From the Rabbi’s Study (by Rabbi Ari Enkin) This week’s Torah portion is “Matos” (Numbers 30:2-32:42). Among the many episodes in “Matos” is the novel request made by the tribes of Reuven and Gad, just prior to the Jewish people’s conquest of the Land of Israel. Reuven and Gad asked Moses if they may be... Read more »

In this week's Torah portion we read about a census that was taken of the Jewish people. This is the second census in the Book of Numbers, hence the name.

The true nature of a person can be seen in the nature of the type of people who follow him. The student often reflects the teacher.

Let’s not wait for something tragic and painful to wake us up to the Word of God.

What can we learn from the Torah reading of Korach, who led a rebellion against Moses? 

Making aliyah will likely be the best decision you ever made in your life!

This week’s Torah portion is Behalotecha (Numbers 8:1–12:16), and in it we read about many of the utensils of the Temple, including the Ark of the Covenant.

It is customary to eat dairy on Shavuot, and we are going to tell you why!

Shavuot marks the day the Jewish people, who had been slaves in Egypt, received the Torah at Mount Sinai. It is one of the three pilgrimage festivals.

The Book of Ruth is much more than a story about one woman’s conversion to Judaism and love for the Jewish people. Many laws and customs are based on her experiences.

Every individual has a 'flag' representing his or her unique mission, purpose, or talent. What does your flag look like?

This week's reading includes a terrible curse on the Jewish people for disobeying His commands, but even when He must curse us, He always adds a blessing.

We don’t get everything we want exactly when we want it. Everything in the right time. 

Never again will Jews be defenseless against those who would attempt to annihilate them!

We don't have to wait until Memorial Day to express gratitude to those who paid the ultimate price to establish and protect the Jewish state.

Some people are 'bad news' in more ways than one.

The Kosher laws may be the number one commandment that solidifies us as a nation.

Towards the end of the Seder we move away from reliving the past and focus on the future. We express our deepest longing for the arrival of the Messianic era.

One of the most fun songs for children at the Passover seder is "Chad Gadya," meaning "One Little Goat." But for adults, there are some profound interpretations.

Why is the performance of so many commandments necessary in order to help us remember the Exodus from Egypt?

As we clean our homes for Passover, also we must search our hearts and our deeds. We must take stock and engage in self-reflection, judging where we can improve.

Growing spiritually means connecting with your true essence, not covering up the real you.

Don't just 'talk the talk,' but follow through and 'walk the walk' - one step at a time.

Moses teaches us that no matter how committed we are to an opinion or position in an argument, the relationship is always more important than the disagreement.

Nobody is immune from temptation, ever, and the only way to consistently live a moral, ethical life is to observe the commandments.

A timeless verse from the Book of Esther continually challenges us to step up when we are called upon to take action!

Clothes make the Jew.

When reading the story of Purim, something very odd becomes apparent. There is no mention of God at all.

Through an extra Sabbath Torah reading before Purim, the Jewish people remember the evil who attack God.

The word for "weaken" in Hebrew is "Tash." Take a three-cornered cookie, each representing one of the three forefathers, and you have "Haman tash" - "Haman was weakened."

A person who wants to plan for retirement should try Torah study. One who studies Torah will always have something meaningful to do.

When it comes to observing the Torah, there is no 'picking and choosing' commandments--you must fully commitment!

This week’s Torah reading is 'Beshalach' (Exodus 13:17–17:16), and it we read about the most spectacular miracle in the entire Bible: the splitting of the Red Sea.

The Torah is full of lessons for everyday living, which can be found not only in the statements and actions of great leaders like Moses, but even in the behavior of animals.

As we learn from the behavior of the Egyptians, if we cannot control our anger, we may very well bring a plague upon ourselves.

Great people in the Jewish tradition share a common denominator: standing up for what's right, regardless of the risks.

Joseph and Benjamin demonstrate that the cure for any conflict is going the extra mile to see the world through another person's eyes.

We can affect change in this world and influence the order of events. Our good deeds affect change for the better, and our misdeeds can affect change for the worse.

All year round, we must battle the forces of darkness by adding more and more light to the world. Chanukah reminds us that this is a battle we must face every day.

Ever wonder which miracles are from God and which miracles might be mere coincidences?