Rabbi Reuven Mann

Acharei Mot-Kedoshim:

Are mitzvot enough?

The Rambam teaches that we must say a blessing before we eat any food or enjoy pleasant aromas.

Parashat Tazria-Metzora

Parental love

A parent’s attachment to their child can become at odds with the imperative to act in the best interests of the child.

Parashat Shemini:

Sins of the righteous

To act based on instinctive feelings of right and wrong, or even powerful religious inspiration, is to undermine the principle of Divine Revelation.

Parashat Tzav:

Purging vessels and souls

The essential task is not only behavioral correction, but internal scrutiny.

Parashat Vayikra:

A dependent existence

Realizing that we exist as the handiwork of our Maker must be at the forefront of our consciousness. This awareness keeps us humble and guards us from sin.

VaYakheil-Pekudei

Were the mirrors holy?

The mirrors ussd for the Mishkan had an exotic histtory.

Parashat Ki Tisa:

Remaking of the Golden Calf

We must remember the central place that the crime of idol worship occupies in Judaism.

Parashat Tetsave:

Garments of Glory

What is the Torah's attitude toward clothing? Is there anything wrong with trying to look one’s best and constantly keeping up with the latest style?

Parashat Teruma:

G-d’s “Dwelling Place"

What is the meaning of the idea that G-d “dwells among us?" And why is the Mishkan built of donated materials, instead of G-d commanding the Jews to bring them?

Parashat Mishpatim:

Can civility sanctify G-d?

To treat G-d’s creatures with justice and compassion is to affirm, through our daily conduct, that the world and humanity are the handiwork of Hashem.

Parashat Yitro:

What did Yitro hear?

The Torah records Yitro’s actions because they contain important lessons for all of us.

Parashat Beshalach:

A war to end war

My sense is that many contemporary Jews, especially those who would identify as “liberal," might not be entirely comfortable with Moses' Song of the Sea. It is not in sync with a mindset that views war as an evil that “never solves anything." What is Judaism's view?

Parahat Bo:

Soul-Searching begins at home

Let us always be humble and ready to acknowledge our flaws. There is no such thing as a human being who never sins. We all act foolishly and make grave mistakes at some point in our lives.

Parashat Vaeira:

Did the plagues affect the Jews?

A disagreement between the Ramban and the Ibn Ezra.

Shemot:

The power of a name

Moshe’s name conveyed a lifelong mission: to oppose injustice and to fight on behalf of the helpless.

Parashat Vayechi:

Revisiting the scene of the crime

It is not good for a victim to replay the horror he experienced and to keep active the pain he has gone through. He must instead remove the traumatic event from active consciousness.

Parashat Vayigash:

G-d’s plan and man’s responsibility

This is perhaps the most dramatic narrative in the entire Torah. Why did Yosef suddenly conclude the charade?

Parashat Miketz/ Hanukkah:

Never play the victim

How should Yosef have dealt with the Chief Butler so that his plight would be remembered after interpreting the two prisoners' dreams?

Parashat Vayeshev:

From disaster to destiny

The point of the Torah is not that great people are saints who never do wrong. They are ordinary humans who are imperfect beings and capable of serious mistakes.

Parashat Vayishlach:

Can we finally reconcile?

Nothing is more important for the survival and welfare of mankind than the ability of enemies to resolve their grievances and to genuinely forgive one another.

Parashat Vayetze:

Why did Yaakov run away to Charan?

In departing from his parents, Yaakov was in fact obeying their wishes and thus fulfilling the commandment to honor one’s parents. Why then should the Sages say that the length of his absence is a cause for punishment?

Parashat Toldot:

When lying is (absolutely) necessary

We all confront many situations in which it is tempting to put a spin on things and manipulate the facts so that they are more in line with our interests or prevent catastrophe. Are we allowed to do so?

Parashat Chayei Sarah:

The ideal and the absolute

Life confronts us with the Absolute and the Ideal. The former leaves no place for compromise; the latter demands that we be flexible. The parasha shows us the differrence.

Parashat Vayera:

How can I encounter Hashem?

The study of Torah, when undertaken with humbleness and dedication, can lead one to a special encounter with HaKadosh Baruch Hu.

Parashat Lech Lecha:

Journey into greatness

Avraham and Sara are the exemplars of Divine service, models who we must strive to emulate.

Parashat Noach:

Does the world need G-d?

Granted that the world could not have come into being without Him, once created, can it persist on its own, independent of His sustaining Providence?

Parashat Bereishit:

Should conscience be your guide?

If Man was created without the capacity for shame, why would it suddenly emerge as a result of prohibited eating?

Parashat Ha'azinu:

A song From Moshe’s heart

The Song of Ha'azinu is a testament of Jewish Destiny.

Parashat Vayeilech: Hakhel

Why schlep along the kids?

The mitzvah of Hakhel: A national gathering with larger dimensions.

