by Rabbi Gotlib | Dec 7, 2023 | Chanukah, Rabbi Gotlib
In his book Likutei Halachot, Rabbi Nosson of Breslav relates the Hebrew word Chanukah (rededication) to the word chinuch (education). In fact, he teaches that the essence of the holiday of Chanukah, remembering the Maccabean victory over the Greeks and their...
by Rabbi Gotlib | Nov 9, 2023 | Chayei Sarah, Rabbi Gotlib, Weekly Parsha
Parshat Chayei Sarah includes the iconic scene of Eliezer, Avraham’s servant, meeting Yitzchak’s future wife, Rivkah. How does Eliezer know that she is the right one for Yitzchak? He asked Hashem for a sign – the woman who is right should not only offer him...
by Rabbi Gotlib | Oct 13, 2023 | Breishis, Israel, Rabbi Gotlib, Weekly Parsha
“In the Beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” It’s one of the most well known lines of any book, written at any point in history. But why does the Torah specifically start there? The word “Torah” literally means “teaching,” so if the whole point is for us...
by Rabbi Gotlib | Sep 14, 2023 | High Holidays, Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur
People often assume that Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur are about the same thing. On the one hand, this makes sense to a degree. The days are referred to collectively as the Yomim Noraim or High Holy Days. They are united by the Ten Days of Repentance between them. They...
by Rabbi Gotlib | Aug 14, 2023 | Rabbi Gotlib, Weekly Parsha
This week’s parshah open with a short, but powerful powerful verse: “רְאֵ֗ה אָנֹכִ֛י נֹתֵ֥ן לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם בְּרָכָ֖ה וּקְלָלָֽה׃” “See, this day I set before you blessing and curse:” Deuteronomy 11:26 One listening to the parshah being...
