Month: April 2020

Yesterday's story of the ascetic Rabbi Shimon Yochai continues today. Upon emerging from his second isolation in the cave, Rabbi Shimon understood that he had to work with people who…

Today we continue yesterday's discussion about specific sins leading to specific punishments. In particular, we consider how particular sins lead to particular medical conditions. This line of thought troubles our…

Jerry Falwell said, "AIDS is the wrath of a just God against homosexuals. . . . AIDS is not just God's punishment for homosexuals. It is God's punishment for the…

One day, I had the pleasure to visit a maximum security prison with the Chief Jewish Chaplain of the Texas Prison System. We visited a prison about an hour from…

We ended yesterday with a Mishnah that stated in part that we could extinguish a candle on Shabbat to comfort a sick person. I expected a very detailed parsing of…

Several times in our readings, the ugly world of fear has impinged on our rules for religious living. At the end of today's Daf we get a new Mishnah that…

Ancient is ancient. We lose sight that there was ancient for times we consider ancient. In the time of the Talmud, the events of the bible were already ancient. Indeed,…

Observant Jewish men wear an undershirt that has knotted strings attached to the four corners. The strings or the garment are called Tzitzis or Tzitzis Katan. The obligation to wear…

"I just got back from a pleasure trip. I took my mother-in-law to the airport." Jokes and stories about how difficult Jewish mothers-in-law can be are legendary. None can hold…

In an article on the billionaires of the world a few weeks ago, the New York Times asked how much wealth is too much. In America, we all believe that…