Torah Corner

The Torah blog of Rabbi Yosef A. Cohen, MD of the Fleetwood Synagogue

Below you can find links to blog posts covering a range of topics. Rabbi Cohen writes about the parsha, chagim, and halacha, as well as a range of medical questions and how these topics overlap. 

There are also posts available on YUTorah by both Rabbis Cohen and Dayan.

The top of the page displays the most recent posts, while the categories section below can connect you to summaries and posts on a particular topic. 

Recent Posts

  • The Fleetwood Synagogue SoundCloud Page

    In addition to the various blog posts directly on the Torah Corner here on the Fleetwood Synagogue website, there are a large number of audio files on the Fleetwood SoundCloud page. These are audio only, without written commentary beyond the file name. The entire page is embedded below, although only a […]

  • Parshat Korach: The Journey

    This week I spent some time thinking about when do we commemorate events that happened to the Jewish people in contrast to American legal holidays. Juneteenth celebrates the last slaves in America learning that they were freed. Both holidays, quite logically, celebrate the conclusion of an event. We often don’t […]

  • Parshat Shelach

    When we ponder upon the legendary figures in military history, there are two exceptional commanders who come to mind. These extraordinary individuals possess the charm and brilliance to rally legions of followers, inspiring unwavering loyalty. Their troops would willingly lay down their lives for the chance to serve under their […]

  • Parshat Behaalotcha

    This week we started the beginning of a number of episodes featured throughout sefer bamidbar of rebellions against Moshe Rabbenu’s leadership. Unlike prior and subsequent episodes of the Jews sinning, these are not sins against God personally but are instead directly focused on Moshe Rabbenu. Today though, we read of […]

  • The Experience of Sukkot, The Experience of the Year

    The nature of the Chag of Sukkot is unique among the Chagim. It is unique in that there is no one mitzva that defines the day. It is unique in that it celebrates not one Chag but two, Simchat Torah and Sukkot. And it is unique in a full Hallel […]

  • 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 […]

  • 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. […]

  • First Born Ger Fasting Erev Pesach

    Here we analyze the halachic requirement of a first-born convert to fast Erev Pesach. Does a convert who as regulated by halacha loses his relationship with his former relatives also lose his status as a first born?

  • 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 […]

  • Action and Inaction: The Fundamentals of Maaseh in Halacha and Medical Devices

    Here we analyze the intersection of automated devices and Halacha. Specifically, we analyze how much input is required by a person in order for Halacha to consider the involvement of the person as an action culpable by Halacha.

Categories of the Posts of the Torah Corner

Tags of the Posts of the Torah Corner Blog

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