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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?...

Ben-Tzion Spitz

Jul 17, 2026, 6:09 PM

Home Protection (Devarim)

“Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; stronger than magician ever spoke, or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration.” -Charles Dickens Most people have a visceral connection, not necessarily to the physical construct, but rather...

Jul 16, 2026, 8:47 PM

‘The Festival of the 9th of Av’ Parashat Devarim 5786

Tisha B’Av, the ninth day of the month of Av, is the saddest day in the Jewish calendar. It is the culmination of a three-week period of mourning, commemorating an array of tragedies that have befallen the Jewish People...

Jul 16, 2026, 12:39 PM

Leadership Means Letting Go

By John Trumbull - Yale University Art Gallery 1832.8, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14619530

In May 1782, as the American Revolution ebbed, Colonel Lewis Nicola sent General George Washington what has become known as the "Newburgh Letter." The colonies had won their independence, but the future of the new nation was far from...

Jul 16, 2026, 12:31 PM

Burdens Worth Bearing

The Torah describes itself as a “song.” This is rather telling about the complex structure of the Torah. A song communicates with its listener through multiple means. The words of the Torah are, in the words of the sages,...

Sharona Margolin Halickman

Jul 15, 2026, 8:13 PM

Mount Hermon: Israel’s Alps

The Book of Dvarim lists four names for Mount Hermon. The first three, Hermon, Sirion and Snir are found in Dvarim 3:8-9: At that time we took from the two kings of the Amorites the land beyond the Jordan, from...

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