Sabbatical year

“Appreciating our own Inner Worth”
(updated and revised from Vayeilech 5761-2001)

Unfortunately, there are many who feel themselves unworthy of G-d's forgiveness, or unworthy of participating in the communal contrition of the Jewish people. Judaism rejects that assumption, insisting that each and every soul is precious to G-d, and surely qualifies for Divine forgiveness.

“The Torah-the First Environmentally-Friendly Treatise"
(updated and revised from Shoftim 5762-2002)

Among the many revolutionary laws found in the Torah, are the environmental laws found in parashat Shoftim. G-d’s commandment in Genesis to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, "to work the land and to protect it," was humanity's first call for conservation and protecting the environment. This revolutionary message that the Torah introduced 3,300 years ago is as fresh, as vibrant and as green as if it were given today.

Re'eh 5780-2020

“Changing and Updating Jewish Law”
(updated and revised from parashat Re’eh 5762-2002)

In parashat Re’eh, we learn of the practice known as shmitat k’safim, of forgiving debts in the seventh year of the Sabbatical cycle. However, because of a proclamation by Hillel the Elder known as Pruzbul , the law of forgiving the debts has hardly ever been practiced. How was Hillel able to cancel a law of the Torah through, what seem to be, legal devices and loopholes?

“Torah From Sinai”

The revolutionary laws of Shemitah, of allowing the land to lie fallow every seven years, is a prominent example of laws that confirm the existence of G-d and the divinity of the Torah.

"The Torah - The First Environmentalist Treatise"

The Torah's commandment in Genesis to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, "to work the land and to protect it," was humanity's first call for conservation and protecting the environment. This revolutionary message that the Torah introduced 3,300 years ago is as fresh, as vibrant and as green as if it were given today. Many additional revolutionary environmental laws may be found in parashat Shoftim.

"Changing and Updating Jewish Law"

In parashat Re'eh, we learn about the practice of forgiving debts in the seventh year of the Sabbatical cycle known as shmitat k'safim. However, because of a proclamation known as pruzbul, by Hillel the Elder, the law of forgiving the debts has hardly ever been practiced. How was Hillel able to cancel a law of the Torah through what seem to be legal devices and loopholes?

"Appreciating One's Own Inner Worth"

Unfortunately, there are many who feel themselves unworthy of G-d's forgiveness, or unworthy of participating in the communal contrition of the Jewish people. Judaism rejects that idea, insisting that each and every soul is precious to G-d, and qualifies for Divine forgiveness.