Hashem

We say a blessing over fire during the Havdalah ceremony at the conclusion of Shabbat each week. “Blessed are you Hashem our G-d, King of the Universe, who creates the lights of fire.” G-d’s words are compared to fire by the prophet Jeremiah as he says in His name “Is not my word like fire?” [...]

There was a visiting Rabbi at Sandton this week, known to almost every ”Shulgoer “in South Africa. He is wise and friendly and has a story for every occasion and then some. Well, he was in Shul early and I was there as well and we spoke words of Torah. He asked me what was [...]

The struggle for supremacy between Eisav and Yaakov has its origins from their very conception. Throughout Rebecca’s pregnancy the twins literally clashed within her womb. She inquires of Hashem through prophecy, and is informed that she was carrying the ancestors of two nations, the Jews and the Romans (Edomites). The boys grow up and develop [...]

After taking his son down from the alter, the angel who in fact stopped Abraham from ultimately sacrificing his son, speaks to our ancestor and says ”Now I know that you fear Hashem”. It has worried me for ages that the angel says now I know. Why does the angel say “I”? Surely he should [...]

I hope that your High Holiday Experience was a deeply moving and memorable one. I am still on a high from it and now my Succah is up and decorated, I cannot wait for the holiday of Succot to begin. It occurred to me at the conclusion of the Musaf Amidah on Yom Kippur, just [...]