You Don’t Say That!
The Torah (Leviticus 24:10-12) records the story of a nameless youth whose mother was an Israelite and whose father was Egyptian. The Torah later identifies the boy’s mother as Shelomith…
Curse You – Not!
In a perfect world, one would never feel such intense anger at another person that one would actually wish them harm. Alas, we do not live in a perfect world. When emotions run high, some…
Read That Back
Did you know that even in the days of the Talmud there was such a position as court stenographer? The establishment of a court system and a clear system of justice are fundamental mitzvot…
The Left-Handed Warrior
The Book of Judges tells of the men and women who led the Children of Israel from the time of the conquest of the land of Israel by Joshua until the selection of the first king, Saul.…
The Four Mitzvot of Purim
This year, Purim will be celebrated on Sunday, March 16th (beginning Saturday evening, March 15th, after sunset). Four mitzvot are associated with the holiday: Megillah Reading - Book of…
A Knotty Subject
The act of knotting was one of the necessary creative works (melacha) necessary for the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). During the making of the ten curtains that draped over the…
A Woman In Charge: Bessie Gotsfeld
Mizrachi Women of America (MWOA, known today as AMIT - Americans for Israel and Torah) began as part of Mizrachi of America (AMIT’s original name). Its separate identity was the direct…
On Top of Mount…
Without question, Mount Sinai is the best known mountain in the Bible. In the days before highways, street signs or GPS, geographic landmarks played an important role in people’s lives.…
Place Your Bets
The Talmud states that professional gamblers are among the four types of people who are deemed ineligible to serve as witnesses or judges (in addition to usurers, pigeon trainers and…
Biblical Euphemisms
The Torah is not prudish. Nevertheless, the biblical stories in which sexual relations play a central role (e.g., Lot and his daughters - Genesis 19:30-38, Joseph and Potiphar’s wife -…