At this very sorrowful time, as we make the painful transition from prayerful expectation of their release to the tragic reality of the brutal murder of our children, let us listen to the words that the extraordinarily brave and dignified mother of Naftali Franklin, Rachel, addressed to the Jewish Community of Geneva last week:

“People say, ‘I have prayed with so much devotion, Hashem must listen to...Read more...

During the current 50 day period between the Festival of Pesach and the Festival of Shavuot, we count each day - Sefirat HaOmer.

What is the reason for this counting?

When the Jewish People left Egypt they were told by G-d that their physical redemption (the Exodus from Egypt) was soon to be  complemented with an unprecedented spiritual Revelation in which G-d A-lmighty Himself would...Read more...

I have in the past, spoken of the deep connection that exists between our "lucky country" of residence, Australia, and our country of origin and ultimate destiny, Israel.

The two salient points are as follows:
 
A) It was the Zion Mule Corps, precursor to the Hagana and later Tzahal, that landed with the Anzacs at Gallipoli on April 25th 1915, the event that was to forge Australia's identity as a proud and...Read more...

"When Adar enters, we increase in joy; when Av enters, we decrease in joy." 

I heard from my predecessor at South Head, Rabbi Tobias Silberman, a beautiful insight on this passage in the Talmud. There are occasions when a Jew must increase in joy, and other occasions when a Jew must decrease in joy. There is however NO occasion in which a Jew may not be joyful. 

In a similar...Read more...

In Jewish thought Jacob and Esau are compared to the Yetzer Tov and the Yetzer Hara (the good inclination and the evil inclination) that reside simultaneously within the bosom of each of us.

Just as it was with Jacob and Esau who fought each other in Rebecca's womb, so too life is a constant battle between the urge to do good and the urge to do evil.

This battle is not an easy one. The...Read more...

For many the issue of Torah and Science is one of confrontation. You either subscribe to the traditionalism (or as some would say, superstitions) of the past, or you are open to the vast vistas of a scientific future. There is no way of truly synthesising the two.

Unfortunately, even among religious Jews there is often a dissonance between their professional lives as scientists and their religious lives as...Read more...

We are currently in the month of Elul, the month of preparation for the Days of Judgement, Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur.

Elul as a time of introspection.

It is a time to review our failings and negative character traits and decide upon ways to improve them.

However, although this is necessary, it is by no means the whole purpose of Elul. Indeed, as we shall demonstrate, it may not even be the main part.

You see,...Read more...

But Whose Manners?

A while ago, I read an interesting piece in the Sydney Morning Herald on the role of schools in teaching manners and values to children. There were those who strongly felt that the school is there to teach academics whereas values and behaviour are the province of parents alone, whereas others had an equally strong view that value-education is also part of the school's brief. 

I then had the opportunity...Read more...

It's remarkable what you can do with technology today. I'm sitting 35,000 feet over the Pacific reading emails and uploading and downloading files (including this article!) in preparation for our arrival back in Australia early Friday morning.

But is being on 24/7 (or for us Jews 24/6... thank G-d for Shabbos!) really a good thing? 

Are we perhaps so busy learning and interacting technologically that we miss out on other...Read more...

I'm on the No. 3 train traveling from Crown Heights to Manhattan with the Rebbetzen. "What's so remarkable about that?" you may ask.  And without historical context, you'd have a point.

I used to ride this train as a young Yeshiva bochur in the seventies. At that time it was akin to taking your life in your hands, especially if you travelled after dark. Of course we did it anyway - we were young and there was no other efficient...Read more...

Next Monday night and Tuesday marks 19 years since the passing of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. 

I use the word "passing" because I cannot find another. However in the case of a Tzaddik who has no sense of ego or self, and whose entire life is one of devotion and love for G-d and his fellow human beings, the absence of a physical body does not entail a true passing on from this world. On the contrary,...Read more...

Our Shavout Learning and Discussion evening was a huge success and boasted a record attendance of 300 people. Judging by the responses and feedback, it seems that everyone left far more knowledgeable, and better equipped, than when they came. 

In view of the seriousness of the matter we brought together a panel of experts to create awareness and to suggest strategies for both the prevention...Read more...

Since the beginning of the year, I have been giving a short, sharp shiur of about fifteen minutes duration after the Kiddush on Shabbat mornings. Attendance has been excellent - far better than I anticipated, with between twenty and thirty people participating each week. The  shiur comprises brief textual study associated with the week's parasha or festival. 

This week's topic will be Self-Esteem - An Antidote to Sin. If you...Read more...

Every Shabbat and Yom Tov when we make Kiddush we recall the Exodus from Egypt with the words - zecher l'yetziat mitzraim.

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, arguably the greatest posek  of our generation, poses a question: Mentioning the Exodus on Yom Tov makes sense. Every Yom Tov is in one way or another connected to the Exodus: Pesach, obviously so. Shavuot - when we received the Torah on Mt Sinai - took place 50 days after the Jews left...Read more...

There is a Torah obligation to contribute one half shekel a year (Machatzis HaShekel) to the upkeep of the Temple Service. 

Although the Temple no longer stands, the custom to give still does. It is fulfilled before Purim, because the Midrash explains that Haman's failure to destroy the Jews was due to their commitment to Machatzis HaShekel.

The custom of Machatzis HaShekel comes...Read more...