For donations Click Here

“The Earth is Filled with Hamas” – The Prohibition of Hamas and Related Issues

  The Torah writes that the flood was visited upon the generation of Noah because of the people’s wickedness. The verse singles out the crime of hamas as the iniquity for which the Hashem decided to wipe away the corrupt civilization from the earth: “So God said to Noah: I am going to put an […]

Timely Payments (III)— Must Kollel Students be Paid on Time?

  In this installment on the laws of paying workers on time, we address a number of important halachos pertaining to the payment of employees. These relate on the one had to cases in which the Torah mitzvah of paying on time does not apply, and on the other to the matter of paying Kollel […]

 Bribes, Gifts and Flattery— Laws of Bribery for Judges and Beyond

  The Pasuk (Devarim 16:19) teaches us: “Bribery makes blind the wise and upsets the pleas of the just.” For this reason, the Torah states that it is forbidden to take bribes. As the Pasuk (16:20) continues, it is incumbent upon us to pursue justice: “Justice, justice, you shall pursue, that you may live and […]

Time to Say I’m Sorry— How and For What Must One Ask Forgiveness?

  As the month that builds up to the High Holy Days—Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur—the month of Elul has special significance in terms of mending our ways, repenting our misdeeds and coming closer to Hashem. Sephardim say selichos during the entire month. Although Ashkenazim begin only the last week of the month, the entire […]

The Mitzvah of Zimun: Joining Together in Thanks

  Parashas Eikev includes the instruction of birkas hamazon: “You shall eat, and you shall be satiated, and you shall bless Hashem, your G-d, for the good Land that He has given you” (Devarim 8:10). After eating a meal and becoming satiated, the Torah instructs us to bless Hashem for the goodness He has bestowed […]

Making Yourself Heard? Kriyas Shema and Prayer in Audible Tones

  In Parashas Vaeschanan, the Torah teaches us the mitzvah of Kriyas Shema, of which the pasuk writes: vedibarta bom, you shall speak them. Chazal derive from the word bom (them) that there is a distinction between Kriyas Shema and prayer (Yoma 19b), which Rashi understands to mean a difference in how the two are […]

Deviations from the Truth: When One May Tell a Lie

  In the last article on the subject of truth and falsehood, we saw that it is permitted to deviate from the truth for Shalom—for the sake of peace and harmony, whose achievement sometimes requires flexibility with the literal truth. In the current article we will discuss additional reasons which permit us to deviate from […]

Beware of Deception: The Prohibition of Geneivas Daas

  Since trickery and deception are an unfortunate part of life, we continue our discussion of sheker with the current article on geneivas daas. Geneivas daas translates literally as theft of the heart, which refers, roughly, to giving a false impression. As we will see, the prohibition against geneivas daas is distinct from the concept […]

“To Tell the Truth”:  Torah Principles and Laws of Truth and Falsehood

  Parashas Shelach brings us the tragic tale of the meraglim, the spies that Moshe sent to scout the Land of Canaan in advance of the planned entry of the Children of Israel. As the Torah relates, the spies brought a false and evil report on the Land, turning the heart of the nation against […]

“Kosher Census”: Counting People in Halacha

  Parashas Ki Tisa opens with the instruction to take a national census, providing us with the primary source for a prohibition against counting directly. Moshe Rabbeinu is told to make the count by collecting a half-shekel piece from each person. As the pasuk writes, this is in order “that there be no plague among […]

The Prohibition of Lo Tachmod

The last of the Ten Commandments which we read in Parashas Yisro, is the commandment of Lo Tachmod: “You shall not covet your fellow’s house; you shall not covet your fellow’s wife … and all that belongs to your fellow.”

In the Commandments of Devarim we find a parallel in Lo Tis’aveh: “You shall not desire your fellow’s house … and all that belongs to your fellow.”

In this article we will address these prohibitions: The prohibition of Lo Tachmod and the prohibition of Lo Tis’aveh. What is the difference between the two prohibitions? What are the conditions for transgressing the prohibitions? Does the prohibition of Lo Tachmod apply even where the owner gives the item in question of his own choice? Does somebody who covets the wealth of his fellow transgress the prohibition?

