October 3, 2023
Published by Rabbi Yosef A. Cohen, MD at October 3, 2023
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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 […]
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October 3, 2023
Published by Rabbi Yosef A. Cohen, MD at October 3, 2023
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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. […]
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May 9, 2023
Published by Rabbi Yosef A. Cohen, MD at May 9, 2023
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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 […]
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May 9, 2023
Published by Rabbi Yosef A. Cohen, MD at May 9, 2023
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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. […]
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May 9, 2023
Published by Rabbi Yosef A. Cohen, MD at May 9, 2023
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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 […]
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April 27, 2023
Published by Rabbi Yosef A. Cohen, MD at April 27, 2023
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HaChnassat Sefer Torah

Now that we have a ספר תורה, we should probably ask the question: did we just do a מצווה? The ספר החינוך counts the very last מצווה in the Torah as writing a ספר תורה. The רא”ש introduces the novel notion that writing other ספרים that we use more readily […]
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