How Batman Helped Me Understand the Parsha (Toldos) — By Ben
In parshas Toldos Yitzchok and Rivka desperately want a child. I don’t know what it is about our fore-parents, but Hashem really gives them a hard time about having kids. […]
Category Archives: Parsha
Givers, Takers, and Salt Shakers — Vayeira — By Ben
Parshas Vayeira has plenty to talk about. From Avraham ditching God to do hospitality, to Avraham arguing with God about destroying Sodom and Gemorroah, and ending with possibly the most troubling […]
A Good Man Goes To War — Lech Lecha — By Ben
I’ve always had a reverence for parshas Lech Lecha. We have Avram prominently featured and with him, the real the start to the Jewish people. We have the famous commandment […]
#MeToo In the Time of Noach — By Barbara Heller
Me too. Me too. Me too. With the recent outpouring and revelation of personal trauma that has taken social media by storm, it is extraordinary to see how these instances of […]
Vezos Habracha – The End of the Torah
With all the excitment of Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Succos, Shemini Atzeres, and Simchat Torah, it’s very easy to miss the final parsha of the Torah, Vezos Habracha. It’s the […]
Ki Savo – Joy to the Word
It’s 7:25 am …and I’m standing in the Beis Medrish, eyes closed, having just taken three steps forward. The study hall/shul of the Shapells Darchi Noam Yeshiva is silent. I’m […]
Ki Seitzei – Love, Kindness, and Death Sentences — By Ben
We all know the Torah is a book of love, caring, and kindness. And you really feel the love when the Torah commands us to sentence people to death. And […]
Re’eh — Lookin’ Good ;) — By Ben
This week’s parsha starts out with the ultimate of ultimatums, will you choose blessing or curse? It’s very simple, just do all the commandments and you’ll get blessings. Easy stuff, […]
Eikev – Benching and Kvetching — By Ben
This week’s Torah portion continues Moses’ diatribe to the Jewish people. He rebukes them for the golden calf, he brings up the Meraglim (spies) again, he gives over the blessings […]
3 Weeks, 9 Days, and 1 Hell of a Fast (Devarim) — By Ben
So I’ve been in Israel a little over two weeks now. Due to an unpredictable set of circumstances I’ve decided to study in a Yeshiva for 3 months. The dorms […]
Six Degrees Of Kosher Bacon 