These questions, and others, are discussed below

Vayechi – The Yissachar – Zevulun Arrangement: Charity or Contract?

This week’s parashah quotes the blessings that Yaakov gave to his sons. Rashi, commenting on
the blessing to Zevulun, mentions the unique relationship between Yissachar and Zevulun. We take
the opportunity to discuss the Yissachar-Zevulun partnership. What is the nature of this partnership,
whereby Yissachar takes a portion of Zevulun’s income, and Zevulun takes a portion of Yissachar’s
Torah? How, indeed, is this portion taken? Does the agreement cause Yissachar to lose some of
his eternal reward? Which of the two partners is considered the “greater” of the two? These
questions, and more, are discussed in this week’s article.

Vayeishev – A Halachic Perspective on Modern-Day Ransoms: Too High a Price?

One of the most tragic and delicate halahcic questions of the modern day, which must be addressed both by halachic decisors and by political leaders of the State of Israel, is the question of redeeming soldiers or civilians that are taken hostage by terrorist groups. Invariably, the demands of terrorists include the release of imprisoned terrorists, who generally await their return to their former profession. What does halachah have to say on this matter? Can the monetary ransom demanded by conventional captors be compared with the modern-day requests for release of terrorists? Indeed, how would the demand for monetary payment be seen in today’s halachic eye. Inspired by this week’s parashah, which chronicles the most famous case of ‘kidnapping’ in the history of the world–the sale of Yosef to Egypt–we seek to address these issues in this week’s article.

The Maariv Prayer: Obligation or Optional

In Parashas Vayeitzei we find Yaakov Avinu making his way to Charan, to the house of Lavan, where he was destined to dwell for many years and to establish the future Jewish nation.

En route from Be’er Sheva to Charan, Yaakov stops at Beit-El, as the Torah states (Bereishis 28:11): “he came upon [va-yifga] a certain place.” A well-known Gemara (Berachos 26a) comments that the word “va-yifga” refers to prayer, and thus, this verse informs us that Yaakov Avinu enacted the evening prayer service, Arvis or Maariv.

In spite of this enactment, the Maariv prayer has a special status among the three daily prayers. In contrast with the Shachris (morning) and Mincha (afternoon) prayers, Chazal debate whether the night prayer is obligatory or optional, and (as will be seen later) this debate leads to a number of halachic ramifications.

What is the obligation (or otherwise) of the Arvis prayer? Why is there no Chazaras Ha-Shatz in the Maariv prayer? What is the difference between the Shacharis and Maariv prayers concerning the halachah of juxtaposing redemption and prayer? These questions, and others, are discussed below.

Bar Mitzvah: Maturity of Body or Mind

We all know the importance of the age of thirteen for a boy and the age of twelve for a girl. These are the times when a boy or girl comes of age, and becomes responsible for his or her own actions and obligated in the mitzvos of the Torah.

Yet, although the ages are well-known, the sources that reveal their importance is less familiar. One of the sources for the significance of the age thirteen in a boy’s coming of age – in fact, the only Biblical source for the concept – is found in Parashas Vayishlach, as mentioned by Rashi (Nazir 29b) and the Ra’av (Avos 5:21).

When Shimon and Levi came assailed the city of Shechem, the pasuk states (Bereishis 34:25): “The two sons of Yaakov, Shimon and Levi, took each man his sword.” Levi was exactly thirteen years old at the time, and we thus learn that a thirteen-year-old is called a man.

In the current article we will discuss the concept of a child’s “coming of age.” What defines a child’s entering the obligation of mitzvos – age or physical maturity? Is there halachic significance to each of these independently? Are there differences between different mitzvos and halachic concepts, or is halachic maturity uniform for all matters?

Torah Study for Women

In Parashas Toldos we find Rivkah going to “seek out [the word of] Hashem” concerning the twins that agitated in her womb (Bereishis 25:22). The verse does not reveal where she went, but Rashi (based on Chazal) explains that she visited the beis midrash of Shem.

Different passages of the Midrash teach us that Yitzchak, Yaakov, Yosef and Yehudah all studied at different periods in the study halls of Shem and Eiver. Although Rivkah went there to receive Divine counsel, neither she, nor any other woman, is recorded as having taken part in the actual study of the renowned study hall. The field of Torah study (even before the Torah was given) was reserved for the Fathers of the nation; the Mothers were not involved in it.

