach
13 Jan 2022
The current Covid pandemic has a silver lining: It has accelerated research into gene editing techniques that promise to put an end to many lethal hereditary diseases. But should man interfere in the work of God?
What's Wrong With Amazon's Kindle? - Parshat Bo
05 Jan 2022
E-books are very convenient but they will never replace real books. Why?
Seeing Is Believing - Parshat Va'era
29 Dec 2021
It's all too easy to go through life without actually seeing what is all around us.
Are the Jews Traitors? - Parshat Shemot
23 Dec 2021
A common accusation against Jews is that they hold a divided loyalty. This is true but it's not the divided loyalty that most people think.
Boycott Israel? - Parshat Vayechi
16 Dec 2021
The BDS lobby is a powerful force in world politics. Where does its power come from?
The Hidden Light - The Month of Tevet
08 Dec 2021
The light of Chanuka becomes dark in Tevet but it never disappears.
Empowering Others - Parshat Miketz
01 Dec 2021
Paul O'Neill's tenure at ALCO Aluminum Company as CEO from 1987 to 2000 increased the value of the company's shares five times, and its market capitalization by $27 billion. How did he do it?
The Runaway Train - Parshat Vayeshev
24 Nov 2021
Sometimes people can be as destructive as a runaway train. How do you stop them? An insight based on Parshat Vayeshev.
Silence and Solitude - Parshat Vayishlach
16 Nov 2021
"Positive role models can only take us so far in our search for maturity. How do we step into the shoes of our mentors and become role models for others?
Holy Children in a Toxic World - Parashat Vayeitzei
10 Nov 2021
Bringing up normal, well-adjusted, and hopefully holy children, in our day and age seems to be a daunting task. How can we succeed against a world glitter and selfishness?
Reach for the Sky - Parshat Toldot
02 Nov 2021
Learning about the lives of great people can be inspiring - but it can also be depressing when we see the enormous gap between their achievements and our own. How can we use their example positively and learn to 'reach for the sky'?
Why Is It So Hard to Be Good? - Parshat Chayei Sarah
27 Oct 2021
If being close to God is the ultimate pleasure. Why did He make it so difficult?
The Day the Music Died - Sukkot
19 Sep 2021
Music has a tremendous power - for the good or the bad. It all depends on the soul of the composer and the musician.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers – Yom Kippur
09 Sep 2021
On Yom Kippur, we can discover who we really are.
Was It Worth Creating the World for Me?
01 Sep 2021
Rosh Hashana is the anniversary of the creation of the first man. It's also the day on which God judges the whole world. What is the connection between the two?
Fear of Elul
19 Aug 2021
Right now, faced with the prospect of having to turn my life and my emotions upside down, I go into a panic that results in total spiritual paralysis. Fear of Elul.
Leaving Our Comfort Zone - Elul
10 Aug 2021
One of the most difficult things in this world is to change. The Hebrew month of Elul is the time that demands from us to leave our comfort zone and realize our true spiritual potential.
Richard Branson and the Ultimate Joy Ride
13 Jul 2021
It's easy to think of life as a trip through a treasure-house of experiences. Climbing Everest. Flying around the world in eighty days, or to the edge of space. The truth is that all the pleasures, all the experiences of this world, are given to us for one reason only: that we might sense to the smallest degree, the taste of life itself. But what is life itself if not our experiences in it?