Rebbe Yehoshua ben Chananya: the Redemption of Rebbe Yishmael
Rebbe Yehoshua ben Chananya was one of the chief disciples of Rebbe Yochanan ben Zakkai. As we discussed last week,…
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Rebbe Yochanan ben Zakkai: Redeeming the Sparks of the Arzei Levanon
Rebbe Yochanan ben Zakkai, one of the greatest disciples of Hillel haZaken, was the chief Torah leader who witnessed the…
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God’s Divine Irony and the Arch of Titus
Commissioned by the Emperor Domitian in honor of his now “deified” brother Titus, the famed Arch of Titus still stands…
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Hashem’s Tefillin and the Tiferet of Jerusalem
The Gemara Berachot (6a) famously makes a fascinating and astounding assertion. HaKadosh Baruch Hu “wears” tefillin that contain verses referencing…
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The Arzei Levanon of Jerusalem: Rebbe Yishmael Kohen Gadol
Last week, we discussed the martyrdom of Rebbe Shimon ben Gamliel, the first of the asarah harguei malchut. Hazal tell…
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The Arzei Levanon of Jerusalem: Rebbe Shimon ben Gamliel
We famously commemorate the ten great martyrs, known as the asarah harugei malchut, every Tisha B’Av and Yom Kippur. These…
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Jerusalem in Ashes
Despite Chazal clearly explaining that the true reasons for the laws of parah adumah are ultimately inscrutable, the midrash provides…
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Every Jew is Holy: the Fundamental Error of Korach
In modern day Jewish discourse, it is a given that every Jew is holy. The inalienable sanctity of every member…
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Sinai and Moriah: Klal Yisrael Unites
Over the past months, I have written much about Jerusalem’s unique capability to unite Jews and bring Klal Yisrael together.…
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Sinai and Moriah: The Curtain Lifts
Last week, we discussed the metaphysical connection between Har Sinai and Har Moriah. The mountain on which the Torah was…
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