In the present article we will discuss the issue of Torah study for women. Is there a prohibition against Torah study for women? Is it permitted for a woman to study Torah on her own? Is there a difference between different parts of Torah? Is there room to distinguish in this matter between past generations and our own?

parshas Vayeira – “Give Me a Break!” – Parameters of Midas Sedom

This week’s Parashah includes the terrible description of how Sodom was destroyed. The verses do not tell us much
about the deeds of Sodom’s inhabitants, yet Chazal reveal their underlying attitude: “What is mine, is mine, and what is
yours, is yours.” We dedicate this week’s article to the discussion of midas sedom, the character trait of Sodom, in both
a moral and halachic sense. What is midas sedom, and why does it constitute such a grave character flaw? What
halachic ramifications does this trait have? Does beis din enforce ethical behavior, or not? And how does this impact
our everyday lives?

Suicide and Euthanasia in Torah Law

This week’s parashah, Parashas Noach, includes the following verse (Bereishis 9:5): “And surely the blood of your lives will I demand an account; at the hand of every beast will I demand it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man.”

Commenting on the verse, Rashi explains (based on the first words of the verse: “And surely the blood of your lives will I demand an account”): “Although I have permitted you to kill an animal, I will require your blood, from one who spills his own blood.”

According to Rashi, the verse thus includes a prohibition of suicide.

The Rambam (Rotze’ach 2:2-3) likewise mentions the scriptural derivation for the prohibition against suicide: “But a person who hires a murderer to kill a colleague … and a person who commits suicide are all considered to be shedders of blood; the sin of bloodshed is upon their hands …. Which source indicates that this is the law? … The verse continues: `Of the blood of your own lives I will demand an account.’ This refers to a person who commits suicide.”

This week’s article is thus dedicated to the halachic treatment of suicide. What are the parameters of the prohibition against taking one’s own life? What are the halachos concerning mourning over a suicide? What is the significance of the motivation behind the suicide? We will address these questions in the present article

parashas Lech Lecha – Self‐Injury and Cosmetic Surgery in Halachah

If Avraham Avinu performed all the mitzvos of the Torah, why did he not circumcise himself before being instructed to do so by Hashem? One answer given to this question leads us to investigate the prohibition of injuring oneself. Is there a prohibition of self-injury? What is the nature of the prohibition, and which cases are included in it? And what is the halachic status of cosmetic) plastic) surgery, which involved causing an injury to oneself? These questions ,and more, are considered in this week’s article.

The Mitzvah of Destiny

The first instruction recorded in the Torah is peru urevu, which (according to the Gemara in Gittin and Kiddushin) remains the source, even after Matan Torah, for the mitzvah of procreation. Yet, unlike other mitzvos, peru urevu appears to command something that is not entirely in our hands to fulfill–we can only try to beget children, but their actual birth is not in our hands. The essay will discuss a deeper layer of the mitzvah, and seek to explain the Divine element uniquely present in the instruction to beget children.

The First Mitzvah: Peru Urvu

This week we begin a new cycle of Torah reading, starting with Hashem’s creation of the world, and the creation of humankind.
Part of the Torah narrative of the creation is the Divine instruction to Adam to ensure that the world be populated (Bereishis 1:28): “G-d blessed them and said to them: Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
In this article we will focus on the mitzvah of having children – the Torah instruction of peru urvu – seeking to define its parameters and understand its details. Is the mitzvah of peru urvu fulfilled only by actual childbirth, or already by beginning the process? How many children is a person obligated to have? What is the obligation of women in the mitzvah?
These, and further questions, are addressed below.

Purchasing the Four Species

n the present days many we are all occupied, to varying degrees, with the search for the Four Species. However, finding kosher or mehudar Species is not the end of the story. The Torah requires us to gain a full ownership of the Species–a feat not necessarily as simple as it sounds. This week we discuss the possible pitfalls in buying and paying for the Four Species, and the methods by which the full transfer of ownership can be ensured. May checks be used as payment? What about credit cards? And why is it so important to pay on time? These questions, and more, are dealt with in this week’s article.

