Aviram

"Choosing The Right Neighbors"

In parashat Vayeira, Abraham moves from Elonei Mamrei to Gerar. Our rabbis wonder why. Abraham's move can be instructive to us in our efforts to select the proper community in which to live.

"The Blasphemer - A Midrashic View"

One of the highlights of parashat Emor is the blasphemer, the son of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian father who, as a result of a quarrel, blasphemes in the name of G-d. The blasphemer is ultimately put to death. This harsh sentence is difficult to understand. The Midrash, however, fills in the details, explaining what the blasphemer did, linking his crime to his past.