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The Value of a Stranger
I can safely say that a week ago I did not know the names of any gorillas. But this past week, social media was abuzz[…]
Emor V’Amarta
אֱמֹר אֶל-הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן; וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶםSay to the Kohanim, the children of Aharon, and say to themWhy the repetition of the root אמר?At first glance[…]
Molech the Motivator
In our RIETS homiletics course, Rabbi Penner mentioned that this is a great week to prepare a drasha. With 79 mitzvot in this week’s double[…]
Of Sickles and Hatchets
Two weeks ago, the Boston Red Sox were playing the Baltimore Orioles, and in the course of the game, Manny Machado of the Orioles slid[…]
Picking Produce and the Ramban’s Orlah
Anyone can follow a shopping list, but it takes experience to choose the perfect produce. The smell, the appearance, the touch, the season. The pears[…]
Mind Reading and Stumbling Blocks
לֹא־תְקַלֵּ֣ל חֵרֵ֔שׁ וְלִפְנֵ֣י עִוֵּ֔ר לֹ֥א תִתֵּ֖ן מִכְשֹׁ֑ל וְיָרֵ֥אתָ מֵּאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ You shall not insult the deaf, or place a stumbling block before the blind.[…]
Taking Out the Trash
The Midrash (Vayikra Rabba 7:1) notes that throughout the discussion of the priestly service, the Torah consistently refers to the Kohanim as “בני אהרן, the[…]