Make it Last: The Importance of “Small Acceptances”

R’ Yisrael’s Small Acceptances Reading through the letters of R’ Yisrael Salanter, it is remarkable to note the importance their great author affords the matter of making a “small acceptance” on Yom Kippur. In the words of R’ Yisrael, “there is nothing better … than ensuring, on the day of Yom Kippur, that one makes […]

Gratitude for Surviving Danger: When to say Birkas Ha-Gomel

In the current period of the year (the bein ha-zemanim period), many take the opportunity to travel to various vacation sites. At times questions arise whether one should say birkas ha-gomel – the blessing recited by travelers (and others) after their journey is safely complete. Virtually every shul is made aware of the onset of […]

Ekev – Love the Convert: How?

This week’s Parashah includes the mitzvah of loving the convert–a mitzvah that requires much clarification. Does the mitzvah imply an obligation to give precedence to a convert over a Jew from birth? Does it include an instruction to accept converts? And how does the love of a convert differ from the love of all Jews? These issues, and more, are discussed in the weekly article.

Parshas Vaeschanan – Preservation of the Body

During the holiday and vacation period, one of the most frequently quoted pesukim is a verse in our Parashah: “Guard yourselves very carefully.” However, aside from the timely vacation issues, there are several common questions of keeping healthy that deserve halachic analysis. The parameters of the obigation to maintain good health, and its detail, will be discussed in the present article.

Balak – A Halachic Glance at Magic

Magic tricks and magic shows are a part of modern Western culture, and they have become a familiar part of most of our lives. We are used to over-the-counter magic tricks, to magicians at birthday parties, and to more sophisticated magic shows. But what does halachah say about this issue. The Torah writes that Balak sent envoys with “charms in their hands”–are today’s “charms” permitted. This article deals briefly with the issue of magic in the modern day.

Spreading Tales: Grave Prohibition or Great Mitzvah?

The Torah instruction to recall the deed of Miriam (Devarim 24:9), who was punished by tsora’as after speaking lashon hara about her brother Moshe, is interpreted as a call to remember the prohibition of lashon hara. As Rashi writes, “If you wish to avoid the plague of tsora’as, do not speak lashon hara.” The Sages […]

Words that Hurt: Torah Laws of Onaas Devarim

The Torah teaches: “When you sell something to your fellow, or buy from your fellow, do no wrong one man his fellow” (Vayikra 25:14). In a subsequent verse, the Torah states: “You shall not wrong one another.”

Dwelling on the two verses, the Gemara explains that the latter verse refers to onaas devarim. This means that causing somebody else emotional pain, by means of verbal, written, or any other form of communication, is a Torah prohibition. This basic prohibition is recorded by the Rambam and by the Shulchan Aruch (Choshen Mishpat 228:1).

The Gemara, moreover, writes that the prohibition of onaas devarim is more stringent even than the Torah transgression of monetary onaah (overcharging).

Several reasons are mentioned for this: The offense is worse since it attacks the person himself, rather than his money. Also the pasuk mentions the fear of G-d in the instruction of onaas devarim, which implies an added degree of severity. And finally, monetary wrongs can be restored by paying back, whereas anguish and grief caused, can never be recalled.

The Gemara adds that the punishment for causing suffering is executed more swiftly than that of monetary wrongs. Hashem, the Gemara explains, hears the call of one who calls Him out of pain and anguish.

In this article we will discuss the parameters and the laws of the prohibition of onaas devarim: Is the offense punishable by Beis Din? Which people does the Torah single out for special care in this context? Is it permitted to insult somebody else in retaliation for verbal assault? These questions, among others, are discussed below.

Not in Heaven? Supernatural Revelation in Halachic Rulings

Among the Bigdei Kehunah, the priestly garments that Moshe was instructed to prepare for Aharon and his children, we find the Choshen: “You shall place into the Choshen Ha-Mishpat the Urim and the Tumim; and they shall be upon the heart of Aharon when he comes before Hashem. And Aharon shall carry the judgment of […]

Purchasing Mitzvah Items with Meshichah

The instruction to bring the Pesach offering, which occurs in Parashas Bo (Shemos 12:21), includes the directive to “draw and take for yourselves sheep.”

