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Aug 2, 2026, 9:43 AM

Babel in the Nine Days

The Sanhedrin's written ruling is dated 6 Menachem Av. Hold that date for a moment before anything else. Three days before Tisha B'Av. Inside the nine days when we do not build, do not celebrate, do not so much as...

Jul 31, 2026, 6:01 AM

Greatness and Humility (Eikev, Covenant & Conversation)

A sequence of verses in this week’s sedra gave rise to a beautiful Talmudic passage – one that has found a place in the Siddur. It is among the readings we say after the Evening Service on Saturday night...

Jul 30, 2026, 4:03 PM

“Covenant and Kindness” Parashat Ekev 5786

The Portion of Ekev opens with a promise that is easy to overlook but difficult to explain. : “If you listen to these laws and observe them carefully, then G-d will keep for you the covenant and the kindness...

Ben-Tzion Spitz

Jul 30, 2026, 9:08 AM

The Illusion of Reality (Ekev)

"Matrix Manna" (AI image by author)

“Reality is nothing but a collective hunch.” – Lily Tomlin When The Matrix was released in 1999, the internet was rapidly entering everyday life, virtual reality was capturing the public imagination, and society was approaching a new millennium with both...

Sharona Margolin Halickman

Jul 29, 2026, 10:53 AM

A land where you will lack nothing

In Parshat Ekev (Dvarim 7:9) the following words about the Land of Israel stand out: “… A land where you will lack nothing…” Sifre (Dvarim, Piska 37), asks: Why the Land of Israel is called tevel (Mishlei 8:26)? The answer is...

Sharona Margolin Halickman

Jul 23, 2026, 10:28 PM

Bringing good news to Jerusalem

In the Haftara for Shabbat Nachamu (Yishayahu 40:1-26) we find four voices of comfort. The fourth voice, the voice of Mevaseret Zion, the female bearer of good tidings, is found in verses 9-11: Ascend the high mountain, you who bear...

Jul 23, 2026, 6:28 PM

The First Commandment (Va’etchanan, Covenant & Conversation)

One of the most profound disagreements in Judaism is the one between Moses Maimonides and Judah Halevi on the meaning of the first of the Ten Commandments. For Maimonides (1135-1204), the first command is to believe in God, Creator of...

Jul 22, 2026, 5:54 PM

‘The Fire before the Fire’ Parashat Va’etchanan 5786

Moshe’s final monologue in the Book of Devarim is not merely a review of Jewish history. It is a lesson in Jewish destiny. Yet the order seems backward. First he asks notes this unusual sequence. Why does Moshe...

Ben-Tzion Spitz

Jul 22, 2026, 12:04 PM

The Chains We Choose (Vaetchanan)

“Within yourself deliverance must be searched for, because each man makes his own prison.” —Sir Edwin Arnold It is easy to fall into a pattern. We find something enjoyable or convenient in our lives and stick to it. At first,...

Jul 20, 2026, 12:03 PM

A Book for Society

Hidden behind one of the oldest nicknames in Judaism lies a profound lesson for society. Sefer Devarim is also known as משנֵה תורה (Mishneih Torah). Perhaps self-given and has remained the book's enduring moniker. But what does משנֵה (Mishneih) mean?...

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