Tza’ar Ba’alei Chaim

Posted on: June 19th, 2013

In this week’s parshah Bilam decides to approach Balak with the intention of cursing the Bnei Yisrael. En route his donkey refused to continue on the path, continuing to veer to the side of the road. At one point the donkey smashed Bilam’s leg into the wall. Bilam hit his donkey three different times. The reason that his donkey would not proceed is because it saw that there was a malach standing in the road with his sword drawn.

Shabbat In The Pub

Posted on: June 19th, 2013

The GPS had not been invented when Shelly set off on a Friday afternoon many years ago to join the Bnei Akiva camp in the English countryside. The organizers always managed to find a farmer who welcomed young campers under adult supervision; thus they set up their tents and during the week took the opportunity to learn the halachot of building an eruv. There would be no problems on Shabbat and they would be able to carry within the campsite.

Parshas Balak

Posted on: June 19th, 2013

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The Sin of Moshe Rabbeinu

Posted on: June 14th, 2013

The Rambam, therefore, adds a second component: by getting angry, Moshe misled the people as to the nature of God. The masses felt that Moshe's anger was reflective of God's anger.

Yiftach: An Ignorant Leader?

Posted on: June 14th, 2013

One of the most complex Tanach personalities is the central figure of this week’s Haftorah: Yiftach, the Shofet, Judge.

Postdated

Posted on: June 13th, 2013

"I saw an advertisement for group swimming lessons during the summer," Mr. Leiner said to his wife. "I think it would be good for our Pinchas."

Finding The Right One

Posted on: June 13th, 2013

She is my first child to reach this stage and, frankly, I’m worried.

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Daf Yomi

Posted on: June 13th, 2013

Rabbeinu Tam Tefillin ‘Transgressing Bal Tigra’ (Eruvin 100a)

Q & A: ‘The Scepter Shall Not Depart From Judah’ (Part V)

Posted on: June 13th, 2013

Question: As Shavuot is fast approaching – a holiday on which we dwell on the story of Ruth and the origins of the royal house of David – I was wondering if you could help me resolve something. The Mishnah never makes any mention of the Hasmonean kings, the mitzvah to light a Chanukah menorah, or the miracle of the oil that lasted eight days. Some people say that Rabbi Yehudah HaNassi – the redactor of the six orders of the Mishnah and a scion of King David – omitted these topics because the Hasmoneans improperly crowned themselves, ignoring the rule that all Jewish kings are supposed to come from the tribe of Yehudah. They argue that this is also why the Talmud does not include a separate tractate on Chanukah. Is this true? Menachem (Via E-Mail)

May An Impure Minor Enter The Mikdash?

Posted on: June 12th, 2013

In this week’s parshah the Torah discusses many halachos of tumah. One halacha is that a person who is tamei may not enter the Mikdash. Doing so makes him liable for kareis.

A Word Of Thanks

Posted on: June 12th, 2013

The highway was packed with bumper-to-bumper traffic, and there I sat with hands gripped tightly on the steering wheel, begging the cars to move. My heart swelled at the thought of seeing my son, who was just coming back from his year of learning in Eretz Yisrael. How I had missed him! Though I was used to him being away (if you can ever really get used to a child being away), a special space in my heart was empty – as I waited for him.

Parshas Chukas

Posted on: June 12th, 2013

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Jumping Ship

Posted on: June 6th, 2013

No one lives in a vacuum. No, that doesn’t mean we didn’t get sucked up through a vacuum cleaner hose in the pre-Pesach cleaning frenzy, it means that whether we like it or not, our environment—the people and things around us—makes a big impact on who we are.

Searching For A Single Home

Posted on: June 6th, 2013

According to biblical law, once an area has been converted in to a reshut hayachid by enclosing it with a halachically acceptable eruv, one may carry inside the enclosed area. But according to rabbinical law, it is simply not enough to enclose an area in which one wants to carry with an eruv. This alone will not permit carrying from the home into the street or vice versa. Neither will it alone permit carrying from a condominium apartment into the lobby or other common areas.

Mikveh Building Fund

Posted on: June 6th, 2013

Yidsville had a small but dedicated Jewish community. There was one Orthodox synagogue, led by Rabbi Well, a day school, women's mikveh, kosher butcher shop, pizza store and restaurants.

Pidyon Haben: Debt Or Mitzvah?

Posted on: June 6th, 2013

In this week’s parshah the Torah tells us that Hashem told Aharon to redeem every firstborn child. This is known as pidyon haben. The Rema, in Yoreh De’ah 305:10, rules in the name of the Rivash that one may not appoint a shaliach to perform pidyon haben. Many Acharonim argue with this ruling and posit that one can appoint a shaliach to perform pidyon haben.

The Breakfast Of Champions (Part I)

Posted on: June 6th, 2013

Dear Readers: You may remember how we once did an experiment with a story (about a monster fire in Arizona) without Jewish protagonists, but containing a universal lesson that I believed worthy to record for the readers of Chodesh Tov. We are there yet again, this time directly north in Wisconsin. Please bear with me as we once again record a story we investigated in the hope that the lesson is unique and worthy of our attention. It is going to take us five full columns to complete the tale, and I thank you in advance for your patience.

Daf Yomi

Posted on: June 6th, 2013

Elevated Train Tracks And Eruvin (Eruvin 94b)

Q & A: ‘The Scepter Shall Not Depart From Judah’ (Part IV)

Posted on: June 6th, 2013

(Please note: The question has been modified to reflect amendments suggested by a reader, Yisrael Levi, in last week’s column.)

The Danger Of Machlokes

Posted on: June 6th, 2013

Korach, carried away by jealousy, led two hundred fifty men in rebellion against Moshe and Hashem. These were all great individuals; they had all witnessed Moshe going up to Har Sinai to accept the Torah, and they all heard Hashem speak through Moshe. Yet they willfully and intentionally set out to depose Moshe – to prove he had veered off from that which Hashem had told him. Moshe, recognizing the danger they were placing themselves in, did everything he could to get them to back down. Nevertheless, they remained steadfast in their revolt, and marched to their destruction. In the end the entire congregation – man, woman, infant and child – died a terrible death.