Torah study

“The Sin of the Spies--Revisited”

The Baal HaTanya suggests that the sin of the scouts was due to their desire to live in a false utopian world of total spirituality, in the full embrace of the Al-mighty, rather than to have to engage in the real world where they would earn their bread by the sweat of their brow.

"Beginning at the Beginning–-Again"

While some may argue that the Torah’s primary purpose is to report the history and development of the Jewish people, tradition argues that its primary function is to record and confirm the establishment of the covenant between G-d, the Jewish people and the land of Israel.

"And Jacob Sent Judah Ahead"

Jacob sends Judah ahead to Egypt to prepare for the family's arrival in Goshen. Why does Jacob specifically choose Judah, and what exactly is the purpose of Judah's mission?

"Do Sacrifices Have Any Relevance for Us Today?"

Our rabbis ask if the ancient sacrificial rituals have any relevance for us today. They respond by saying that both prayer and Torah study are meaningful contemporary substitutes for sacrifices, especially if we pray and study with full-hearted enthusiasm and proper awareness. If we do so, it is considered as if we have rebuilt the Temple and restored the altar to its ancient place of glory.