Torah Toil
A man once wanted to buy a bar mitzvah present for a relative. He went to Zundel Berman together with his son and thought that a newly re-typeset Ketzos HaChoshen would be a wonderful gift, something a budding talmid…
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Mitzvos
Talmud Torah
The mitzvah of learning Torah, its reward and how to learn.
A Humbling Metaphor
The Ravens from the dark northern crags descended onto the southern plains to face the crimson-crested Falcons riding the rising wind.
Preparing for Shavuos: More Than Just Cheesecake
How does one prepare for the holiday of Shavuos? Should you experiment with various salmon recipes, dust off the milchig china, or gather the best cheesecake recipe?
Soaring to New Heights
On May 5, 1980, Eastern Airlines Flight 885 took off from Miami International Airport at 8:56 AM, heading to Nassau International Airport in the Bahamas.
To Live By the Sword?
Over the course of more than a thousand years, four separate incidents emerged that all share one striking detail. Because of this common element, various poskim have discussed them together.
Sign Up
Signatures, those seemingly simple scrawls that mark our identity on documents, can reveal a surprising amount about our personalities.
Hitting the Target With All Talmidim
The Gemara in Bava Basra (134a) relates that Hillel the Elder had 80 students. Thirty of them were of the stature that they should have merited the Divine Presence descend upon them as it did on Moshe Rabbeinu.
The Simcha of a Siyum
A mishnah in Ta’anis declares that the most joyous holidays on the Jewish calendar are Yom Kippur and Tu B’Av. The Gemara says that Yom Kippur was joyous because the nation was forgiven for its sins.
Rebbe Chiya: The Ultimate Teacher
Rebbe Chiya was a teacher of Torah. (Bava Metzia 85b) The Gemara relates how Rebbe Chiya personally oversaw the entire harbotzas Torah process from the very beginning. He would plant seeds. Not seeds of Torah!
A Halachic Argument
The Gemara records that there was a dispute between Rebbe Eliezer and the Sages regarding the halachic status of a certain type of oven (Bava Metzia 59b).
Shalom, Zachor!
On erev Shabbos Parshas Bo, a Far Rockaway resident decided to bring a gift for his friend’s shalom zachar. He spent 35 minutes on the round-trip delivery route.
A Time for Torah
Hillel says, “He who seeks a name loses it. He who does not increase decreases” (Pirkei Avos 1:13). The first half of Hillel’s statement is easily explained by a well-known dictum in Eiruvin, “Whoever runs after glory…
Do We Need to Suffer for Torah?
The Gemara (Bava Kama 61b) expounds a story recorded in Shmuel and Divrei Hayamim. Dovid HaMelech was fighting the Philistines. A halachic question arose whether his army was permitted to destroy an individual’s…
Roaring Lions and Goring Oxen
Kimby wandered the streets of Ladispoli, Italy, in early November. It was evening, and few people were around. Kimby didn’t get into any trouble. It was a good thing too, since Kimby was an escaped circus lion.
Marrying for Money
Is there anything wrong with a man marrying a woman solely for her money? What about if money is just one of a man’s criteria? What if he needs his in-laws to support him while he pursues his college degree?
Water in the Desert and Pillows for Servants
HaRav Meir ben Jacob HaKohen Schiff (1608–1644) wrote a commentary on a number of mesechtos that are commonly studied in yeshiva. The commentary, commonly referred to as the “Maharam Schiff,” is cryptic and often…
Life is Precious
HaGaon Rav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman, zt”l, would often adjure his students to treat every moment of life as priceless. He would encourage them to take advantage of every moment to be involved in mitzvos and positive…
The Power to Withstand the Pressure
HaRav HaGaon Avrohom Kanarek, zt”l, of Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim in Yerushalayim taught Torah for many years in a humble and unassuming way. He shied away from kavod.
Is Olam Haba for Sale?
A few years ago, a Jewish individual put his portion of Olam Haba, the World to Come, up for auction on eBay. The bidding started in the morning at 99 cents and had jumped to $100,000 by the afternoon.
Hiddur Miss
Daf Yomi learners just finished Masechta Nedarim and started Masechta Nazir. Those who learn Amud Yomi may feel bad that they didn’t cover as much ground and are not finishing yet another masechta.
Cultivating Gratitude
There are some questions surrounding the details of the marriage of Rebbe Akiva to Rachel, the daughter of Kalba Savua. According to the Ben Yehoyada (Nedarim 50a), the following is what transpired.
