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 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.

  • 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 […]

  • 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…

  • 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. […]

  • 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 […]

Categories of the Posts of the Torah Corner

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