The Teachings of the Land of Israel contain a treasury of wisdom and ethical teaching that has daily relevance to each and every one of us. These teachings are imprinted with the special beauty and flavor of the Land of Israel.
Thoughts from Israel
Happy Birthday
When we are little, nothing excites us more than that long awaited birthday. It is a day when we are in the spotlight and everyone’s …
Evil inclination to Good
Even during the Days of Repentance, with Yom Ha-Kippurim right around the corner, we may find that our resolutions for the new year have …
Its a Miracle!
“Its a Miracle!” – These are words that all us have used and misused. When something unlikely happens we tend to call it a …
Yielding
We are often faced with a situation where we end up yielding to someone else even though we believe that we are equally entitled. This is …
Letter of the Law
The words of the Torah are absolute and literally binding. Even if we think we understand their purpose we must never deviate from their …
Love or Fear?
The Sages of the Land of Israel teach us that a measure of pragmatism must always be used when dealing with human nature. A person can …
Israel and the Nations
Jews all over the world are aware of the unusual hostility harbored by the Nations towards our people and our Country. Nevertheless, our …
Good Intentions. Bad Decisions
Even the purest of intentions can have negative repercussions. The Sages of the Land of Israel teach us that good intentions alone do not …
Our Blessed World
When we look at our lives and contemplate the world around us we may observe that one endeavor after another has failed on us. Some of us …
The Size of a Mitzvah
Many people focus their energies on what appears to them to be an important commandment or a Big Mitzvah, often neglecting what they think …
Salvation
When a difficult situation arises in our lives and especially for our nation as a whole, we turn to God with the hope that there is a light …
Everybody Matters
The Sages of the Land of Israel teach us that no matter how small our sphere of influence and no matter how profound the change we seek, …
Temptation
It is rare to find someone who truly and honestly believes that he is impervious to temptation. However, there could be certain situations …
“I Don’t Know”
We lay great stress on off-hand knowledge. Who hasn’t been impressed by the breadth of knowledge of a great scholar especially one …
Its not your Fault!
When misfortune befalls us some of us will introspect and search within our souls for its cause. We’ll ask ourselves what it is that we …
Honor Your Father and Mother
The Biblical commandment of “Honor your father and mother” is a universally accepted ethic known equally to Jews and Gentiles all …
Turning the Evil Inclination to Good
Even during the Days of Repentance, with Yom Ha-Kippurim right around the corner, we may find that our resolutions for the new year have …
Communal Responsibilities
Our Synagogues and communities abound with opportunities for the individual to step up and offer his or her services for the needs of the …
Do out of love. Do out of Fear
Some people worship God because they fear the consequences of disobedience. Even one who rejects a government will still abide by its …