Focusing on the Positive
The daughter of the emperor once said to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya, “You are the epitome of magnificent Torah, but it is stored in an ugly vessel!” Apparently, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya was an unattractive man.
More Than Twenty Percent
The story is told of a man who approached a rabbi. He said to him, “Why are you always so machmir? Every time I ask you a question, the answer is always that it is forbidden.” The rabbi said, “I’m surprised to hear you…
Still Waters Run Deep
There are over 700 brands of bottled water currently on the market in the United States. Each brand claims to offer the perfect water taste. In ancient times, one would have assumed that there was no choice of water.
Sar HaTorah: Rav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l
Klal Yisrael is in a deep state of mourning for the Sar HaTorah, HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l. HaRav Binyomin Forst, shlit”a, remarked that we are no longer living in the same world.
Yibum and Tzitzis
Daf Yomi recently began learning Masechta Yevamos. The Zohar in Parshas Ki Seitzei discusses the paucity of Torah that will exist in the times of Moshiach.
The Simcha of a Siyum
The Mishna at the end of Taanis (26b) quotes Rabban Shimon Ben Gamliel who declares that the most joyous holidays on the Jewish calendar are Yom Kippur and Tu B’Av.
Sky-High Sevaros
Eastern Airlines Flight 885 took off from Miami International Airport at 08:56 on May 5, 1980. They were flying a three-engine Lockheed Tri-Star. The Tri-Star was headed to Nassau International Airport in the Bahamas.
Out of Order
It’s time to dust off Mesechta Rosh Hashana. The Daf will be finishing with Mesechta Beitza shortly. Someone studying the Daf with an Artscroll Shas will find nothing amiss.
Who Was Rav Papa?
Rav Nachum Bar Papa is mentioned in Yoma (67a) on a daf that was recently learned by Daf Yomi participants. What he was quoted as saying is certainly important. Yet, some commentators chose to focus on the name itself.
An Ignorant Kohen Gadol?
Rebbi Yose ben Kisma said: Once I was walking by the way when I met a man. He greeted me and said, “Rabbi, where are you from?” I responded, “I am from a great city of sages and scribes.” He said to me, “Rabbi, would…
Is Olam Habah for Sale?
The story is related that a Jew, who had only five rubles to his name, was in dire need of a large sum of money for his daughter’s upcoming marriage. He went to his Rebbe for advice.
True Treasure of 10 Tzaddikim
One particularly moving part of the Yom Kippur Mussaf service is the story of the Ten Martyrs. Ten great tzaddikim were tragically killed by the Roman government, and their deaths serve as atonement for Klal Yisrael.
Toil For Torah
Avimi was Rav Chisda’s rebbe. Or was it the other way around? As presented in the Gemara, it is difficult to determine who was the rebbe and who was the talmid. Avimi was a very demanding rebbe.
Sacrificial Service
This week, daf yomi participants are beginning the perek of Gemara titled Eizeh Mekoman (Zevachim 47a), which starts out discussing the proper place for various sacrifices to be brought.
All Roads Lead To . . . Yerushalayim
The Gemara in Avodah Zara (2a–b) relates a fascinating story, albeit one that hasn’t happened yet. It will take place sometime after Mashiach comes.
Holy Cows
There have been several instances over the past few years of cows running loose through the streets of New York. In fact, a few years ago a cow actually walked past Yeshiva Shaar HaTorah in Queens.
Lifelong Goal
The Gemara quotes the fascinating story surrounding the death of Rav Chisda. It was time for Rav Chisda to return his precious soul to his Creator.
App-ortioned Learning
A frum businessman was returning home from a busy day at work. The seat next to him on the train was empty. A young man who presumably spent the entire day learning at a yeshiva in Manhattan boarded the train at one of…
No Ordinary Ordination
Following the Bar Kochva revolt, the Roman government under Hadrian’s rule issued many harsh decrees against the Jews. One decree in particular dealt with semichah.
When The Student Becomes The Rebbe
The Mahari Bruna (born 1400 in Germany) was asked the following question: If a student surpasses his rebbe in Torah scholarship, does he still have to honor him?
A Minor Point
Mazel tov to all those who finished Bava Basra! It was especially monumental considering that Bava Basra is the longest mesechta in Shas, by the number of pages.