The Mechilta (11) mentions a number of homiletic interpretations of the verse, the last of them referring to kinyan meshichah – the method of transferring ownership by means of the buyer drawing an item to himself: “This teaches you that a small animal is purchased by means of meshichah.” The Israelites took possession of the animals by drawing them to themselves.

In the current article we will discuss this method of transfer of ownership, in particular with regard to the purchase of mitzvah items. What is the ideal method of acquiring ownership of a mitzvah item? Is meshichah sufficient? Is payment sufficient? Can the final acquisition be made on Yom Tov?

These questions, among others, are discussed below.

Bo: Months and Dates in Halacha

We read this week of the first mitzvah given to Israel as a nation. This is the mitzvah of Kiddush Hachodesh. Although the actual mitzvah of setting and sanctifying the month is unfortunately not practiced today, the interpretation that Ramban gives to the text hints to a current application of the mitzvah.
What is the nature of this mitzvah? How are we to date our letters and documents? Is there a problem with using secular dates? These questions, and more, are addressed in the weekly article.

Parshas Bo – The Halachic Time of Chatzos

“And it was in the Middle of the Night” The Halachic Time of Chatzos In Parshas Bo, In the introduction to the final plague of the Death of the Firstborns, Hashem sets the time of the plague for midnight. Moshe thus informs Pharaoh: “At around midnight (ka-chatzos) I shall go forth in Egypt” (Shemos 11:4). […]

Women in the Redemption and Mitzvah Performance

The importance of women in the redemption of the Jewish People from Egypt is underscored – as we will see below – in both the verses of the Torah and in Midrashic additions. In spite of this, when Moshe and Aharon come before Pharaoh to demand freedom for the nation, the Egyptian king declares (Shemos […]

Permitted But Not Recommended? When Forbidden Foods Can and Cannot be Eaten

  We find in Parashas Shemos that after his miraculous salvation at the hands of Pharaoh’s daughter, Moshe Rabbeinu refused to nurse from an Egyptian woman, but was rather returned to his mother, at the advice of Miriam, in order to nurse.  The Gemara (Sotah 12b; see also Shemos Rabba 1:25) explains that although there […]

Akin to Murder? – The Prohibition against Humiliating

In Parashas Vayeishev the Torah relates the events involving Yehuda and Tamar, which culminate in Tamar’s trial and later the birth of twins from Yehuda.

A well-known teaching is derived by the Sages from the verses narrating the trial (Bereishis 38:24-26), which tell that Yehuda was informed that his daughter-in-law had become pregnant from an illicit relationship. Yehuda pronounces judgment, and Tamar is taken out to be burned. At this point Tamar sends the signs of Yehuda’s identity (his seal, cord and staff) as proof that he is the father of Tamar’s unborn child. Yehuda justifies Tamar’s actions, and openly confesses the truth of her unspoken claim: “She is more just, than I.”

The actions of Tamar indicate how careful she was to avoid shaming Yehuda in public. The Gemara, in three instances (Berachos 43b; Bava Metzia 59a, Sotah 10b), takes note of the fact that Tamar only produced Yehuda’s possessions as a subtle indication of the identity of her child’s father, without explicitly identifying Yehuda. The Gemara understands that Tamar was prepared to be executed rather than humiliate Yehuda by explicitly identifying him as the father.

On this basis, the Gemara famously concludes: “A person should cast himself into a furnace of fire rather than publicly humiliate his fellow.”

In this week’s article we will dwell on the prohibition of humiliating one’s fellow. What is the nature and the definition of the prohibition? Is there an obligation to forfeit one’s life rather than humiliate somebody else? If not, why was Tamar prepared to give up her life for this matter?

Vayishlach – Rights and Wrongs of Flattery

This week’s parashah includes an interesting source concerning the prohibition of flattery: the words of conciliation spoken by Yaakov to his brother Eisav. We take the opportunity to expound on the prohibition of flattery. Concerning which people, and in which manner, is there a prohibition of flattery? Does the prohibition apply even in circumstances of potential danger or loss? Are there circumstances in which it might even be a mitzvah to flatter? These questions, and more, are discussed in this week’s article.