Rabbi Chanan morisson ( based on the thoughts of HaRav Kook) Rectifying Baseless Hatred Why was the Second Temple destroyed? The Sages in Yoma 9b noted that the people at that time studied Torah, observed mitzvot and performed good deeds. Their great failure was in sinat chinam – baseless hatred. It was internal strife and … Read more
Rabbi Chanan morisson Together with Shema In the parashah of Balak, we find prophetic verses of exquisite beauty, and an inspiring story of God’s protection over the Jewish people. But to truly appreciate this Torah portion, one should ponder a remarkable teaching of the Sages. The Talmud (Berachot 12b) relates that the rabbis contemplated incorporating … Read more
Rabbi Chanan Morisson Moses made a terrible mistake. Near the end of their forty-year journey in the desert, the Israelites had arrived at Kadesh. There was no water to drink, and the people complained bitterly. God commanded Moses to take his staff before the entire people and speak to the cliff-rock, to provide water for … Read more
Rabbi Chanan Morisson “Aaron took [the fire-pan] as Moses had told him… He put the incense in it, and it atoned for the people. He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was checked.” (Num. 17:12-13) From where did Moses learn the secret power of incense to arrest plagues? The Gift of … Read more
Rabbi Chanan morisson One of the greatest tragedies in the history of the Jewish people occurred when the spies sent by Moses returned with a frightening report about the Land of Israel. Their dire warnings of a “land that consumes its inhabitants” convinced the people that they would be better off returning to Egypt. Unlike … Read more
Moshe Kempinski We are beset with a leadership caught between a desire to what they know they should be doing and the exile mentality and fear of “what will the world say”. As I sat visiting the tent of the hunger strikers in Jerusalem trying passionately to convince the government to change their intention to … Read more
Rabbi Chanam Morisson “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying: This is how you should bless the Israelites…” (Num. 6:23) Rav Kook’s position as chief rabbi of Jaffa and the surrounding settlements was extremely demanding. To rest from the long hours and pressures of his work, Rav Kook would go on vacation in the late … Read more
Rabbi Baruch Taub We don’t know where the mountain is, but does it matter? On Shabbat we will read Bamidbar, the first portion of the Book of Numbers, and on Sunday (Sunday and Monday in the Diaspora), celebrate Shavuot. Mount Sinai takes center stage. There is one problem. We have no idea of its actual … Read more
