Everyday Kiddush Hashem: Thoughts for Parashat Mishpatim
Holiness is linked to the way we live our daily lives; it isn’t an ethereal concept restricted to prayer, meditation and study. "Kiddush Hashem" is a daily responsibility and privilege.
Articles
The Great Privilege of Being a Jew
You do things that shouldn’t be able to be done. You endure things that shouldn’t be put up with. That is part of the existential job description of what it means to be a Jew. And I cannot imagine a greater privilege than the opportunity to be part of it all.
At'halta deGe'ulah: The State of Israel as Prelude to the Messianic Era
Rabbi Halevy’s writings reflect a conflict. On the one hand, he firmly believed that we were at the beginning of the period of redemption. On the other hand, he acknowledged that no one knew for certain how the redemption process would unfold. Rabbi Halevy evaluated sources about messianic calculations, natural vs. supernatural redemption, repentance during the period of redemption, and other matters relating to Divine Providence.
"The Bread of Shame"--Thoughts for Parashat Terumah
Good-hearted, thoughtful and generous people are the ones who sanctify life. They do not eat “the bread of shame.”
Shabbat: a Covenant and a Vision: Thoughts on Parashat Yitro
The Torah’s teachings on Shabbat are particular to Israel and universal to humanity. Our ideal Shabbat incorporates both components—covenantal observances and grand religious vision.
The End of Prophecy: Malachi's Position in the Spiritual Development of Israel
Rabbi Hayyiim Angel offers important insights on the Prophet Malachi and on the nature of prophecy itself.
Jewish Law and the Delicate Balance Between Meaning and Authority
The quest to understand the rationale that underlies the mitzvoth assumes that we should strive to articulate the spiritual messages of the halakha. By affirming our commitment to those laws whose reasons we may find personally or ethically challenging, we ensure that the Torah is, in fact, the source of our value system, and not simply an ancient text that validates the contemporary zeitgeist.
Remembering Stephen Neuwirth
Stephen Neuwirth passed away in January 2023 and we remember him with great affection and respect. He was a board member and major supporter of our Institute since its inception in 2007. He was a well-respected attorney, a community leader, philanthropist…a really fine human being. His wife Nataly and their four sons were the center of Steve’s life and were the sources of his greatest happiness and fulfillment.
New Trimester at the Beit Midrash of Teaneck with Rabbi Hayyim Angel
On Monday, February 10, Rabbi Hayyim Angel begins a new trimester at the Beit Midrash of Teaneck.
We will begin this trimester (which runs through April 2) with surveys of the Books of Proverbs, Job, and Daniel, and then move into an in-depth learning exploration of Bereshit-Genesis.
Classes are free and open to the public. Sponsorship opportunities also are available.
Rabbi Hayyim Angel's classes are held on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 12:00-12:45 pm EST.
You may attend live at the Jewish Center of Teaneck: 70 Sterling Place, Teaneck, New Jersey.
THE EVER GROWING TORAH MODEL: A portrait of Moses as a young man, national leader, and teaching model
Rabbi Zvi Grumet writes and teaches like a High School Yeshiva rebbe, unflinchingly focusing on the received Torah’s text and message[s], as lucidly and probingly as he can, so that his student/reader may understand his content and internalize the Torah’s normative message.