Bound To Get Criticized
Doctors are notorious for having messy handwriting. Could it be that the same gene that propels doctors to choose their career choice also causes them to have poor penmanship? It seems the solution is a lot more mundane.
Schooled On The Competition
The Five Towns area has been blessed with wonderful schools. Recently it was announced that possibly two new boys’ elementary schools may be opening in our neighborhood.
Rabbi Shmuel Niman: Rebbe, Mashgiach, Mentor
In my first year of attending yeshiva gedolah in Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim, I had the z’chus of having Rabbi Shmuel Niman, zt’l, as a rebbe.
Happy Accidents
The Mishnah tells us that Rebbe Nechunya ben Hakanah used to utter a short prayer upon entering the beis midrash. Those who witnessed his custom asked about the nature of this prayer.
Loath To Make An Oath
Rav Meir ben Isaac Katzenellenbogen (1482–1565), the Maharam Padua, was an Italian sage born in Katzenellenbogen. He went to Padua and entered the yeshiva of Rav Yehuda Minz, and he married Rav Yehudah’s granddaughter…
Word To The Wise
The Gemara in Shabbos explains that various halachos are learned from a pasuk in Yeshayah (58:13). From the words “Mimtzo cheftzecha,” we derive that one should not occupy himself on Shabbos with conducting his business…
Keep Calm And Chesed On
Due to improprieties committed by the sons of Eli, a Kohein Gadol, Hashem proclaimed a curse on his descendants that they would die young. Unless some special exception was made, the descendants wouldn’t live past 20.
Every Bit Counts
“Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves G-d and one who does not serve Him” (Malachi 3:18).
Spreading The News
Rabbi Chiya’s father had a son, Aivu, from a previous marriage of his. Rabbi Chiya’s mother had a daughter, Ima, from a previous marriage of hers.
Another Repeat
In some yeshivos and shuls there is a custom that certain kibbudim on Simchas Torah are sold not for money, but rather for commitments to learn Torah.
Yearn To Learn
Rebbe Yehuda HaNasi would temporarily shut down his yeshiva on Purim so that his students could go to a shul and listen to the Megillah.
Can You Keep A Secret?
There is a dispute between Rav and Shmuel as to whether or not one is permitted to precisely measure flour on yom tov for the purpose of baking. Shmuel is of the opinion that flour may not be measured.
Chapter And Verse
The best defense students have against being forced to learn is to try to use halacha against their teachers. For example, there is a dispute whether all parts of Torah may be learned on erev Tishah B’Av afternoon or…
K’vyachol
Many times in the course of divrei Torah and conversation, the Hebrew word “k’vyachol” is used. I conducted an unscientific study and concluded that people generally understand the word to convey that the statement…
A Time To Learn
Recently, a news organization decided it would be interesting to see if Major League Baseball players knew the rules of their game. They composed 10 questions about various scenarios.
It’s All Good
Have you ever heard a wonderful d’var Torah and told the speaker, “That’s a good vort!”? It may be a good vort, but your praise may not be so good. The Gemara in Shabbos records an interesting dialogue.
Teaching Lessons From The Tanna’im
We sometimes assume that the focus on teaching techniques is a recent phenomenon. After all, in ancient times didn’t students just learn because it was expected of them?
Gefilte Fish, Cottage Cheese, And Scotch
Recently, there was a boycott started in Israel against local cottage-cheese manufacturers. Consumers complained, “Why should cottage cheese cost 50% more in Israel than in the United States and Europe?” I’m lucky that…
Our Rosh Yeshiva
I am embarrassed to even attempt to write an article about my rebbi, HaRav Alter Henoch Leibowitz, zt’l, the longtime rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim in Queens. Anything I write will be woefully insufficient.
Gemara stories on Talmud Torah
Rome Claims Its Reward at the End of Days
In the future, Hashem offers reward to all who busied themselves with Torah, and Rome claims its markets, bathhouses and gold were all for Israel's learning.
Hillel Asks for Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai
As Hillel lies dying, his students crowd in but Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai waits outside, and Hillel calls him a father of wisdom for all generations.
Hillel's Eighty Students
Hillel had 80 students, some worthy of prophecy like Moshe Rabbeinu; the greatest, Yonasan ben Uziel, learned Torah so intensely that birds overhead were scorched.
Rabbi Akiva and the Fox and the Fish
Caught teaching Torah against a Roman decree, Rabbi Akiva tells Pappos ben Yehudah of a fox inviting fish onto land: a Jew without Torah is like a fish out of water.