The Council of Nicaea: Pagan Emperor Constantine Used Christianity to Unify Church and State The Council of Nicaea (also known as the First Council of Nicaea) was the first ecumenical council of the Christian Church. This council, which was convened in 325 AD, was assembled by the Roman Emperor Constantine. About 300 bishops from…
Tag: Hashem
Through the Righteous
Hashem Does Not Bring About Failure Through the Righteous The Gemara (Chullin 7a) recounts an incident where Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair travelled to a certain hotel and the innkeeper brought some barley for the rabbi’s donkey. The donkey, however, did not want to eat. They proceeded to sift and clean the barley by removing all…
D’var Torah Parshas Vaera
Hiding in the Open Daily By Rabbi Label Lam And G-d spoke to Moshe and said to him; “I am Hashem! I appeared to Avraham to Yitzchok and to Yaakov as El Shaddai, but with My name HASHEM I did not make Myself known to them. (Shemos: 2-3) What’s this whole business with the names…
Haftorah – Parshas Vayeitzei
Parshas Vayeitzei Hoshea 12:13 – 14:10 This week’s haftorah is devoted to the Jewish nation’s severe plunge into idolatry. The Judean kingdom ultimately succumbed to the rampant practices of the Samaritan kingdom and engaged itself in foreign worship. This abhorrent conduct traced back to the days of Yeravam ben N’vat, the first Samaritan king. Shlomo…
The Last Laugh of History
Parshas Toldos The Last Laugh of History And these are the generations of Yitzchok the son of Avraham; Avraham begot Yizchok. (Breishis 25:19) This is the segment in the Torah where Yitzchok Avinu is most on display. Yet he is still the most invisible of the three Patriarchs. His words are sparse and sparing, and…
Mashiv Ha’Ruach
The Laws of Mentioning “Mashiv Ha’Ruach” We Begin Reciting “Mashiv Ha’Ruach” “Mashiv Ha’Ruach U’Morid Ha’Geshem” is a praise we recite to Hashem during the winter months within the “Mechayeh Ha’Metim” blessing of the Amidah as is printed in all Siddurim. We begin reciting “Mashiv Ha’Ruach U’Morid Ha’Geshem” in the Mussaf prayer of Simchat Torah (outside…
Dvar Torah – Sukkos
D’var Torah Sukkos Miraculously the Streak Continues By Rabbi Label Lam For a seven day period you shall dwell in booths. Every resident among the Israelites shall live in booths, in order that your generations should know that I had the Children of Israel live in booths when I took them out of the Land…
Yom Kippur
D’var Torah Yom Kippur “What Make and Model is My Kikayon?” By Rabbi Label Lam And Jonah had gone out of the city, and had stationed himself on the east of the city, and there he made himself a hut and sat under it in the shade until he would see what would happen in…
The Ten Days of Repentance
The Ten Days of Repentance The Gemara in Masechet Berachot (12b) states: “Rabba bar Chinena said in the name of Rav: Throughout the year, one recites (in the Amida prayer) ‘Ha’el Ha’Kadosh’ and ‘Melech Ohev Tzedakah U’Mishpat’ besides for the ten days beginning with Rosh Hashanah and ending with Yom Kippur when one recites…
Daf Notes Chagigah Daf 16
Daf Notes is currently being dedicated to the neshamah of Tzvi Gershon Ben Yoel (Harvey Felsen) o”h The Gemora had stated that Rabbi Akiva entered Pardes; he ascended in peace and he left in peace. Upon him, it is written: Draw me, we will run after you. And Rabbi Akiva as well, the ministering…
Haftorah – Shabbos Shuva
Shabbos Shuva Hoshea 14:2-10; Yoel 2:11-27; Micha 7:18-20 This week’s haftorah quite appropriately focuses on teshuvah – repentance. In the previous verses, the prophet Hoshea strongly rebukes the Jewish people for straying after practices of idolatry. He predicts terrible tragedies for the Jewish nation because of their atrocious behavior towards Hashem. Hoshea concludes his harsh…
Daf for Shabbos – Chagigah 12
Daf Notes is currently being dedicated to the neshamah of Tzvi Gershon Ben Yoel (Harvey Felsen) o”h May the studying of the Daf Notes be a zechus for his neshamah and may his soul find peace in Gan Eden and be bound up in the Bond of life. Size of Adam The Gemora asks:…
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