October 3, 2023

Parshat Behar

Rashi asks a question that has become an oft-quoted phrase in other contexts, מה עניין שמיטה אצל הר סיני. Our פרשה introduces the mitzva of שמיטה by first highlighting that it was said at הר סיני. The question that bothers all the ראשנים is why? Rashi famously explains that just […]
October 3, 2023

The Shavout Experience

The Shavout Experience, the Yahadut Experience, the Fleetwood Experience As has been discussed in various forums within our Shul, Shavuot is a captivating holiday because it doesn’t impose any specific religious commandment. During Pesach, we eat matzah, and during Sukkot, we sit in the Sukkah and shake the arba’at ha-minim. […]
May 9, 2023

Inducing Labor

הקדמת לידה בזמן האחרון יצאו לאור כמה מחקרים שמתארים שכבר בשבוע 39 אפשר להקדים לידה בלי סכנה נוספת לאישה או לעובר. ואין הבדל רפואי אם הלידה תגמר בדרך טבעי בשבוע 40 או אם יקדימו לידה עם סמים בשבוע 39. ונעסוק בעניין הקדמת לידה כשאין סכנה לאם או עובר. כתב המשנה […]
May 9, 2023

Medication on Shabbat

A Medical Perspective Background The Gemara Shabbat (53) describes the difference between an animal or person suffering from some form of hematoma where a person can bathe on shabbat to treat his hematoma while an animal cannot. Olah explains that the animal cannot bathe due to a gezira of schikat […]
May 9, 2023

Halachot of Zoom

Many interesting halachic questions suddenly became relevant to many more than previously with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic where people were told to remain home and isolated from others. One such issue that within a few hours became a global controversy is the permissibility of using Zoom during the Pesach seder. For many families the idea of not spending the holiday with their extended relatives is completely foreign. The seemingly simple idea was to allow people to follow health protocols by leaving Zoom on before chag so they can, at least virtually, be with their extended families.
May 9, 2023

Metzora: Ralbag, Tzarat and Medicine

In today’s פרשיות, we encounter intricate instructions regarding the procedure for identifying a מצורע. Various verses elaborate on the specific criteria, such as changes in color, size, and hair, that must be met to diagnose someone as a מצורע. However, the practical applications of these regulations are not explicitly mentioned. […]
May 9, 2023

Kedoshim: The Ibn Ezra and Kelaim

קדושים תהיו, you should be holy, is understood by many ראשונים to highlight the value of a life not engaged in inappropriate relationships. It follows the prohibitions at the end of פרשת אחרי מות which list forbidden relationships and so it is logical that קדושים תהיו is a continuation of […]