Parasha Insights

Reb Yankel of Chelm was always very busy and was always tired. He always told his friends that when he retires, he will finally have time to rest. When the time of retirement came, he was very excited.

A few days later, his friend sees him walking around town yawning loudly. When asked why he is still so tired, Yankel responds: "When you are not working, you don't have opportunities to take a break!"

On April 18, 2011, a vicious assault took place at a McDonald’s in Rosedale, Maryland where 22-year-old Chrissy Lee Polis was attacked by two teenagers who punched her in the face with their fists, pulling her hair, dragging her across the store, kicking her until she had a seizure. The assault received national attention… Read More »

I want to share with you a story which dates back to the early 19th century

As a young man, Rabbi Hillel heard of the founder of Chabad, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, and sought to meet with him. But the opportunity seemed to forever elude the young prodigy.

In anticipation of his encounter with Rabbi Schneur Zalman, Rabbi Hillel had “armed” himself in Talmudic study. At that time, the young scholar was studying the tractate Erchin, or “Appraisals,” the laws of how to appraise the value of one's pledges to charity, discussed in our Torah portion Behar-Bechukotai. He hid under the bed. From his hiding place, Rabbi Hillel heard the Rebbe enter the room. But before he could make a move, he heard Rabbi Schneur… Read More »

You know the text message I received from a heavy smoker acquaintance: “I just read an article on the dangers of heavy smoking. It scared the daylights out of me. So that’s it: after today . . . no more reading!”

The fourteenth day of the month of Iyar that is today we are celebrating the "Second Passover."

When the Holy Temple stood in Jerusalem, this day served as a "second chance" for those who were unable to bring the Passover offering on the eve of the "first" Passover one month earlier, the 14th of Nissan. Today, we mark and commemorate the date by eating matzah.

 How did this unique “second chance” holiday come… Read More »