Patashat Nitzavim:

Is Torah wisdom accessible?

What did Moshe seek to convey by telling us that the Torah is “not in heaven” or “on the other side of the sea”?

Parashat Ki Tavo:

Allusion to the Holocaust

Only Hashem could have authored a book that accurately foretold the future course of Jewish existence.

Parashat Ki Teitze:

Keeping ingrates far away

What is the reason for the harsh limitation on Ammonites and Moabites?

Parashat Shoftim:

Unauthorized compassion

If there is a case in which a poor person loses to a significantly wealthy one, the true verdict must be delivered. However, the matter should not end there.

Parashat Re'eh:

Do we need Blessings and Curses?

There are material consequences in addition to the spiritual ones that ensue from one’s embrace or rejection of Torah.

Are you proud to be Jewish?

I am. Few peoples have contributed as much to the advancement of human knowledge and ethics as the Jews.

Parashat Vaetchanan:

Be careful what you pray for

Sometimes, we may have fallen deeply in love with someone who is just “unsuitable” for us. The feeling can be so compelling that we might rush into a disastrous marriage simply because we cannot see beyond our fantasies.

The unique nature of Devarim

The Book of Devarim teaches us about the importance of rebuke and the attitude we must assume toward it.

Parashat Matot-Masei:

Refuge in a strange city

To understand the phenomenon of a refuge city more clearly, we must fully appreciate the great value that the Torah attaches to the preservation of human life.

Parashat Pinchas:

Must we hate evil?

Most people automatically and mindlessly associate religion with unconditional compassion. The Talmud, however, teaches that in the proper context, vengeance against evil can be a virtuous and necessary response.

Parashat Balak:

Fatal seduction

Could Bilam really wreak havoc on the Jews? What exactly is the power of a curse? Can a human by the mere verbalization of certain words effectuate changes in the real world?

Parashat Chukat:

Honesty in the service of Hashem

Rashi seems to be saying that the sin of Moshe consisted in his deviating from the command of Hashem to speak to the rock instead of hitting it. But why would Moshe, the faithful servant, not do exactly what he was told?

Parashat Korach:

Who can you trust?

If we are willing to face a painful truth, we can learn a very important lesson from this. There is no guarantee that a very learned person will also be a great Tzadik (righteous person).

Parashat Shlach:

Like grasshoppers? Not at all

On the most basic level, the Sin of the Spies was that they were overcome by fear and communicated their despair to the nation. The lessons of this episode are very relevant to the current situation.

Parashata Beha'alotcha:

The danger of faulty comparisons

There are times when we must be able to control our urge to criticize.

Parashat Naso:

Turning blessings into meaningful brachot

There are many potential factors that could rob a person of the full benefits of the numerous blessings that might have come his way.

Parashat Bamidbar:

Bamidbar and the ultimate Redemption

The fourth Book of the Torah begins on a certain high note, but turns out to be the saddest and most disappointing in the entire Torah. On the other hand, it has high points.

Parashat Behar-Bechukotai:

Are we eternally chosen?

Yes, there is an unbreakable bond between Hashem and the Jewish people.

Parashat Emor:

Are we holier than thou?

There is a clear distinction between what is expected of the ordinary Jew and what is demanded of the Kohen.

Acharei-Mot–Kedoshim:

Worshipping under the influence?

The dangers of misguided zeal: Lessons from Nadav and Avihu

The joy and challenge of children

If you want to be a better parent, you must first become a better person.

The Holocaust: Have we learned its lessons?

Remembering the tragedies of the past, while extremely significant, provides no protection against their being repeated.

Parashat Tsav:

Mindfulness in the service of G-d - and advice on enhancing it

The daily lifting of the ash, which was performed by the Kohen as part of the Temple service, did not serve the practical purpose of keeping the Altar clean. What then was the objective of this Mitzvah?

Pekudei:

Atonement for the Eigel (Golden Calf)

Given that so much of our historical national suffering has been caused by the inability of people to work together and demonstrate respect for one another, the cooperation in building the mishkan is a great achievement in its own right.

Purim 5785:

Just one more day, please?

Why did Esther not cease hostilities, or in the unforgettable words of former President Joe Biden, “take the win,” after the first day of fighting the enemies of the Jews?

Parashat Tetsave:

The Kohanim and the legacy of the Levites

Behavior common in politics stands in stark contrast to the example set by Moshe and the Levites.

The morality of personal feelings

The Torah does not want us to judge people based on how we feel about them.

Parashat Bo:

Pharaoh’s anger at Moshe

Unshakable stubbornness is a key feature of brutal rulers. They have an irrational magnified belief in their own significance in the scheme of things that blinds them to reality.

Parashat Vaera:

You must CHOOSE Hashem!

Why would Hashem give Moshe, as evidence for Pharaoh, something which could be reproduced by others and thus undermine its claim to be supernatural?