Author: Shlomo Bar-Ayal

  • Everyone Counts

    The Book of Numbers counts the Jews numerous times. This is to teach us that we call count and that everyone is precious.

  • Seeing God’s Hand In Our Lives

    Today we celebrate the liberation of Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria during the 6 Day War in 1967. The victory showed God’s hand in this world through the many miracles that happened during that war.

  • Remember Those Who Gave All

    On Memorial Day we remember the young men and women who died in the line of duty. While the Americans who were killed defending us may not have had us on their minds, we have to thank them for without them we would not have the rights we enjoy.

  • Trust In God, The Ultimate Test

    The Sabbatical year is the ultimate test in faith. A farmer has to rely on God keeping His promise the farmer will be able to support himself and family even though he is not working his land and not raising crops.

  • Teach The Next Generation

    One of the things that many people forget is that if you want to instill morality in your children, you have to teach them morality. Otherwise, they will make up their own morality.

  • The Curse Of Being Normal

    The Torah gives us blessings and curses. The blessings are the good things are what will happen if we follow the Torah. The curses are what will happen if we don’t. The worst curse is that we will be just like all other people. We will be a “normal” nation.

  • We Need Liberty To Serve God

    In order to serve God, we have to be free.  A slave has to do what his master dictates; he cannot fully serve both God and his master.

  • Do Your Best & Trust In God

    The Sabbatical year teaches us that God controls the world. With this in mind we have to do our best to make to support our families and community but in the final analyses it is God Who will determine if we succeed or not. But unless we strive God will not help us.

  • True Reparative Justice

    The goal of Biblical justice is to bring equilibrium to the world. That, while wrong doers should be punished, the punishment should not be too severe.

  • What Is Lag B’Omer About?

    Today is the 33rd Day of the Omer. It is a day of celebration. The real story of the reason we mourn the first 33 days of the Omer is that Rabbi Akiva’s students died. The Talmud avoids the obvious reason since the Romans still ruled the land of Israel.