The Jew You Are, Not Just the Jew You Do When we think of mitzvos, we often picture actions: lighting like lighting Shabbos candles, eating matzah, sitting in a Sukkah or praying, each of which is a concrete behavior with a beginning and end. You do them and then you move on. But there are mitzvos that are […]

An Unusual and Revolting Way to Overcome Fear Imagine a religion whose worship is to go to the bathroom in public in front of an idol? Do you think Jews would be attracted to it? Surprisingly, they were. Your eyes have seen what G-d did at Baal Peor…(Deuteronomy 4:2-3) What was Baal Peor? The Talmud relates two […]

Have You Ever Met a Person Who Wants to be an Eagle? The last of the Ten Commandments is an order not covet. Desiring someone or something is a thought; can one be commanded not to want something? You can tell me not to steal, kill, or not do an action, but how can one be […]

For which is a great nation that has a G-d Who is close to it, as is our G-d in all our calling to Him (Deut. 4:7).Is prayer only for big things? No, it’s for everything. The Talmud (Brachot 5b) relates the following incident. Rav Huna had 400 barrels of wine that spoiled. His colleagues told him to […]

 The Talmud relates that one day Choni HaMagel (1st century BCE) was traveling on the road when he encountered a man planting a carob tree.                  How long does it take for this tree to bear fruit?                 Seventy years.                 Are you certain that you will live another seventy years?                 I found ready grown carob trees in the world; as my forefathers                              planted […]

Do not add to the word which I command you, nor diminish from it, to observe the commandments of the Lord your G-d which I command you. Your eyes have seen what G-d did at Baal Peor…(Deuteronomy 4:2-3)The verse above warns us not to add or subtract mitzvot. From an academic perspective, this is obvious and […]

Do not add to the word which I command you, nor diminish from it, to observe the commandments of the Lord your G-d which I command you. Your eyes have seen what G-d did at Baal Peor…(Deuteronomy 4:2-3) The verse above warns us not to add or subtract mitzvot. From an academic or empirical perspective, this […]

Rabbi O’s Weekly Parsha: V’etchanan (Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11) Torah is a Fact; Don’t Add or Subtract Do not add to the word which I command you, nor diminish from it, to observe the commandments of the Lord your G-d which I command you. Your eyes have seen what G-d did at Baal Peor…(Deuteronomy 4:2-3) The verse […]

You shall love Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your resources. (6:5) The verse above informs the reader that there is a mitzvah to love G-d. A theological difficulty arises from it: How can love be an obligation? Love is a feeling; either you have it or […]