AMIDA (Berakha 18). Mastering the art of gratitude
מודים אנחנו לך
The eighteenth berakha of the 'amida, Modim, is the longest one and the main blessing of the third section of the 'amida...
TEHILIM # 02: Israel, a newborn baby
ה ' אָמַר אֵלַי בְּנִי אַתָּה אֲנִי, הַיּוֹם יְלִדְתִּיךָ
This Mizmor was composed by King David at the beginning of his kingdom. All the kings...
TEHILIM # 124: Saved, from the tunnels of death
I was thinking about the war in Gaza and the terror tunnels that Israel has recently discovered. This discovery, and a (failed) terror operation...
AMIDA (Berakha 17) Prayers or sacrifices?
This blessing, birkat ha'aboda, inaugurates the third section of the Amida known as hoda-a, 'gratitude'.
Here, we express our gratitude to God for having chosen...
Can we lie to avoid embararsement?
The Tora instructs us to stick to the truth and stay away from lies. In some exceptional cases, however, the Rabbis acknowledged that...
Mi Casa Es Tu Casa
The Mishna describes four patterns of generosity / selfishness.
When somebody says:
1.What is mine is yours and what is yours is mine. Nonsense.
2.What is yours...
Rabbi Hayim Habib (1882-1945)
Rabbi Hayim Habib was born in the city of Salonica (aka Saloniki, or Thessaloniki), Greece, in 1882. His father was a Dayan (Rabbinical judge),...
SHALOM BAYIT: Complain more. Criticize less.
Conflicts and disagreement are inevitable in any healthy long term relationship. Marriage is no exception. Each of us has his or her...
TEHILIM # 01 True happiness and strong trees
In this Psalm David haMelekh explains that for a Jew the pursue of happiness begins by avoiding the company of bad or shallow people....
Rabbi Shaul haLevi Mortera (1596-1660)
Rabbi Shaul haLevi Mortera was born in Venice, Italy, in 1596. He was a descendent of Portuguese Jews. In 1616 Rabbi Mortera escorted the...
Pirqe Abot, 2:8: Rabbi Magriso on overeating
He used to say "the more meat the more maggots".
In this Mishna we are taught that excess in the satisfaction of our...
PIRQE ABOT, Rabbi Eliezer on character assassination
...המלבין פני חבירו ברבים... אע"פ שיש בידו תורה ומעשים טוביםאין לו חלק לעולם הבאRabbi Eliezer from the city of Modi'in says in Pirqe Abot...
KOSHER MONEY: Loving HaShem with all your possessions
The economic life of a Jew, his attitude toward material assets, his ethical conduct in buying and selling, etc. should reflect the religious values...
Rabbi Isaac Cardoso (1608-1687)
Rabbi Isaac Cardoso was a Jewish physician, philosopher and polemic writer. He was born as Fernando Cardoso into a marrano family in Beira, Portugal...
YOM HAATZMAUT: 66 years of reconciliation
The 5th of Iyar, or May 14th, 1948, was one of the greatest days in the history of the people of Israel. That day,...
YOM HAZIKARON: 23,169 z”l
Israel Independence Day, YOM HA'ATZMAUT, which will begin tonight, celebrates the anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel. Today, YOM HAZIKARON, the day...
JEWISH BUSINESS ETHICS: Introduction
"Many of us have a mistaken idea of what is within the compass or scope of our religious traditions. People know that lighting Hanukah...
Rabbi Menahem de Lonzano (d.1611)
It is not known when and where Rabbi Menahem ben Judah de Lonzano was born. Probably in Turkey or Italy. But we do know...
PIRQE ABOT 1:7, tell me who your friends are…
ניתאי הארבלי אומר הרחק משכן רע ואל תתחבר לרשע
ואל תתייאש מן הפורענות
To prepare ourselves for Shabu'ot, the day we received the Tora, it is customary...
MAIMONIDES on ABODA ZARA (11:12): Can we use the Tora to...
ויהיו חיים לנפשך משלי ג' כ"בIn Halakha 11:10 Maimonides writes about the enchanter or...
