Divrei Chaim

The end of the megillah proves the aphorism about not being able to please all of the people… כִּי מָרְדֳּכַי הַיְּהוּדִי, מִשְׁנֶה לַמֶּלֶך...

When Purim falls on Motzei Shabbos one issue to be mindful of is the prohibition of hachana, preparing on Shabbos for a weekday. For exampl...

Once upon a time we discussed ( see here ) the Pri Megadim's chiddush in his Pesicha haKolleles that where the Chachamim added parameter...

Not that all of her posts aren't good, but his particular observation my wife had about Purim ( posted on her blog ) is especially nice ...

Achronim discuss whether krias haTorah is a chovas hayachid which can only be fulfilled in the presence of a tzibur or whether the chiyuv is...

We once discussed ( link ) the machlokes between Rashi and others as to whether building the Mishkan preceded the cheit ha’eigel or was a re...

The Midrash at the opening of Parshas Terumah contrasts our receiving of the Torah with an ordinary sale. In a normal sales transaction, the...

From American Original: The Life and Constitution of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia by Joan Biskupic, p.41: ...Recalling the turbulen...

The gemara (Ta’anic 25a) tells the story of certain goats owned by R’ Chanina ben Dosa which the neighbors complained were destroying proper...

Purim and Parshas Zachor are quickly approaching; our attention at this time of year turns to the perennial war with Amalek and the opportun...

The braysa (Megillah 29a) tells us that on Rosh Chodesh Adar " mashmi'im al hashekalim ," the alert goes out to contribute she...

I ended off yesterday’s post with the question why we don’t say ee avid lo mehanei by the case of selling land latzmisus , for perpetuity. ...

I was asked my opinion of the quote from Rav Aviner claiming that Rav Soloveitchik addressed the religious individual but not broader commun...

The gemara (Temurah 4) has a machlokes Abaye and Rava whether ee avid lo mehanei -- if a person does an action that would normally produce a...

From the blog of R' Aviner ( link ): Despite this idea, the authorities mention the issue of deciding based on "the majority of wis...

The Rambam writes (Hil Gezeilah ch 1) that the issur of lo tachmod is violated if a person covets his neighbors property and talks him into ...

I knocked myself out last week posting a long R’ Tzadok on the distinction between the knowledge of Chazal, which emerges from Divine insigh...

Two thoughts on “Anochi Hashem Elokecha” which I heard b’shem R’ Soloveitchik: 1) A person might c”v find it hard to accept that the G-d who...

בַּחֹדֶשׁ, הַשְּׁלִישִׁי, לְצֵאת בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם--בַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה, בָּאוּ מִדְבַּר סִינָי. וַיִּסְעוּ מֵרְפִידִים, וַיּ...

To her credit, I think this is a great quote (cited in the Jewish Star under a ridiculously misleading headline) from Rabbah/Maharat Hurwitz...