qChabad

In my backyard, I have an Italian fig tree, a gift from my friend Stu. The leaves are just now beginning to grow, and that makes me in a good mood. My father helped plant it, and I have tended to it carefully for years. The Torah instructs that one cannot eat fruit borne in the first three [...]

In this week’s parsha, Vayakhel, we read of the completion of the construction of the Tabernacle, known in Hebrew as the Mishkan.  The Mishkan was the portable sanctuary which the Jews constructed while travelling in the desert.  It was able to be assembled and disassembled at need.  After it was no longer needed (because the [...]

My children’s favorite fruit is probably the pomegranate, or rimon, as they call it in Hebrew.   I must admit that I’m a pretty big fan myself.  And it seems that I’m not the only one. Pomegranates seem to be the “newest thing” these days, almost as if they were just discovered.  The fruit is extolled [...]

BS”D Nahum of Gam Zu lived at the end of the Second Temple period.  He was a righteous man who led a very difficult life.  He was blind in both eyes, both his hands were cut off, his feet amputated, and his entire body was covered with boils.  He was so helpless that the legs [...]

I recently had an interesting discussion with someone about different types of synagogues.  I’m not referring to the different denominations, but rather, to different synagogues, regardless of denomination. I stated that if I entered a synagogue and was not approached with a Shalom Aleichem, then I would consider this house of worship to be cold [...]

The story is told of a certain aspiring Hungarian Jew who travelled to Lizhensk, Poland, hoping to meet with the famous tzaddik (righteous person), Rabbi Elimelech Weisblum (1717-1786). He had heard of the greatness of Reb Elimelech, and hoped to glean wisdom and inspiration from this famous Chassidic leader. When he arrived in Lizhensk, he [...]

This week’s Torah portion, Shoftim, contains a famous verse: “Justice, justice, you shall pursue.”  Today, I would like to pose to you a question that the answer may seem obvious.  Nevertheless, I think it is worth discussing the Jewish perspective on this issue, particularly in light of recent news items: Is a moral individual ever [...]

Free Hour every Monday in Conference Room #1 of the Dining Hall.  All the way in the back, past the big Louis Armstrong picture.  Hot pizza served.  This text-based class will deliver a timely message with lots of discussion.  No previous knowledge required.