Torah

It turns out, Har Sinai wasn’t so small after all.

Young children are taught many songs before Shavuos, including the classic where Har Sinai cries that it is not tall or wide enough to host Matan Torah. But in the end, “From all the mountains, Hashem chose Sinai” - specifically because it was so unassuming. The lesson is that true Kabbalas HaTorah can only be achieved by those willing to submissively adhere to a Divine set of laws and humbly respect the opinions of others. This is why Hashem chose to transmit the Torah on the lowest of all the mountains (Sotah 5a).

When is it appropriate to not believe in Hashem?

Parshas B’Har opens with the laws of sh’mitah, including Hashem’s promise to provide for the Jewish people throughout the year when their fields are left fallow. The Torah then suddenly shifts to discuss the obligation to support a fellow Jew in financial need. What is the connection between these two topics, sh’mitah and charity? Or, to quote from Rashi’s opening comment on the parshah: “Mah inyan sh’mitah eitzel Har Sinai?”

We experience life through the medium of time. Each new moment brings with it new opportunities as we ascend through the journey of time. Amidst the constantly moving waves of time, the chagim (holidays) are specific points imbued with unique energy. Each holiday presents us with the opportunity to tap into and experience the theme inherent at that point in time.

How do we, as physical and limited beings, transcend our finite dimensions? How do we relate to the abstract, to the infinite, to the spiritual? Let us approach this question through the lens of S’firas HaOmer, the counting of the Omer.

A high school named for Gen. Robert E. Lee. A poll that shows a decreasing interest in organized religion among men and women in the United States.

What is the “right” way to perform mitzvos?

Parshas Emor lists the qualifications and regulations necessary for a kohen to serve in the Beis HaMikdash. One requirement is that a kohen must perform the avodah, the Temple service, with his right hand (Z’vachim 24a-b). This preference may not seem special, as we are familiar with the general concept of emphasizing the right side as we perform mitzvos. Even outside the context of the Beis HaMikdash, Jewish people of all tribes are supposed to use their right hands when saying Sh’ma (Orach Chayim 61:5), reciting Kiddush (ibid. 183:4), and holding food while making a blessing (ibid. 206:4), among many other examples.