Open Search form

Mordechai Silverstein

Apply for a Blog

Jun 23, 2026, 2:24 PM

It’s the Little Things that Count

Balak, the king of Moab, is gripped by fear that his kingdom may be overwhelmed by the children of Israel. To avert this threat, he hires Balaam, the renowned sorcerer-prophet, to curse them. After much cajoling, Balaam accedes to...

Jun 23, 2026, 9:58 AM

The Mystery and Meaning of Ritual

Without a doubt, the rite of the Red Heifer (Parah Adumah) is striking in its strangeness, both in its purpose and its preparation. It was intended to produce ashes that, when mixed with spring water, were sprinkled upon those...

Jun 17, 2026, 9:47 PM

One Word Says It All

Parshat Korah centers on an attack against legitimate authority, and its essence is captured in the unusual choice of its opening word: And Korah, son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi, and Datan and Aviram, sons of Eliav,...

Jun 9, 2026, 9:58 AM

Turning Our Earthly Works Heavenward

Tzitzit are among the most ubiquitous symbols in the Jewish tradition, and the Torah intended them to serve as one of its most powerful means of fostering an ongoing relationship between humanity and the Divine. One verse in particular...

Jun 3, 2026, 8:32 PM

You Light Up Our Lives

Almost all of us are familiar with Jews who eschew Judaism’s ritual requirements with the argument that being a good person is sufficient to make one a good Jew. Surely, it is easy to understand the rationale behind fulfilling...

May 28, 2026, 8:55 PM

Becoming One of Us

Rashi’s commentary to the Torah is a virtual treasury of rabbinic thought and method. In his comments on any given verse, one can glimpse the mindset through which the tradition derived Jewish practice from the words of the Torah....

May 19, 2026, 12:09 PM

There is Nothing More Whole Than Being Broken

It is well known that the Aseret HaDibrot—the Ten Commandments—were revealed twice: first before the sin of the egel hazahav (the golden calf), when, upon seeing what was happening in the camp, Moshe cast down the tablets and shattered them;...

May 18, 2026, 8:20 PM

Living By God’s Treasure

Psalm 8 is not only one of the most beautiful of the psalms, but also one of the most enigmatic. At first, it sings of God’s supreme majesty and the lowliness of human beings by comparison. Then it shifts...

May 15, 2026, 5:44 PM

Rallying Around the Flag

Since time immemorial, flags have served as markers of identity, unity, and purpose. At the opening of the second chapter of Bemidbar (Numbers), God commands the children of Israel to organize themselves by tribe around the Ohel Moed (Tent...

May 7, 2026, 9:57 AM

Choosing What’s Right

The prophet Yermiyahu’s (Jeremiah’s) messages oscillate between despair and hope. In this week’s haftarah, he stands unmistakably as the harbinger of impending destruction, striving with all his might to avert it. His task, as he sees it, is to...

Load more

About Me

Mordechai Silverstein is a teacher of Torah who has lived in Jerusalem for over 30 years. He specializes in helping people build personalized Torah study programs.