Vayechi: Torah of Peace
The proper learning of Torah brings a person to three levels of peace: Peace between him and his fellow man, between him and Hashem, and between him and himself…
Rabbi Mordechai Kornfeld
Rabbi Mordechai Kornfeld
King Solomon’s Justice
The two mothers argue in front of King Solomon, each claiming that the live baby is hers. King Solomon discerns who the real mother is by…
Vayeitzei: The Ancient Con Artist
Parshat Vayetze - We learn from Lavan the fine-lined difference between a deceiver – the ancient “con artist” – and the outlight liar...
Simchat Torah: The Magnitude of Torah
For Simchat Torah - The Torah is only the tip of an iceberg! Infinite knowledge can be gleaned from the Written Law through inference by applying the 13 rules of Biblical exegesis. And then there is midrashim, gematria, kabbalah, and even modern-day Bible Codes!
Sukkot and the Clouds of Glory
What is the Torah speaking about when it refers to Sukkot? Are they tents or clouds of glory? What does Sukkot have to do with the month of Tishrei and with the Land of Israel?
Apples and Honey
The Rosh Hashanna custom of dipping apples in honey is not some childish way to arouse sleepy children at the holiday table – it’s deeply rooted in Jewish esoteric thought…
Modern Techelet
There is a tradition from Rebbe Nachman of Breslev that right before Mashiach comes, the mitzvah of the techelet in tzitzit will be reinstated...
Argaman and Techelet
Archaeologists have uncovered numerous ancient dye-producing factories all over the Mediterranean coast, with large heaps of snail shells alongside them...
Fins, Scales, and Snails
Where does the biblical blue “techelet” dye come from? A fish? A snail? A mollusk? Rabbi Mordechai Kornfeld takes us on a thrilling journey to find out…
In Search of Biblical Blue
Throughout the time of the Talmud, the Techelet string was included in the Tzitziot of the men of Israel. Where is it today? Where does the authentic dye come from?
Our Secret Weapon
Hashem did not want the Satan to know about the Giving of the Torah, so He arranged to have the Satan "miss" the big event. One wonders how this was accomplished…