Why Mishloach Manot is Why We Celebrate Purim
The Mitzvah of Mishloach Manot has become synonymous with the word Purim, but why? Why is this mitzvah so unique …
Category Archives: Jewish law and ethics
10 Reasons to Invite 500 People to Your Shabbat Dinner and Why You Will Love It
When my wife asked me how many people I invited for Shabbat, I responded “more than 500.” Judging by the …
Ruth, Shavuot, and the Power of ‘Yes We Can’
While being a potential bestseller and most viewed on Netflix, the story of a Moabite princess who took upon herself …
SHARING THE OIL
This beautiful essay of my grandfather, Rabbi Bernard Poupko Zt”l was published in 1974 in the RCA Sermon Manual and is …
The unforgivable sin I committed Yom Kippur morning
With my mind racing with what I would be saying in synagogue, how I will be praying, and the powerful …
Chanukah and The World’s Oldest Love-Hate Relationship
How do the Greeks go down in Jewish history books? Are they the “good guys” or the “bad guys?” A …
Judah and Joseph as Paradigmatic Figures for Jewish Posterity
Introduction Although the book of Genesis is characterized with sibling rivalry and conflict (Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, and …
Yes, Being Jewish Means Being a Zionist
Does being Jewish mean that you are a Zionist? Realizing that Judaism is around for more than 3,300 years while …
When Does The Tenth Commandment- Lo Tachmod- Apply?
The prohibition of “tough shall not covet-lo Tachmod” (Shmot 20:14 and Devarim 5:18)is well known both for its personal …
Kamtza and Bar Kamtza: The Positive Message of Tisha B’Av
The story of Kamtza and bar Kamtza (Gittin 55b-56a) is a hallmark of the Tisha be’Av process of mourning the …
