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A father set out one day to teach his young daughter a powerful lesson. When she woke up in the morning, he took her in front of a mirror and asked her, “What do you see?”

I will never forget what happened that night. After going to hundreds of lectures, and giving quite a few myself, I thought I’d seen it all. But I had never seen anything quite like this. To give you a little background, there are protocols for the introductory process of a speech. At major events, like the one taking place that night, there are always two microphones. The first is for the person who gets up to introduce the main speaker. After finishing his introduction, he walks off with his microphone, and the second microphone is waiting on stage for the main speaker.

In Advance of Masechta Sukka, Hundreds of New Amud HaYomi Shiurim Open Across the Globe

The Amud HaYomi is on fire! It is hard to believe that the program, which is barely three years old, already has hundreds of thousands of lomdim all over the world! The upcoming completion of Masechta Yoma is an opportunity not just for Amud HaYomi learners to celebrate their accomplishments but also for future Amud HaYomi learners to join as the Amud HaYomi is slated to begin Masechta Sukkah on Monday, 8 Cheshvan/October 19. Now is the time to witness firsthand the transformational impact learning the Amud HaYomi can have on one’s life.

Question: May one use maaser k’safim funds for kimcha d’Pischa, the special charity given before Pesach?

Short Answer: According to most poskim, since there is no set amount or specific community tax for kimcha d’Pischa, it can be paid for with maaser k’safim funds.

As we begin the new Torah cycle, let’s take a moment to contemplate the deeper purpose of Torah. Some may refer to the Torah as a history book; others may think of it as a book of law or a source of Jewish wisdom. While these are all true, they only scratch the surface of the Torah’s true nature. Torah is not simply a guide to living a life of truth within this world; it is the blueprint and DNA of the world itself. Our physical world is a projection and emanation of the deep spiritual reality described in the Torah. This is the meaning behind the famous Midrash, “Istakel b’Oraisa u’bara alma”—[Hashem] looked into the Torah and used it to create the world (Bereishis Rabbah 1:1). Torah is the spiritual root of existence; the physical world is its expression.

Question: May a person deduct business expenses before giving maaser k’safim? May he offset profits with losses from a different transaction?

Short Answer: Most Acharonim allow business expense deductions before giving maaser k’safim. Many Acharonim also allow offsetting profits with losses so long as the transactions occurred in the same maaser year or before maaser was calculated.